Tow wiring helped

[Jess Yaj]

I installed a tow package on my car and did all the plug and play wiring...but somehow the trailer lights is not corresponding to my car when I test it out...I check the new plug and its pushing out 13v...I recheck my work 3-4 times now and still nothing happened...before buying the boat we tested out the trailer and it was working fine...:huh::huh:

 

[Richard James]

What tow package (manufacture) do you have?

 

[Jess Yaj]

It's a pro series tow package...I test the new plug and everything work but when I plug it to the trailer plug...the trailer is not working...I've check all light on trailer and its working good...can it be trailer wire ground....

 

[Bob G.]

Jessy, how did you test out the trailer before purchase?

 

[firedog978]

jessy,



What make vehicle do you have?



I had an issue 2 years ago where my trailer lights all worked except 'brake lights'. I checked over and over trying to find the problem. Including the fuses in the fuse box inside my truck cab.



Well, finally looked at the truck owner's manual to see what else could be the problem. It turned out there is a fuse box (big one), under the hood. Chevrolet has trailer fusing in that box. Specifically for trailer lights. That was it. The brake lights fuse in there.



If you have a Chevrolet or GMC vehicle check that. Mine is a 2009.

 

[Jess Yaj]

I'm using a 2006 Honda odyssey van to tow the 16 foot bass boat...



I did a test on all signaling, brakes, and hazard light from the new plugs and it works great...I also strip and wire the light straight to the battery and double check all lights on around the trailer to see if it turn on, they all works perfect...I also check the negatives and it works fine...the only thing I haven't check yet is the wiring going inside trailer...clueless how to check it and how they installed it inside the trailer metal...

 

[Jess Yaj]

Bobg, before buying the boat I had the owner test all lights in trailer before buy it...so when he deliver the trailer with boat...my van doesn't have tow package and wiring so I had to purchased that and installed it...since getting the tow package and wiring down the trailer boats light won't function with it...

 

[firedog978]

This may sound 'too simple' but, did you put the trailer tongue onto the tow ball to get ground?

 

[Jess Yaj]

No....that's another thing I was trying to figure it out too...I mean are we suppose to...

 

[Bob G.]

The trailer should be grounded through the wired connection, not the tow ball.

 

[firedog978]

I agree Bob but, he's trying to find a problem. You wouldn't believe how often I've seen wiring done that way. And, if the tow vehicle isn't attached to the trailer, that's when it shows up. If it works, he can then properly run ground.

 

[Jess Yaj]

Fire I connect the tongue into the tow ball and nothing works when I turn on the lights...guess I got to rewire everything....



This was tested in a Nissan armada suv...the car has a built in plug outlet that u would just plug it into the car tow outlet and it function... Can it be because my car is not made like that and added a tow packages wiring threw it off etc...

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

You need to find the problem. If you have power to the plug and have verified that the lights do work from the plug then there is another problem. You would be re wiring lights you already know work on the old plug. That is not the problem. What type of plug is on the vehicle? Have you checked that the plug on the vehicle is wired correctly? Should be a 5 pin flat receptor. Hook the trailer up to another vehicle with a 5 pin flat receptacle and see if it works. You have to make sure the plug on your vehicle is wired properly color wise. My opinion is that your vehicle is not wired correctly to the plug.

 

[Jess Yaj]

Okay... I figure what's happened... What happened is the ground is no good so I redid a new ground and it all works... Now here comes another issue...when I plug the connector in the left side rear would turn on...it would not signal left when signal and it would turn off when I unplugs it... I check a wiring diagram trailer and It seem like the original owner did a lot of ghetto wiring... Can't locate the color that was same as plug at the rear end trailer.....



Fixed one thing another pops up...

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Good job with the ground. Sounds like you now have a short in the trailer wiring or the ground is still not good. Here's what I would do since you said the trailer has been patched and the wiring is suspect. Depending on your budget I would go buy a new wiring harness for the trailer with LED lights all the way around. Use the old wires to pull the new ones through the frame or mount some small pvc on the inside of the trailer to run the new wires through. If you are on a tight budget, just pull a new harness to the existing lights. Trailer wiring can be a constant pain especially if it has been spliced too many times, remember you dunk it in water!! It can short out your tow vehicle fuses and trailer lights. Do waterproof connections and re wire the trailer.

 

[Jess Yaj]

Thanks toxic I didn't even thought of PVC... I think I would just do a new wiring with PVC pipe instead of guessing which is which...