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09-11-2015, 09:32 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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NO Running Lights
Help!
We are just about to leave for a nice trip and the running lights for the trailer don't work.
Brake lights and turn signals work.
Doug cleaned the contacts with rubbing alcohol and still no go---
Any quick hints so we can leave tonight?
__________________
Anna-Marie
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09-11-2015, 09:36 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,234
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Tow running lights working? If not maybe a blown fuse in the tow?
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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09-11-2015, 09:37 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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That was my first thought--they are working
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Anna-Marie
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09-11-2015, 09:48 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,234
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Fuses and circuit breaker all ok on the trailer I assume? I don't really know bulb setup in the rear lights, never taken them apart - is the same bulb used for brake, running and turn?
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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09-11-2015, 09:49 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,347
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There may be a separate fuse in the tow for the tail light wiring to the 7 pin receptacle. Especially if you have separate brake and turn signals in the tow, then there will be a powered converter module to combine the two functions for the trailer wiring and to provide enough power for brake/turn and for tail lights in the trailer; frequently a fuse is in that circuit.
If you have a factory tow package, look in the owners manual index for location help.
If it's after-market wiring, the fuse may be in a holder near where the wiring connects behind the tail light housing in the back of the car.
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09-11-2015, 09:55 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,234
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Good one Don. Anna, if you have a voltmeter and a diagram of the 7 pin receptacle, you should be able to see if the appropriate pins show a voltage when you have the running light on in the tow. Then you would know if the problem is the in the tow or the trailer.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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09-11-2015, 10:05 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thoer
Fuses and circuit breaker all ok on the trailer I assume?
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There should be no fuses or circuit breakers in the trailer for any of the "vehicle" lighting (tail/marker, stop, turn).
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09-11-2015, 10:07 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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Car pin has voltage. Would a burned out light be the culprit?
Which fuse would it be in the trailer?
__________________
Anna-Marie
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09-11-2015, 10:10 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,234
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
There should be no fuses or circuit breakers in the trailer for any of the "vehicle" lighting (tail/marker, stop, turn).
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Thanks ,that takes away one possiblity. So, connector, wire or bulb must be the problem?
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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09-11-2015, 10:16 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,976
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Had the exact same problem in my F150. It's running lights worked, trailer's didn't. All other lights on trailer worked. It was one of the fuses under the hood, had to read the manual's list of fuses 3 times before thinking "that might be the one." On the F150, I think it was fuse #6, and it was a box shaped fuse, not the typical blade fuse (about $3 for replacement). Since the running lights come on when you unlock the door for several seconds, I now do not plug in the trailer if the truck's lights are on, I wait until they go off. Think maybe that might be when the fuse blew originally when trailer was plugged in and that circuit was "hot."
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What a long strange trip it’s been!
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09-11-2015, 10:16 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Anna-Marie, are do the tail lamps have bulbs, or are they LEDs?
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09-11-2015, 10:25 PM
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#12
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 - "Felicity"
Posts: 2,945
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Bulbs are in parallel; loss of one bulb would not affect the others. The trailer cord connector may be bent a bit too much to make reliable contact. The two on opposite sides of the 7 pin index bump (the part that sticks out of the round plug) are the running lights and ground, so check the metal contacts and rebend them or clean it a bit. I stick a jumper across them to light up the trailer running lights when not hooked up to the tow as my rear view camera is tied into running lights for power.
__________________
Charlie Y
Need custom storage to your design? Don't drill holes!
www.RVWidgetWorks.com
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09-11-2015, 10:25 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,976
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Also, if you are absolutely certain that you are getting voltage at the connector on the tug (pin 4 is ground, 6 is running lights), try applying 12 volts to trailer's 7 pin connector. If the problem is really in the trailer, the running lights won't come on. And it shouldn't be a bulb problem if all of the running lights are off.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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09-11-2015, 10:43 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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We have bulbs.. Not LED we checked the two rear bulbs each side and a couple of the small marker lights. Bulbs are fine.
Doug tried playing around with the connector and inner pieces... No go. We looked inside trailer where " junction box"? Is under front drivers side bench. Neighbour who is pretty smart about such things was helping and couldn't figure it out either.
So off to RV dealer near us first thing tomorrow morning or to Hitchline where w had our original hitch and wiring fone when we girst got the Boler.
So we are home to night and will be out of the house early tomorrow morning. Hope we don't have to go as far as Chilliwack (are they even open Saturday mornings??)
__________________
Anna-Marie
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09-12-2015, 12:06 AM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Mission bc Canada, British Columbia
Trailer: 19 escape
Posts: 38
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Yes they are 10.00 AM
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09-12-2015, 12:10 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amirie
We have bulbs.. Not LED we checked the two rear bulbs each side and a couple of the small marker lights. Bulbs are fine.
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The handy thing about traditional bulbs is that when you pull them out of the socket, you have access to test for voltage there.
If you do see voltage there, either the bulb is not as good as it seems (but it's unlikely all are bad), or the contact is bad. More likely you don't see voltage, and you're looking at wiring (or the connection to the wiring from the tug) for the fault.
Troubleshooting is often an exercise is narrowing down the location of the problem until the only part left is the one which is faulty.
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09-12-2015, 12:16 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
Troubleshooting is often an exercise is narrowing down the location of the problem until the only part left is the one which is faulty.
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And that is usually the last place you check.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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09-12-2015, 02:06 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 17A - Ready for more Maiden Voyages ....
Posts: 881
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amirie
Help!
We are just about to leave for a nice trip and the running lights for the trailer don't work.
Brake lights and turn signals work.
Doug cleaned the contacts with rubbing alcohol and still no go---
Any quick hints so we can leave tonight?
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Quick hint #1 - GO ANAWAY!
__________________
Consciousness: That confusing time between naps
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09-12-2015, 02:08 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 17A - Ready for more Maiden Voyages ....
Posts: 881
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amirie
Help!
We are just about to leave for a nice trip and the running lights for the trailer don't work.
Brake lights and turn signals work.
Doug cleaned the contacts with rubbing alcohol and still no go---
Any quick hints so we can leave tonight?
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Quick hint #1 - GO ANYWAY!
__________________
Consciousness: That confusing time between naps
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09-12-2015, 09:13 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
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We wished we could have, but no runnings lights in the dark ... Nah
Up early RV place near us opens at 0830..
Doug even went out and bought new fuses for the vehicle... Nope
__________________
Anna-Marie
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