Using Curt Vehicle to Vehicle Tail Light Converter Wires Have Power All the Time

Question:

when I plug in the tail light they come on even if the lights in the car are off. They are always on. I checked the ground and it appears ok.

asked by: Bob

Expert Reply:

It sounds like there is a short somewhere. Curt converter # C56196 is not a powered unit so the only way it would have power going to it when the vehicle is turned off would be if the wiring was attached to something that had power all the time or if there was a short.

You mentioned the ground. Make sure that it is attached to a clean and corrosion free bare metal surface.

This is a taillight-to-taillight converter used for flat towing. If the lights are on in the towing vehicle when you plug it in then that would be why the lights on the toad come on.

If all of the connections are attached to the correct wires on the input side, then disconnect the output side. Then use a circuit tester such as # PTW2993 to test the wiring on the output side. If it shows power, then there is likely a short inside the converter and it would need to be replaced.

But I am not sure how this would happen if the vehicle was off.

expert reply by: Michael H