Trailer Lighting :icon_confused:

[jasongind]

I have a 2001 Ranger four door 4x4. I have a lil 8'x4' foldable trailer i hook up to it. I used the trailer about 2 weeks ago with no problem, all lights operated fine. I hooked up to it last night, did my light check and when i turn the right blinker on all blinkers flash like the four ways are on. Now with the left signals on just the left blink, and with hazardos on all blink again. Any Ideas?

Also I use the 4 prong flat connector, if that matters.

Edit: yes i know i miss tyoed trailer in the title lol

 

[Sprag-O]

Right blinker is grounding through the left is kinda what it sounds like.... no corrosion in the light sockets, or the whips?

 

[jasongind]

how would it be grounding through the left? there are no broken wires.

 

[Sprag-O]

Corrosion could do it. One of the biggest issues we have with trailer wiring up here.

 

[Black'03LevelII]

Corrosion could do it. One of the biggest issues we have with trailer wiring up here.

+1 I would open up all of your lamp housing and check the bulb sockets for a case of the greenies. Corrosion is the worst enemy to electrical devices.

 

[jasongind]

+1 I would open up all of your lamp housing and check the bulb sockets for a case of the greenies. Corrosion is the worst enemy to electrical devices.

I recently replaced the whole light assembly. So there isnt any corrosion in it. Its something on the truck its self, the connector fails the little test light deal you plug into the harness. I'm going to go pull the wiring out of the black wire loom and see if I can find a break or something.

 

[jasongind]

I got the lightst to work. I over looked a lil 7.5 amp fuse in the cab. But now the stop light and turn signal work fine when the running/headlights are not on. If I turn the running or headlights on the right blinker stays solid, it doesnt flash. If I turn the running/headlights off the right blinker will flash normally. The left blinker works fine the whole time no matter what. I checked there is no corrosion, the wires and hooked up right (green to green, brown to brown) and its grounded properly.

 

[D.J.]

Just for giggles hook up a set of jumper cables to the tow rig frame and to the frame on the trailer and see what happens!

 

[jasongind]

Thanks for the tip but I dont think that is really going to fix my problem.

 

[Jspafford]

Thanks for the tip but I dont think that is really going to fix my problem.

Well.. You posted on a forum asking for help. Then get shitty when someone offers good advice.

Doing the jumper cable trick will create a ground between your truck and trailer. 9 out of 10 times all trailer lighting issues are ground related.

You my friend, have a bad ground wire. Most likely on the back of the truck.

Don't ask me what I do for a living.

 

[Will]

Don't ask me what I do for a living.

Pianist in a brothel?

 

[jasongind]

Well.. You posted on a forum asking for help. Then get shitty when someone offers good advice.

Doing the jumper cable trick will create a ground between your truck and trailer. 9 out of 10 times all trailer lighting issues are ground related.

You my friend, have a bad ground wire. Most likely on the back of the truck.

Don't ask me what I do for a living.

I didn't get shitty at all, I even said thanks. Honestly I thought he was joking around. What hes saying is just hook up the negative cable to the trailer? So the truck has a bad ground your saying? The one ground on the trailer (white wire) is attached well so I think its good. Any idea where to start looking for the ground on the back of the truck?
I know the ground that is roughly under the passanger door area was broke off while wheeling one day, but I have reattached it since.

 

[Jspafford]

Really depends...If it is OEM it could be anywhere, but most likely it is within a foot of the bumper. If it is wired by someone else....it is almost always within eyesight.

You can test this theory by doing the jumper cable trick. Make sure the frame is clear where you attach the cables.

 

[jasongind]

It is a stock wiring job. So I guess I'll just start looking for a ground. I also have a Chilton I can look in the schamatics. The trailer doesnt have a bare metal spot on it. The whole thing is painted red, guess I could put it on the hitch part.

 

[Jspafford]

It is a stock wiring job. So I guess I'll just start looking for a ground. I also have a Chilton I can look in the schamatics. The trailer doesnt have a bare metal spot on it. The whole thing is painted red, guess I could put it on the hitch part.

You could always snip the covering back on the existing ground wire and run your own to it.