Tailer Lights

[Steve Helscher]

My left blinker doesn't work. Everything else works fine. Do I need to replace the entire left unit?

 

[Larry Gregan]

Unfortunately, if you have a trailstar trailer like mine, the bulbs are sealed in a "bubble" that fits inside if the tailight housing. To answer your question you would have to buy the whole "bubble". I forget the cost but it wasn't too bad. I keep the old bulb unit just in case on long trips a brake or tailight goes out.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

They ain't cheap...I think $6.99 at BPS. I unplug my lights before I back down and haven't replaced one in two seasons. My 94 I replaced about two sets before I started unplugging them...now it's good to go. Just got to remember to plug them back in....

TEE

 

[Steve Helscher]

Yes, it is a Trailstar. I thought I would have to replace it. I am on my 4th year for the boat and trailer. Thanks for the help.

 

[Larry Harp]

Tee, I was thinking about that un-plugging the lights thing the other night when I was loading the boat. I would miss having the trailer lights to guide me onto the trailer in the dark.



Harpo

 

[Michael Snow]

First, check your fuses... there's a great chance that it's a trailer wiring fuse on your tow vehicle. Each blinker has its own fuse. On Ford and Chevy, there's a fuse panel under the hood. My 03 Silverado has them at the end of the dash as you open the driver's door.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

If your running light works for that bulb, but just the blinker functionality doesn't work than you got something else going on with your wiring or fuses in the truck.



If your lights are designed to be submersible, as most boat trailer lights are, than you shouldn't have too turn them off when launching you boat. Its not glass that surrounds your light bulb and makes the unit waterproof, its plastic. I never pratice that method and have never had a light go out due to dumping my trailer in the water. But if it makes you feel better do it. I agree the lights sometime help me backdown those dark ramps.



Hope it helps.

 

[Steve Helscher]

My truck blinker still is working, if that makes any difference. If I do need to replace the entire unit, does the replacement come with wires exposed that I just hook them up? I took it off the trailer and it is wired right inside the unit. I don't like cutting something, I am prone to screw ups when I not sure what I'm doing.

 

[Jim B]

firebird, on the trailer is the left brake light still working? if you have someone step on the brankes if the left one lights up then its not the bulb. the brake lights and turn are carried on the same filament on trailer. if the brake light is dead too just change the bulb, its not that hard just cut take the bulb off, cut the wires and re splice the new bulb in hooking the wires up like they were before. if the brake light does work then you need to take a look at the truck, id start at the plug. you cna turn the blinker on and test the plug with a meter or a test light. the left blinker/brakelight is the yellow wire. on my truck there is a seperate set of fuses for the trailer wireing under the hood(dodge), i have had the trailer go out and the truck still be fine.

 

[Steve Helscher]

Ok, the left brake light and the light itself both work. I will check the plug, fuse and see where it takes me. I can't just replace the bulb, it is sealed inside plastic inside the casing. Thanks for the help. I will let you know what I find.

 

[Steve Helscher]

An update, the fuseing in the truck is fine. I am going to get another pigtail and see if that is the problem. will do that tomorrow.

 

[Steve Helscher]

Lights are fine. The problem was in the pigtail. Looking back I know what happened. My son helped our daughter move a piano out of mom's house. They rented a U-Haul and Josh said the guy hooking up the lights bent the pigtail. Must have done something to it. I got a new one today and the problem is solved. Thanks for your comments on where to troubleshoot the problem.