What are the most common problems with trailer wiring?
One of the most common problems with trailer wiring is a broken ground connection. If you are troubleshooting a trailer, do not connect the trailer hitch to the tow vehicle ball and do not connect the safety chains or cables. These can provide false grounds to the trailer.
Where does a trailer wiring harness plug in?
Unless your vehicle has a towing package, it is probably not equipped with a trailer wiring connector. This is where custom wiring harnesses come into play. Custom wiring harnesses plug into your vehicle’s electrical system using original equipment (OEM) connectors.
What’s the best way to wire a trailer?
To relieve any strain on the ground wire, splice in a short length of additional wire and use a cable clamp to secure the whole wire bundle to the trailer tongue. The wiring color code on most trailers is only good for the first three feet, the length of the trailer plug pig-tail. After that, the wiring can be any color.
What to do if your trailer harness is not working?
Using a circuit tester, check the running/tail light contact on the 4-pole coming off the harness. Clip the ground of the tester to the ground on the connector and put the probe end onto the contact coming from the brown wire. If the tester lights up with the running lights on, then the problem is probably on the trailer.
How do you troubleshoot trailer wiring?
To troubleshoot your trailer wiring, connect a jumper wire to the connector pins and the continuity tester to the system’s sockets. A continuity test helps you see if there are any broken wires. Select a color of wire in the socket, and find the same one on the connector front.
Why are trailer lights not working?
Because the most common reason for trailer lights not working properly is a bad or missing ground, check the trailer’s and truck’s ground connection first. A poor ground often becomes the culprit when only some lighting functions are working and when lights go out when you push the brake pedal.
What is trailer wiring?
A trailer wiring system is grounded to the frame near the coupler and each light also needs to be grounded. If there is not a white ground wire coming out of a trailer light, then the light is grounded through its mounting studs. Too much paint, dirt, or rust can cause bad grounds,…
What is a trailer connector?
A trailer connector is a multi-pole electrical connector between a towing vehicle such as a car or truck and a trailer.