Puzzled by trailer lights not working

[ss55]

The adapter has a small red light so the adapter is hot They wires are now new at the tail light you have no power from harness Another weird thing {I no longer assume all led lights are not working All four can't be bad so that is ruled out [ But the lights don't light when a battery charger is put to them I am still confused I even ran an auxiliary ground from trailer to truck.

Were the lights tested and worked OK before they were installed? Most likely a bad wiring harness or the installation was mis-wired. If a shop installed the lights and wiring harness I would bring it back to them on Monday and let them troubleshoot the problem.

 

[rustred]

I have had various trailers that came with the lights wired in the standard format so I just plug in and they light. One came different from the factory. You can't count on everyone being on the same page.

as they say depend on if was made on tuesday or friday night in a hurry to get to the bar.

 

[Jim.ME]

Is this a new trailer that came pre-wired? Or is it a used trailer you installed a new harness and lights on? Or other?

 

[rustred]

Is this a new trailer that came pre-wired? Or is it a used trailer you installed a new harness and lights on? Or other?

he says brand new ?

 

[Jim.ME]

he says brand new ?

I read, "I have a kayak trailer all new lights and wiring". To me that says new lights and wiring, trailer condition not specified.

If the trailer is new, wouldn't you think the light issue should have been found and remedied when he took delivery?

 

[rustred]

agree it would be warrantee problem. who did this wiring ?, more info needed. we are always drawn into something like the guy with his spark plug problem with lack of info. like a a battery and pos. and neg hooked up you will have lights.

 

[Ray,IN]

Some folks cheap-out and use the trailer ball for ground, which is then greased. Some formulas of grease insulate. Do as reply #2 said and observe results.

 

[rustred]

Some folks cheap-out and use the trailer ball for ground, which is then greased. Some formulas of grease insulate. Do as reply #2 said and observe results.

Same thing I said

 

[showcrop]

Some folks cheap-out and use the trailer ball for ground, which is then greased. Some formulas of grease insulate. Do as reply #2 said and observe results.

Grease on a ball?? Mine never squawked loud until a lot of the chrome was gone.

 

[Jim.ME]

My apologizes drsportster if this post seems rude, we want to help you, but we need more info. Is this the same trailer you had a thread about needing to hook to your Avalanche to back in January? At that time it sounded like you had the problem solved when you got an adapter (as several suggested) from the dealer. Did the lights work at that time, or did you just purchase the adapter and didn't try it?

Thus, our guessing continues. The full story of the trailer (new from dealer, or other?) and the new lights and wiring, along with details of what diagnostic tests you have been done to this point and how you did them would help. Complete answers to questions that have already been asked wouldn't be bad either.

You have posted:
Post # 1 has power in the truck socket.
Post # 12 says the harness (trailer?) has power back at the taillights.
Post # 16 has a power light showing in the adapter in the truck socket.

On the surface these three posts would sound like the lights are no good, but we don't know how you actually confirmed there is power back at the taillights in the harness (test light or voltmeter?).

Testing the lights with a battery charger yielded no light, no feedback on testing the lights using a battery. (Were the lights tested direct to the wires of the light or through the harness, not direct to the light wires?)

Identifying the lights as best you can (brand, part number, source, taillight only or tail/stop/turn, number of wires the light has, etc.) might give clues.

Again, we want to help but need info.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I take my 12V jumper pack, put a nail in each clamp to make a probe, and start probing.

 

[da.bees]

My apologizes drsportster if this post seems rude, we want to help you, but we need more info. Is this the same trailer you had a thread about needing to hook to your Avalanche to back in January? At that time it sounded like you had the problem solved when you got an adapter (as several suggested) from the dealer. Did the lights work at that time, or did you just purchase the adapter and didn't try it?

Thus, our guessing continues. The full story of the trailer (new from dealer, or other?) and the new lights and wiring, along with details of what diagnostic tests you have been done to this point and how you did them would help. Complete answers to questions that have already been asked wouldn't be bad either.

You have posted:
Post # 1 has power in the truck socket.
Post # 12 says the harness (trailer?) has power back at the taillights.
Post # 16 has a power light showing in the adapter in the truck socket.

On the surface these three posts would sound like the lights are no good, but we don't know how you actually confirmed there is power back at the taillights in the harness (test light or voltmeter?).

Testing the lights with a battery charger yielded no light, no feedback on testing the lights using a battery. (Were the lights tested direct to the wires of the light or through the harness, not direct to the light wires?)

Identifying the lights as best you can (brand, part number, source, taillight only or tail/stop/turn, number of wires the light has, etc.) might give clues.

Again, we want to help but need info.

Well stated Jim and a member who has been here over four years should already know and understand. Without facts, it would be easier to figure out why an old hound disappears overnight every third Tuesday of the month.

 

[cjunrau]

The harness has power back at the taillights.What are the odds of all four lights not working ? I will try and reverse polarity on the lights

LED must all be hooked with correct polarity. if one is wrong they may all not work.

 

[Ray,IN]

Grease on a ball?? Mine never squawked loud until a lot of the chrome was gone.

Apply a light coat of grease to the inside of the receiver, you'll be surprised and how much easier towing becomes. Your chrome wears off because of friction, it's meant to prevent the ball from rusting, not for lubrication.
While trailer balls are not expensive, price out having a new receiver welded onto your trailer.

 

[504]

I have had a few LED bulbs that are wired backwards. The white wire may be hot,or may be ground at the bulb. They are so bad about being miswired I check every LED bulb on a 12 volt power supply before I install it. I had a really screwed up deal last summer. My son in laws camper lights would not work. I started at the truck and worked my way back,.(I really do know better) I was inside the cabinets looking for blown fuses and broken wires . About 2 hours into this thing I took the covers off of the trailer tail lights(factory installed waterproof lights.) Water ran out of both of them,the water was so deep it had covered both of the bulbs . Two new bulbs and it's been fine since. The water was running from the rain gutters and emptying just above the tail lights.

 

[710ltd2002]

Okay I have a kayak trailer all new lights and wiring .Then I have a motorcycle /atv trailer If the bike trailer is plugged in to my Chevy truck it lights all lights work same out put plug on the Kayak trailer has no lights The trailer lights are LED and there is no way to open an d inspect Solid sealed units White wire is ground Truck plug is hot Why would brand new lights with a brand new harness not work . How do you troubleshoot something like this Very annoying brand new stuff Help !

Does the atv trailer also have LED lights? What year is the truck? I have a 2007 Silverado that will NOT power the new LED light kit I installed on my car hauler.

I looked it up and saw that it was not uncommon. I don’t remember the specifics, but there is an adapter available.

Dave

 

[Jim.ME]

Does the atv trailer also have LED lights? What year is the truck? I have a 2007 Silverado that will NOT power the new LED light kit I installed on my car hauler.

I looked it up and saw that it was not uncommon. I don’t remember the specifics, but there is an adapter available.

Dave

I have had truck rear LED signal lights that do not work with some flashers (intended for incandescent lights) when it was by itself after the front signal bulb failed. Having a working incandescent light in the same circuit the LED worked. Some flashers need a certain current draw to function.

I can't say I have had a problem such as you describe with any vehicles (including a 2007 Silverado) we have had pulling trailers having LED lights.

The link below is from a flasher manufacturer but has some info that explains the issue with flashers and swapping to LEDs.

Some signal flasher info

 

[chvet73]

Jim, that is very useful and often overlooked info on LED conversions. My 1970 Mustang is the only year Ford decided to have its marker lights flash alternating with the turn signals. It was a disaster trying to get them to work right. But converting to LED can’t be done because of the flasher issues without some other changes. Ford only tried it that one year.

 

[Ray,IN]

Jim, that is very useful and often overlooked info on LED conversions. My 1970 Mustang is the only year Ford decided to have its marker lights flash alternating with the turn signals. It was a disaster trying to get them to work right. But converting to LED can’t be done because of the flasher issues without some other changes. Ford only tried it that one year.

IMO,, that's caused by engineers showing off their new skills. They don't have a clue what happens after the vehicle leaves the assembly line.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

If they happen to be a 7 blade flat I believe there are 2 standard ways to wire them there are diagrams online one more common on rvs which I don’t have. I can’t remember if it makes the running lights flash with turn signal and pretty much nothing else works?

I am assuming this is just a 4 pin from the trailer description but maybe not

Wires on the trailer can be pinched during assembly we had a running light shorting on our new grain trailer they had sandwiched a wire in one of the sheet panels worked until it made the trip here. I’m assuming your harness is external should be easy to track

Shining the hitch up by turning if it doesn’t have a return ground would be something else to try there’s a trailer around here that does that.