Tail Light help please I leave in the am

[Jst83]

I'm having tail light trouble.
Here's the issue I've got running lights the left and right turn single work correct but when I hit the brakes the lights go out any thoughts would be most helpful

Thanks

[Miriam C.]

Scott, do they go out on the car or just the trailer. Sounds like one of the pins in the connection isn't making good contact. You might check it if you have a meter.

[Jst83]

just on the trailer. It's my friends car and he pulls a boat regularly so I'm sure it's not in that end

[SteveH]

Sounds like an insufficient ground between the trailer and tow vehicle to me. Try jumpering between the two. If that works, it will probably work good after you've driven a ways and worked the hitches together.

[Miriam C.]

just on the trailer. It's my friends car and he pulls a boat regularly so I'm sure it's not in that end

It can still be the connection on the trailer side. Make sure there is power coming through all the vehicle side then check the power through to the lights. Look at your bulbs too. Sometimes wiring harnesses have a break in the wire you can't see.

[BrwBier]

What kind of tow vehicle is it, does it run lights through a converter? I had some very unusual problems with my lights even after doing everything I have learned over the years as a mechanic. I now would only recommend using a powered converter, they eliminate lots of problems. A trailer chassis is not a replacment for a ground wire. All lights should be grounded by a wire.
Brwbier

[Kankujoe]

I had a similar problem a few weeks back when I re-wired my trailer. I had working turn signals & brake lights but no taillights or running lights. All lights on my Jeep were functional but not on my trailer. It turned out to be a fuse in my tow vehicle which supplied power to my trailer's taillights (brown wires). Apparently Jeeps with a tow package have additional fuses for the tow lights.

Since then I bought a 7 pin tester that will show me the problem allowing me to trace it back to the proper fuse panel and the blown fuse.

[Jst83]

On the tail lights there is one brown wire and one colored wire. The brown powers the running/tail lights and the colored operates the turn/brake.
Is this correct? what does the white wire connect to. I'm sure it's the wirer's error I've connected something wrong somewhere.

[Miriam C.]

The white wire is the ground wire. It needs to have a really good connection.

[Jst83]

The white wire is the ground wire. It needs to have a really good connection.

To what?

[bobhenry]

On the tail lights there is one brown wire and one colored wire. The brown powers the running/tail lights and the colored operates the turn/brake.
Is this correct? what does the white wire connect to. I'm sure it's the wirer's error I've connected something wrong somewhere.

If you are talking about the tow vehicle do not assume because it's white it's a ground .Check it to be sure its not hot in a turn ,brake, or taillight function. That's a great way to fry a vehicles converter package by grounding a hot wire. If you were talking about the trailer I'll set down and shut up now !

P.S. you have several good U-Haul company stores around Indy just tell them you are going to tow one of theirs in the near future and they will check your light (and hitch) to be sure they are compatable and functioning properly , no charge !

P.S.S. 4 way flat colors brown tails ,green the grass side (right) brake and turn. Yellow the centerline side (left) brake and turn. White is the ground to frames on tow and towed vehicles See ya at Turkey Run !!

[Dale M.]

This is "TYPICAL" of trailer wiring using the "common" 4 wire flat connector....

The ground may either connect to trailer chassis and if lights are designed to ground through mounting/chassis you are probably good. IF lights are designed to ground through mounting and mounted in wood or fiberglass you will have to hard wire a ground from connector to lights...

As a side note I always ground bond the ground connection to trailer chassis even if lights are mounted in wood or fiberglass.



Note ground from lamp to chassis (tiny black lines)...

Dale

[Jst83]

That's the image I needed. Looks like how I have it I'll look at it when I get home For now I'm leaving ready or not
Thanks for the help

[AlaskaJack]

Scott - If you are still having problems... go to a U-Haul place. They can figure it out and probably won't charge an arm and a leg.... (maybe just an arm! )

Had them put a hitch and wiring on my Jeep and it was $180 for everything. I think the labor portion for hooking up the 4 pin was like $23.

[Rem]

By any chance does either tow vehicle have yellow turn signals requiring an adapter?