So my driver's side tail light went out some time back and it was about the same time the dogs at my inlaw's (where we store it) chewed threw the connection and wiring. I replaced the trailer plug and it still is out. So while underneath it the other day I found that the wiring to the drivers side hub was cut. It appears it got pinched in the clamps of the leaf springs. Anyway, I reconnected them and the light is still out.
My question is this, does that mean that the brake on that side was not working? I am sure it was not and the light still being out, does that mean the brake is not working still? The light works for the running lights but not the turn signal or the brake. I even replaced the bulb and the brake light still does not work. HELP!
Maybe you should check at the other end of the trailer (front) to see if you have power there. If you do then follow the wire to the defective light: you should find it's cut somewhere. Also check if everything is okay at the trailer plug of your vehicule. The electric brakes are independent, on a different circuit than the lights, one way to check: jack up on side of the trailer so the wheel is not touching the ground and have a helper hit the brakes: a after a few seconds the wheel shoudn't be turning. repeat for the other side.
The trailer brakes work on an entirely different wire than the brake light/turn signal circuit. If the wire going to the left brake was cut by the spring, the left brake would not have been working until the brake wire was re-connected. If the same cut wire served both brakes, it's possible neither one would have been working. But again, the wire that activates the trailer brakes would not affect the left brake light/turn signal. Some trailer lights are notorious for losing continuity to either the ground or the "hot" wire. If you aren't handy with a volt/ohmmeter, get a friend who has an digital electronic one with a "beeper" which signals continuity, to help you trace each circuit and test for continuity. If that checks out, plug the connector to the tow vehicle and check for voltage on the "hot" wire as you activate each circuit. It's possible that you wired the new connector plug incorrectly. You don't say what type of tow vehicle you have. Many trucks and large SUVs have fuses under the hood for each trailer circuit. If yours does, check to see if the left brakelight/turn signal fuse is blown.
This happened to my neighbor when someone borrowed his trailer and snagged the trailer wiring on something while pulling the trailer through a pasture. They re-connected the wiring, but cross-wired the circuits incorrectly, and when he plugged the trailer into his truck, his underhood fuses blew.
He spent much of a day trying to find the problem before I came home and suggested he test the connector on the truck. Since there was no voltage at the truck's trailer connector, I knew to check the underhood fuses, two of which were blown. Once we had the truck's connector working again, we then traced out each circuit and re-wired the trailer connections correctly.
Something you may already know....each vehicle and trailer manufacturer may use their own color code, so it is easy to get confused when hooking up the tow vehicle trailer connector receptacle or the trailer plug.
2003 GMC Sierra Crew HD; 6.0L; Prodigy
2006 Thor Tundra 30RL-DSL; Reese Strait-Line & Dual-cam HP
2001 Honda Elite Scooter
Jim & Gayle Bryant
Murphy's Law: "Anything that CAN happen, WILL."
Bryant's Law: "31 years of RVing? Probably already HAS."
Aha. The tow vehicle is a 2004 Tahoe. I will check all of those. I don't own a voltmeter but I have been wanting to get one so this may just be the excuse to do it. Thanks.
So I got a multimeter and found it was a fuse.... ha ha ha. Well, I only paid $19 buck for the multimeter at sears so, its OK. Thanks for all your help everyone.
You will find that having a multi-meter with a PUP is often the only way to diagnose electrical problems. There are some good tutorials on the web about how to use a multi-meter for various tests. Many people do not know all of the tests and checks you can do with one, and only ever use it for checking for voltage. They do much more.
Jim & JoAnne
2007 Toyota Tundra Double Cab
2004 Starcraft 11RT
Thanks Fairfax. I love Fairfax by the way. I'm a mtn. biker originally from Sonoma and have ridden Tam Rancho and camped at Samuel P. Taylor's a couple of times.
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