no turn signal or brake lights

jcovais · 09-10-2013, 06:35 AM

have not used my '03 t2499 for several months ....everything was working last time i used it......when connected to the truck all marker lights work including the running lights that are the same as the brake and signal lights(one bulb) no signal lights or brake lights the light just stays lit as a running light

HELP

JIm

jim44646 · 09-10-2013, 08:04 AM

Get some contact spray at radio shack. Spray and clean both male and female connectors and coat with dielectric grease. Also check for corroded grounds. Check light bulbs for corrosion and coat with dielectric grease.

jcovais · 09-10-2013, 08:08 AM

light bulbs are good ...I used the dialectic grease however did not clean the contacts first.....will try that

jcovais · 09-10-2013, 09:33 AM

ok tried the contact cleaner and dialectic grease..... still nothing

jim44646 · 09-10-2013, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcovais

ok tried the contact cleaner and dialectic grease..... still nothing

Next look on etrailer.com for trailer plug diagram. Using test light or meter find negative pole on plug on vehicle. Attach neg lead then go around plug checking for power. U can also take plugs apart and check for corrosion and power. U are loosing power somewhere. Just tracing takes time. Are the lights on vehicle working?

jcovais · 09-10-2013, 12:16 PM

Everything is fine on the vehicle lights signal etc. when I plug the trailer in I get runnin lights. However both turn signals and brake lights on the trailer are a no go. The turn signal on the truck are going just not on the trailer. It should be notated that the running lights directional a and brake are one bulb

jcovais · 09-10-2013, 12:19 PM

Just a thought. Does the trailer have to be attached to the truck to create a ground for the turn signals and break lights to work?????? And simply pluging it in to the truck is not enough?????

jim44646 · 09-10-2013, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcovais

Just a thought. Does the trailer have to be attached to the truck to create a ground for the turn signals and break lights to work?????? And simply pluging it in to the truck is not enough?????

If the vehicle is wired correctly there should be a ground wire in both plugs. Sometimes people short cut and use hitch for ground. I, myself go straight from battery ground to plug. I also attach ground wire from trailer plug to trailer frame with stainless screws. Also trailer battery to frame with good ground. Make sure all lights are well grounded

jcovais · 09-10-2013, 06:15 PM

ok checked the power on the trailer side and everything is good.....put the test light on the vehicle side and no power to the male part of the harness.....checked all the fuses having to do with the trailer on my truck and they are all good the problem lyes somewhere prior to the harness

I thought at first since the running lights were on I was getting power, but apparently that runs on its own circuit...how hard is it going to be to trace the pwer wire fron the harness back to the power source?

Gene · 09-10-2013, 07:33 PM

All the lights get power from the tow vehicle. Here is a picture of the plug on the trailer. Usually problems like that are a bad ground, either at the bulb socket OR the trailer plug. With both bulbs and connectors I hade had better results using WD-40 rather than contact cleaners or the dialectic grease.

jcovais · 09-11-2013, 08:10 AM

ok I think i'm close to narrowing the problem I put a test light on the tow veh harness...put the clip on neutral and touched the blade for running lights, the test light lit...i touched the power blade and it lit.....turned the signal light on for each side and touched the turn/brake blades....nothing...I rechecked the fuse and it is not blown as the filament is still in tact........any thoughts??????

**JohnB** · 09-11-2013, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcovais

...I rechecked the fuse and it is not blown as the filament is still in tact........any thoughts??????

What make, year and model truck do you have? One of us may have been through this before. I have been through GM and Ford hook ups but do not know what you have to help better

The fuse that is still intact, did you test for power on the down side of the fuse? Trying to isolate the problem to is it, upstream of the fuse or down stream of the fuse to the back of the truck. If you have power on the pin of the down stream side of the fuse up front in the fuse holder area, then the issue is between there and the 7 wire plug. The "hunt" will continue...

jcovais · 09-11-2013, 11:07 AM

I have a 2003 f250 super duty. 4x4 extra cab with a 5.4 l gas engine

mainah · 09-11-2013, 06:43 PM

Is it factory wiring or did some one install the trailer wiring on the TV? If it's an install I would be looking at the connections to the socket.

jcovais · 09-11-2013, 07:20 PM

No it's original with the truck factory imstalled

joe8grouse · 09-11-2013, 07:27 PM

I would check the wire connections on the TV socket. Take it a part and see what the wires look like where they attach to the socket. I that doesn't fix the problem, then start with the wires going back in to the TV. Were they spliced in to the vehicle wire harness? If so, chances are one has become compromised. On newer vehicles the right turn signal and brake share the same wire in the vehicle harness. Hope some of this helps and apologies if I covered something else already suggested. Good luck!

Joe & Tina

mainah · 09-12-2013, 06:59 AM

Many of the OEM trailer sockets had a connector on the back of the socket with a locking tab to keep it in place. The connector has female terminals the socket male they are supposed to be water tight I have seen some full of water and others that the female pins were not locked into the plug in part and pushed out enough to lose connection.

jcovais · 09-12-2013, 07:09 AM

This is a great site. And I want to thank everyone for your input on this matter. Through your suggestions I have narrowed the problem to be between the fuse and the plug at the back of the truck. I have a friend coming by who is a lot smarter than I to help me track it down on fri I will post up what we find I the hopes it will help some one else