When you have a trailer hooked up to your vehicle, you need to ensure the lights work properly each and every time you're on the road; even when driving a short distance, having the brake lights or turn signals fail can increase your risk of an accident, for which you would no doubt be liable. Note a few tips for troubleshooting common problems with trailer lighting so you can know where to start looking when something goes wrong and can know what your mechanic may need to fix if you cannot tackle the problem on your own.
One function doesn't work
If the lights work for everything except one function, meaning the brake lights work but not a turn indicator or vice versa, this is usually a problem with a connector or just one bad wire. The connector may be holding certain wires to the vehicle but not others, so that when you apply the brakes or put on a turn indicator, that particular wire isn't getting power. The one wire that carries power to the brake light or turn indicator itself may have also gone bad. You can test the wiring to note if they are all getting power but if one fails, check the connectors and replace that one wire.
None of the functions work
If the wires are not old and corroded and the connectors are good, a blown fuse is often a culprit when none of the trailer lights and functions work. You can also check to ensure that the wiring is properly hooked up to the car's battery, as this connection can come loose over time. Also, if you had repair work done that involved removing the battery, the car's computer may need to be reprogrammed so it recognizes that wiring rather than shutting off its current.
The use of other electrical devices causes the wiring to fail
If you turn on the car's headlights or air conditioning and the trailer lights fail, this often means that there is not a sufficient ground wire for the trailer lights. Like blowing a circuit in your home when there is too much power running along one wire, not having the trailer lights grounded properly can mean something will switch off when there is that added surge of power. Have an auto electrician check the ground wire for the trailer and upgrade it or replace its connections as necessary.
Share7 March 2017
Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Holden, and I have been a lover of driving for as long as I can remember. I have taken driving trips across deserts and icy tundras. I have also raced on pristine roadways, and I have explored small dirt tracks through the mountains. The key to success, I have learned, is choosing the right tyres, making sure your wheels are in top shape and fixing your suspension. I love to write so I decided to create a blog on these topics. If you have questions, I hope you can find the answers you need here.
