Fix Bad Boat and Utility Trailer Light Wiring

Trailer Lights Not Working?

Introduction

Trailer lights out? Hither's how to diagnose and fix trailer lights that are dim or don't piece of work. Virtually fixes are quick and easy.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • 220-dust sandpaper
  • Electrical contact cleaner
  • Replacement light bulb
  • Wiring kit

Keep your trailer low-cal wiring in tiptop condition

If your utility trailer is starting to evidence its age, you no dubiousness have had problems with your lights. Properly performance trailer lights are a must for safety, and so bank check your lights every time you employ your trailer. Some issues, such equally a burned-out seedling or a bad trailer light basis wire, can be a snap to fix—others can exist a real pain to diagnose and repair. Follow the steps in our photo sequence to keep your trailer lights in pinnacle condition.

Projection pace-past-step (9)

Step one

Trailer Lights Non Working Solution: Troubleshoot your vehicle with a tester

Cheque the vehicle system

tester

Plug a tow vehicle tester into the connector in the vehicle to make sure the trailer light wiring organization works.

Trailer Lights That Always Work

Close-up of tow vehicle testers

wiring

Two types of a trailer wiring tester. Check your vehicle's plug configuration. Hook upward your trailer and connect the trailer light harness. Accept a helper stand up back to see if the running lights, stoplights and blinkers are working properly. If all the lights announced dim or y'all take no lights at all, check the trailer  calorie-free harness at the tow vehicle. First disconnect the harness and plug a tester (Photo) into the receptacle from your vehicle. This tester will tell you immediately if you have a problem in the trailer calorie-free wiring from your car or truck. If the tester shows a problem, check the operation of all your vehicle lights to make sure y'all don't take a blown fuse, a bad flasher or a burned-out light. Clean the connector (Photo, Step two below) and check once more. Check for broken wires near the connector. If you still accept problems, make an appointment to have the wiring checked. If the lights on the tester function properly, the problem is the trailer lights or harness and you need to some trailer lights troubleshooting.

Step 2

Trailer Lights Not Working Solution: Make clean both connector plugs

Make clean the trailer calorie-free wiring connectors

Clean

Clean the plug and socket with a special cleaner. If after you cheque the tow vehicle for issues the trailer lights even so appear dim or aren't lighting at all, make clean the connector plug. Spray the connector with an electrical contact cleaner and use a fine wire brush to make clean the contact pins.

Selecting a Tow Hitch

Footstep 3

Trailer Lights Non Working Solution: Check the trailer low-cal wiring ground

Tighten the ground

Tighten

Clean the ground contact and tighten the basis wire to the metallic frame. Side by side, check the basis wire. About problems occur here. Remove the basis screw and sand the wire terminal and trailer chassis contact with sandpaper. If the basis spiral itself is corroded, supervene upon it with a new screw.

Utility Trailer Upgrades

Pace 4

Trailer Lights Not Working Solution: Supplant bad bulbs

Replace the bulb

bulb

Remove a bulb with a slight twist and install the new i by reversing the twist direction. If you take one light out (either running lights or blinker/finish lights) you probably just need to supplant the bulb. Remove the lens, supersede the bulb and bank check it. If information technology works, you're on your way.

Repacking Trailer Cycle Bearings

Step 5

Trailer Lights Not Working Solution: Clean corroded sockets

Sand corroded sockets

dowel

Remove corrosion with fine sandpaper and 3/viii-in. dowel to become into tight spaces. If the light still doesn't work, you may accept corrosion in the socket at the contact points. Adhere a bit of 220-grit sandpaper to the butt cease of a three/8-in.dowel with hot glue. Make clean the contact points by spinning the dowel and moving it side to side. Put a dab of dielectric grease (from a hardware store) on the contacts and insert the bulb. If the light still doesn't piece of work, check the mounting bolts for the light to make sure they're making a clean contact with the trailer frame. If you run into corrosion here, scrub information technology with sandpaper and check the lights again.

twenty Genius Camping Gear Items you Can Observe at Harbor Freight

Step 6

Trailer Lights Not Working Solution: Run a continuity examination

test

Check the trailer wiring by running a continuity test past connecting a jumper wire to the connector pins and a continuity tester to the sockets.

Shut-upward of connector pins

Connect the jumper wire to 1 of the pins in the trailer socket.

Brake Lite-Cheque Assistant

Footstep 7

Close-up of a continuity tester

continuity

A continuity tester contains a light bulb and a battery. The bulb lights when a circuit is skillful.

Removing a Trailer Hitch Ball

Step 8

Close-upward of a jumper wire

wire

Alligator clips at the wire ends make continuity connections quick and easy. If the lights on one side yet aren't working, you may have a break in the wire. To test for a broken wire, cheque the colour of the wire going to the socket and and so discover that wire on the connector in front. Clip one end of a long jumper wire (Photo 2) to the connector pivot then clip the other terminate to the continuity tester. Probe inside the socket with the tester (you'll come across the color of the wire that connects to the socket within). If the light fails to keep, trace the wire and check for bare spots or breaks. If yous notice a break, cutting the wire at the interruption, solder a new connectedness and repair the insulation with heat-shrink tubing, which is available at hardware stores.

DIY Pickup Bumper Replacement

Step 9

Trailer Lights Not Working Solution: Supplant the trailer calorie-free wiring

How to wire a new trailer lite organisation

system

Don't hesitate to supplant the entire wiring system if it'southward desperately corroded. If all else fails and you're finding badly corroded parts, you can purchase a new wire harness for about $twenty. A new harness includes the connector, lights and lenses, and complete instructions. In nigh cases, it tin be installed in nigh two hours.

High-Visibility Trailer

Originally Published: April thirty, 2022