trailer light problem, help!!

[Joeymt3]

1997 ranger 2.3 2wd

my utility trailer blinker lights are very dim only when the head lights are on. I've hooked up one of those LED testers that plug into the tail light harness. This tester has the the 3 red LED lights that tell you if all three outputs are good. Anyway, when I turn on the blinkers the tester says they are good. when I turn on the hazard lights it says both are good. when I turn on the parking lights and the blinker or hazard lights the tester says the only good output is the parking lights. the two LED lights for the left and right blinker blink very very dim. I can only see them in the dark.

Please Help

 

[Joeymt3]

things that I have tried.

I bought a replacement hopkins wiring kit because I thought mine was damaged. It came with the replacement piece that goes in the factory harness and out to the bumper. that didn't help.

I checked all the fuses, still no luck

I found a plug on the factory harness in the frame rail just in front of the fuel tank. I disconnected it and sprayed it with some contact cleaner and still not luck, starting to get frustrated!!
__________________

 

[That Baker Guy]

dads f150 has a similar problem like this the trailer blinkers wouldnt work with head lights on only on the right side we found it was just a bad connection inside the pin connectors make sure its securely plugged in, if not try a ground some where.

 

[Joeymt3]

are you saying one of the pin connectors may be pushing out of the back of the plug? I didn't check for that. I'll get back under there and check

thanks

 

[shane96ranger]

I'd say it's a bad ground as well. Is it only affecting the trailer, or does it dim the truck itself too?

 

[strvger]

x3 on a bad ground. they can be a real pia to find. good luck.

 

[Joeymt3]

it may be a bad ground somewhere. i ran a new trailer ground and still no luck. I have also pulled the switch from the dash and sprayed it with contact cleaner and I just pulled the flasher and did the same thing. I'm stumped but i'm going back out to check something else

 

[Joeymt3]

I don't know if I should feel dumb or not. I tried my little tester that plugs into the trailer light socket on the truck on my 2010 f-150 and both blinkers and the running lights work. it didn't work on my '97 ranger though. so, i've been trouble shooting for two days. I thought i would try the tester in my wife's '99 explorer since they are wired very similar, well the tester does the same thing in the explorer that it does in the ranger.

 

[shane96ranger]

I don't know if I should feel dumb or not. I tried my little tester that plugs into the trailer light socket on the truck on my 2010 f-150 and both blinkers and the running lights work. it didn't work on my '97 ranger though. so, i've been trouble shooting for two days. I thought i would try the tester in my wife's '99 explorer since they are wired very similar, well the tester does the same thing in the explorer that it does in the ranger.

How are the Ranger and Explorer wired? Did you tap in to the wires, or does it have the relays specifically for trailer lights? My Explorer did some funky trash with the factory trailer wiring. They would work sometimes, sometimes no. Sometimes it would blink fast, sometimes it acted like there wasn't enough juice and the relay would vibrate like it was stuck. I just bypassed all of it and tapped right into the lights because I didn't want to mess with it.

 

[Joeymt3]

probably about 8 years ago is when I installed a Hopkins trailer wire kit on the truck. It plugs inline with the main harness and the tail light harness, then the trailer 4 flat wire comes from it. I have the same kit on my explorer and ranger. it may be the the two similair vehecle or the Hopkins wiring kit. I think that the tester is too sensitive, i hooked back up to the trailer and everything works as it should. therefore i'm saying that the tester may be sensing a problem that isn't there because I doubt that the explorer and ranger have wiring issues.

Again, this tester is the small 4 flat connector that plugs into the trailer wire at the bumper and had 3 LED lights for LT, RT, and taillights. they all 3 work on my f-150