trailer lights stopped working (new car)

[rickmcd59]

Just bought a new car and had a hitch installed at the dealer - they claim that the wiring harness was properly hooked up, too. Problem is that the boat trailer lights don't work at all -

Took back to dealer and they swear that the trailer light connection (on the car) has power, etc. They say the trailer lights must have all burned out which I find to be unusual at the least.

Can I go to an auto parts store and get some type of light meter to see if there is indeed power to the car light connection - like when the headlights are turned on? What kind of device should I buy?

Should I take the car (with the boat trailer attached) to a boat repair shop - or to my car dealer to have fixed?

[Yellowmobius]

What kind of car?

A test light is the device you need.

A good car mechanic will work.

[JoeTechie]

You need a Five Wire Trailer Light Tester

One of the more easily obtainable 4 Wire testers Here will do alright as well.

This will tell you if the car circuit is at least operating correctly. However, some vehicles require a step down circuit to work properly, and they may have only installed the basic wiring.

To test the trailer lights, get a small 6 volt or 12 volt battery, connect the white wire on the trailer light connector to the negative terminal, then connect the positive terminal to the brown wire to test running lights, or yellow for left, green for right.

If it all looks good, check your ground on the trailer lights (white) - make sure it is good. Also get some emory paper and sand the connctors clean, and spray with a light wd-40 mist.



Hope this helps,

Joe

[zabooda]

Most newer tow rigs have a seperate circuit and fuses for the trailer connector so your rig lights may work while the trailer lights do not if the fuse is blown.

[98outback]

As stated above check your fuses. My trailer lights quit working and I finally figured it out. Unlike older vehicles my new one has a fuse for everything. Trailer lights, marker lights, trailer left blinker, and trailer right blinker. Check these if before you pay someone. Good luck.

[smokedog2]

READ Multimeter. A short can show V but not enough for the lights. Been there myself & had to go back int he shop and show the "mech" that just any reading is not enough.

The shourt was in the connector. Fault issolate with another trailer or another car.

SD2

[smokedog2]

READ Multimeter. A short can show V but not enough for the lights. Been there myself & had to go back int he shop and show the "mech" that just any reading is not enough.

The shourt was in the connector. Fault issolate with another trailer or another car.

SD2

[rickmcd59]

I am embarassed - all that was wrong was that the screw holding the white ground wire to the trailer was loose. Just tighted ground wire to the trailer and all is working fine.
Learn from my mistake.

[zabooda]

Hey don't be embarrassed for finding the problem and fixing it. Embarressing is when you take it to the dealer, let it sit for two weeks and charged some $$$ then to find it was a loose wire.