Forum Discussion

jimj's avatar
jimj
Explorer
Dec 06, 2017

I am stumped

I am stumped.
I have a 2005 Ford Sport Trac and I installed a neutral tow LED light for the neutral tow. It worked for several trips trip, over many thousand miles. On recent trip it failed when I arrived and I can't figure out why. I know how to set it into tow with the brake, shifter, and key.

I have tested the LED with a external power supply and the LED light comes on. When I test the LED light pigtail with meter it shows no continuity. I don't know if my Fluke meter will test LED bulb.

I have tested the power from the truck to the LED and it shows 12.7v but when I plug the LED in the voltage from the truck goes down to 1.8v and the LED bulb will not burn. It is not going into neutral tow.
Why is the voltage dropping down to 1.8v when I plug the LED into the wires from the truck?

Please if anyone has had this problem let me know.

Thanks

JimJ
Class A
  • newman_fulltime's avatar
    newman_fulltime
    Explorer II
    Dec 06, 2017
    you have a bad ground when you put more voltage than the ground that is there can handle your voltage drops
  • rgatijnet1's avatar
    rgatijnet1
    Explorer III
    Dec 06, 2017
    Have you tried another LED bulb? LED bulbs do not have a conventional filament like an incandescent bulb.
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    Dec 07, 2017
    If it's just an led, with no other circuitry, use the diode setting to test. It is a diode, after all.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Dec 07, 2017
    On the fluke reverse the leads Often the black lead on a OHM meter is positive. Not sure about the flukes.

    Problem may be the netural switch
  • ArchHoagland's avatar
    ArchHoagland
    Explorer
    Dec 07, 2017
    I have never heard of a neutral tow LED light. Is that some unique to a Ford Sport Trac?
  • railtrailers's avatar
    railtrailers
    Explorer
    Dec 07, 2017
    I had a similar problem with a Ford Explorer. Had the neutral tow kit installed for towing four wheels down behind the camper. It worked as advertised for a number of trips then would not light the indicator lamp when I hooked up for the return trip home.
    It was a Sunday and I did not want to chance ruining the automatic transmission so I towed some two hundred miles with the engine in the Explorer running so as to keep the transmission fluid pumping. Never did find out what went wrong as I reverted back to towing the 1997 Saturn SL1 that we still had. Still have the Saturn and still towing it.
  • jimj's avatar
    jimj
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2017
    I have checked the led light and it is good. I think that I have traced it to a bad ground as a couple of the answers have said. The wires are connected way up under the dash and hard to get to.
    I think I have found my problem. Thanks to all who tried to help

    Thanks

    JimJ
  • Wizard_1946's avatar
    Wizard_1946
    Explorer
    Dec 08, 2017
    jimj wrote:
    I have checked the led light and it is good. I think that I have traced it to a bad ground as a couple of the answers have said. The wires are connected way up under the dash and hard to get to.
    I think I have found my problem. Thanks to all who tried to help

    Thanks

    JimJ


    Please let us other NTK users know what the problem was foe future reference. Mine stopped once and it was one of the electric shift solenoids on the tranny

About Motorhome Group

38,705 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 14, 2025