Trailer light help...

[catman529]

I bought a Tennessee Trailer for my 14 ft jon on craigslist recently. When I hooked it up to the truck the brakes and turn signal didn't work. Figured it was cause I didn't properly ground the wiring kit to my truck. the guy told me they worked on his truck and he would show me if I wanted, but I said it's fine I'll just fix the ground wire. So I did that the other evening. Instead of having the ground wire jammed into a crack that was painted red, I drilled a hole in the metal and screwed in the ground wire. The trailer lights come on when the truck lights are turned on. but the brakes and turn signals do not come on. I bought an expensive trailer wiring kit made just for my type of truck (a 91 toyota pickup). It was easy to install but the trailer brakes/ signals don't work. Not a huge worry because you can easily see my truck tail lights over the jon boat but I would still like to fix the trailer lights if I can. Anyone know what could be wrong? Thanks

 

[spotco2]

You are going to need either a test light or a multimeter so you can check voltage at each terminal and bulb.

 

[catman529]

Well I guess that's a good place to start... lol.. Thanks for the advice. Guess I need to get a test kit. Volt meter would be more useful for other projects though.

Oh I didn't know there was a trailer forum right below this one when I posted ... my mistake :mrgreen:

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Try hooking the trailer to another tow vehicle and see if the lights work. Also try hooking another trailer to your truck. I don't know when auto makes started this but there might be some fuses just for the trailer lighting somewhere on your truck.

 

[Rippen Lips]

Try hooking the trailer to another tow vehicle and see if the lights work. Also try hooking another trailer to your truck. I don't know when auto makes started this but there might be some fuses just for the trailer lighting somewhere on your truck.

This, my truck has separate fuses for trailer lighting. Definably worth looking into.

 

[catman529]

Couldn't be separate fuses because the truck did not come with trailer wires. It's a '91 toyota pickup. I bought a wiring kit made just for the toyota. Plug and play... just plug it in series with your tail lights. Tail lights on the truck work so everything is hooked up right. I bought the wire kit on etrailer.com Trailer lights come on when I turn on the lights on my truck. Turn signal and brake are the ones that work on the truck but not on the trailer. It's a Tennessee trailer I got off craigslist.

 

[Zum]

I'd start here,truck connector then move to the trailer.
Use a mutli meter to test(or test light) and check at your truck connector.
Could still be a ground or fuse issue.
If you want to test your trailer for fun...you can use a battery charger.
Neg.terminal to trailers ground--
Pos.to brown wire(use a small nail,to stick it in there)running and side marker lights...
then try the green(right) and yellow(left) wires...brake and turn signals,normally brighter.