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I have the trailer all ready to go, I replaced the pass. side light last year, and just did the drivers side 2 days ago. I tested them 2-day, all system's are "GO" ! best solder job I ever did, I noticed that the new drivers side lens was a bit different, no biggie, except I noticed the wires came out an open hole on top of the lens. I went to pick up some "sea foam", and I'm "spyin" the trailer light display and I see the 2 different lights, I pick up the one I just replaced (drivers side) and I notice it is NOT "submersible" (hence the hole in the top), *%$#@*.*&%%@*_*%*$# ! ! ! I fork over the cabbage for the (drivers side) submersible light and solder the two wires in, goop, and heat shrink, done. Now the tail light does NOT work for the "Daytime running lights" on the pass. side (drivers side is working). I know it's the single "brown wire" for "ALL" tail lights and it splits off to each light. I tested the NON-submersible light by pulling back slightly on the trailer plug and hooking the brown wire "HOT" to it, and grounding the non-submersible light to the trailer frame (tail light works, we're GOOD). I tried splicing over from 1-brown wire (drivers side to the other brown wire (pass. side, NO Tail lamp). I ran a "Better" ground from the trailer to the plug on the car (white), and hooked up to the hitch (hunting for a bad ground) still N/G for the "Tail Light" pass. side. All other parts of all the lights work (Stop, Turn signals, and 1 tail light on the drivers side). I can click the emergency brake on 1-notch to shut off the "Daytime running lights" and the (stop, and turn lights work fine, just no tail lights). I don't tow at night, and just use the trailer 2x a year (splash and haul) about 2 miles, I just wanted to get it "RIGHT" ! Very frustrating, I had my little guy (6 yrs old) help me with the lights and he did pretty well by working the brake and signals, I was concerned about a dead battery, so I started the car, "Shmoltz" stepped on the throttle (hard too) and exhausted black soot all over my face as I was at the hitch, and my hair looked like I had just combed it with a cherry bomb. I looked like one of those cartoon character's where the cigar explodes in their face after they light it (suprised look included). I shut down operation's before a disaster could occure, and I was out of daylight anyway. I have a "Tester" for the trailer plug and the car is wired correctly (as per the tester). I have a converter for the trailer installed since last year (for amber turn signal) so we're wired good up to that point. I'll start again at daybreak by testing the brown wire back to the car from the pass. side trailer light, any idea's guys ???
I wish I had an easy answer for you. Trailer lights can be very frustrating. I'd suggest using a digital multimeter and begin a systematic check of all connections and bulbs.
I installed sealed LED lights a few years ago and have been happy ever since.
Matt I don't understand how daytime running lights work with a 4 wire system if that is what i understand you have. I still have the old 4 wire system. But I wonder if you have the new LED lights or the old glass bulb type. If it is the old glass bulb type try checking the bulb seats. The story about your young helper was very amusing. Sounds like you no longer need that SEAFOAM. Bob
This is probably too simple, but I'd try swapping the bulbs from side to side. It's a long shot but it could be that the pass side tail lamp filament has popped. Coincidences like that have befuddled me before...
Just had another thought. When you start to swap the bulbs, pull the drivers bulb out first and with it out, turn on the parking lights and check the pass side tail light to see if its on. If it now works, check the ground on the new drivers light. If it doesn't work still, put the drivers bulb in the pass side and check to see if the tail light now works.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Edited by Derwd24 on 09/19/09 - 10:38 PM
Dave - 1983 Outrage 22
It's the older type "Glass" incandescent lights, I bought the trailer "NEW" in 1990. I had to put on a "Converter box" (small connection that converts the old 4-way trailer plug to the newer "post 1996" amber tail 5- way signal system) a few years ago. I'm going to run a "Continuity" test on the brown wire (1st I'll do what "Dave", "John", and "Bob" suggested), then go "Multi-tester" (or "Postal", I hav'nt decided yet). It's getting to be "Daylight", I'm headin out there now, I'm NOT giving up the ship !
Thank-You for the help guys !
MW, it seems as though you know what you're doing. Rather than second guess yourself right off the bat, did you check the grounding points? I've had all sorts of issues with trailer lights in the past, and it was always a ground when it wasn't a popped bulb. You said you replaced a light. Did it have a ground wire or does it ground off of the bolts and washers? I've had different trailer light functions not work due to grounding, fiddled with different ground points, and had some lights come back, others then go off, seemingly no rhyme or reason until I finally made good ground contacts all around and they all functioned properly.
Matt
You've hit the ever complexing "why did my trailer lights stop working syndrone" I'll bet when you finally get it fixed it will be some simple fix and probably ground related. Trailer lighting can be one of the most frustrating fixes even to the experts. Good luck and let us know what the problem was
NAILED IT ! (I have no hair left but, I nailed it), I did like you guys said and traced from the light back (Brown wire, with a test light, no juice), I was good at the car so that was ruled out, it had to be some place between the split off of the "Brown" wire. I looked down at the break away part of the trailer and saw that the "Plug" connections looked "stretched", "corroded", and 1/2 way split through, I wiggled them and everything did the "Blink, Blink", worked, then didn't, then did, then 1 did the other didn't. I butt connected and soldered, shrink tubed and gooped, I tried "Crimp connect" but, they kept slipping out (that's why I prefer "soldered" connections). I put everything back (feeling like the "who's the king now") and nothing worked again ( I did all the ground connections over ), nothing, I got frustrated and sat on the trailer, HEY, NOW THEY WORK ! *$%#@* I looked back at where the trailer "BREAK'S", and a piece of "Bark" from the tree in front had slipped between where the "Y" connects at the "Break point" insulating the ground connection to the trailer (I swear this &*%$ ONLY happen's to "ME"), the "Pivot pin" obvouisly is NOT enough of a connection for the grounding of the trailer, I cleaned up where the "Y" connects at the "Break point" of the trailer, and gooped it with "Compound 4" Dielectric grease, (did the bulb's and trailer light connections too) and slammed her down. I removed the flattened mouse from the box tube (still beat the heck out of it with a hammer even though it was dead for about 3 years) and "LOOK", Everything work's ! I tested it all about 43 times and we have "LIFT OFF", I suspect a few more electrical "Gremlins" in there from the "Stow-away" mouse, the proper way to repair this is to put a new harness on the trailer next season after "Launch" but, for now, it's all working. A big "THANK-YOU" to all that helped me out !
Next to the last area, lol. I am going to make an emergency pair of tail light's to hang from a board off the transom in case of anymore trouble. I've worked on this trailer so much in the last two weeks that I fear I've become a "Red Neck" !
Red Necks round here don`t bother with lights on their trailers. Why bother, lights on their pickup truck don`t work neither, They just use hand signals, (middle finger)
