Help!! Trailer lights not working properly

[dober250R]

I just built a 6 x 12 trailer and I installed the lights and I have a small issue. The brake lights work, and when I turn my blinkers on, they work on the trailer as well. But when I turn my lights on for when I need to drive at night, the trailer lights don't come on. They only work when I hit the brakes or turn my blinker on. Anyone have any ideas how to make them work for night time driving? I bought a kit that came with 2 lights and a wire harness, and all the directions that came with it were in japanese My truck has a 4 pin connector in the back, and the kit came with a 4 pin connector to hook up to it. Any help would be appreciated, thanks,


Adam

[MR.BIG]

Did you make sure you have everything grounded correctly.

[dober250R]

yes, if it wasn't grounded correctly, nothing would work because the circuit wouldn't be complete

[dober250R]

I think I have some corrosion on the receiver end that's on my truck....

[79400ex]

It sound likes it is a ground problem. My trailer was doing this. I just made sure my trailer was grounded good threw the hitch.

[X-HONDARID'R]

Originally posted by dober250R
yes, if it wasn't grounded correctly, nothing would work because the circuit wouldn't be complete

Not Exactly, I had the same EXACT problem you are having. Everybody thinks their hitch isn't grounding correctly. That isn't it!!!


You do have SOME ground, that's why some of your stuff works.

However, you don't have ENOUGH ground.....I had to take the'White" wire and ground it to my trailor and take the "White" wire on my truck and ground it too!............Now EVERYTHING works correctly..............Give it a try.......................X

[dober250R]

Someone else I talked to said to just drive it around and the ground will actually make it's way through the ball and back through the truck. You're suggesting I cut the ground wire before the plug and just ground it?

[dober250R]

Could I just split my current ground and add ground the 2nd ground to the truck? Or add another ground to the other side of the coupler?

[X-HONDARID'R]

Originally posted by dober250R
Could I just split my current ground and add ground the 2nd ground to the truck? Or add another ground to the other side of the coupler?

You should have (2) White wires, one from the female end of your plug and another from the male end. Just make sure you ground each one. The one from you vehicle should be grounded to the frame of your vehicle and the one from you trailor needs to be grounded on it's frame also.........I did have a 4-pin that didn't have a ground wire(White) with it. I had to purchase another 4-pin with a ground wire(White)... What are your wire colors??
Green, Yellow, Brown and Blue?.....If that's all you got, you need to purchase another plug...........As far as "splitting" your ground, your basically doing the same thing you already doing......Try this and let me know.

[dober250R]

On the female side I have brown, yellow, green, and white. And on the male side ( my truck side) I don't have a white wire. I have a black wire, i'm guessing that one is the ground.

[X-HONDARID'R]

Originally posted by dober250R
On the female side I have brown, yellow, green, and white. And on the male side ( my truck side) I don't have a white wire. I have a black wire, i'm guessing that one is the ground.

You have the same Plug's I had......Are you using a "T" connector on your truck??

Your white wires should have one end molded into the plug and the other end isn't connected to anything. If this isn't the case, you need to purchase you a 4-pin with this constuction (Wal-Mart).

As far as the black wire to your truck????? Buy a "T" conector and it will have ALL you will need for your truck. Find another conector for your trailor that has the same make-up as the "T" connector.

[300exOH]

Originally posted by dober250R
On the female side I have brown, yellow, green, and white. And on the male side ( my truck side) I don't have a white wire. I have a black wire, i'm guessing that one is the ground.

Some harnesses use a black wire instead of white for the ground. I had one like that on my old truck. You need to make sure the ground on the truck side is properly grounded to the frame.

[dober250R]

i figured out that the plug on my truck was corroded and there was no metal inside of where that prong that runs those lights goes into. So I just need to cut the factory plug off , and re-wire a new one. I'm kinda mad considering my truck is a 2004:mad: :grr:

[300exOH]

Originally posted by dober250R
i figured out that the plug on my truck was corroded and there was no metal inside of where that prong that runs those lights goes into. So I just need to cut the factory plug off , and re-wire a new one. I'm kinda mad considering my truck is a 2004:mad: :grr:

I'm not suprised. My truck is an 2005 and I just had problems with my harness as well. If you live in a harsh climate they won't last long without using dielectric grease on the contacts. I used it and mine still corroded because of the ohio winters. At least it was something simple and cheap to fix.