Issue with trailer lights
I'm stumped and hoping that someone can offer me a suggestion for my issue with my trailer lights.
Tow vehicle: 2006 Mazda MPV
Trailer: 2009 Jayco Jay popup
Wiring Harness: CURT Manufacturing 56010 T-Connector (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GMX9DG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
"Reese Towpower 74184 Plastic 4-Way Flat to 7-Way Round Vehicle End Adapter" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPI6S6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Wiring harness was installed with no issues - and connected the wiring harness white wire to a good ground on the tow vehicle. I just unplugged the taillight assemblies on left and right side and plugged in the wiring harness connectors in line so there isn't a whole lot that could go wrong here.
The Reese 4 flat to 7 round adapter also has a white ground connector, so connected that to a good ground no the tow vehicle. The other 3 extra wires on the adapter are not connected (these are for brakes, backup light, and 12v power, which are optional)
When everything is connected the tail/running lights work. But the blinkers and brake lights do not work.
HOWEVER, the blinkers DO work in this scenario: If the ground connector on the Reese 4 flat to 7 round is disconnected, and the blinkers are turned on, they will blink very dimly on the trailer. While the blinkers are blinking dimly if you connect the Reese adapter ground wire to a ground on the car the blinkers on the trailer start blinking normally. If you then switch the other blinker on it won't work UNLESS you first disconnect the Reese adapter ground, turn the blinker off, turn the other blinker on (blinks dimely), THEN connect the Reese adapter ground and it will blink normally.
So basically the only way the blinkers will work is if the Reese adapter ground is disconnected, the blinkers are turned on, they then blink very dimly, and if you then connect the Reese adapter ground to the car the blinkers start working normally. But if the blinkers are turned off and back on again they won't work again until the ground is first disconnected and then the blinker is turned on, then the ground connected.
I suspected a ground issue on the trailer and I used an ohm meter and verified that on the trailer side the ground connector on the trailers plug is connected to the chassis of the trailer and has a good connection. And I also did the same on the vehicle side to verify that the ground pin on the 7 way adapter is connected to the vechile ground. I have also used a multimeter to verify that the pins on the car side have voltage across the negative and left/right blinkers.
The blinkers on the car are always working and blinking normally throughout all of this.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Tow vehicle: 2006 Mazda MPV
Trailer: 2009 Jayco Jay popup
Wiring Harness: CURT Manufacturing 56010 T-Connector (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GMX9DG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
"Reese Towpower 74184 Plastic 4-Way Flat to 7-Way Round Vehicle End Adapter" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPI6S6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Wiring harness was installed with no issues - and connected the wiring harness white wire to a good ground on the tow vehicle. I just unplugged the taillight assemblies on left and right side and plugged in the wiring harness connectors in line so there isn't a whole lot that could go wrong here.
The Reese 4 flat to 7 round adapter also has a white ground connector, so connected that to a good ground no the tow vehicle. The other 3 extra wires on the adapter are not connected (these are for brakes, backup light, and 12v power, which are optional)
When everything is connected the tail/running lights work. But the blinkers and brake lights do not work.
HOWEVER, the blinkers DO work in this scenario: If the ground connector on the Reese 4 flat to 7 round is disconnected, and the blinkers are turned on, they will blink very dimly on the trailer. While the blinkers are blinking dimly if you connect the Reese adapter ground wire to a ground on the car the blinkers on the trailer start blinking normally. If you then switch the other blinker on it won't work UNLESS you first disconnect the Reese adapter ground, turn the blinker off, turn the other blinker on (blinks dimely), THEN connect the Reese adapter ground and it will blink normally.
So basically the only way the blinkers will work is if the Reese adapter ground is disconnected, the blinkers are turned on, they then blink very dimly, and if you then connect the Reese adapter ground to the car the blinkers start working normally. But if the blinkers are turned off and back on again they won't work again until the ground is first disconnected and then the blinker is turned on, then the ground connected.
I suspected a ground issue on the trailer and I used an ohm meter and verified that on the trailer side the ground connector on the trailers plug is connected to the chassis of the trailer and has a good connection. And I also did the same on the vehicle side to verify that the ground pin on the 7 way adapter is connected to the vechile ground. I have also used a multimeter to verify that the pins on the car side have voltage across the negative and left/right blinkers.
The blinkers on the car are always working and blinking normally throughout all of this.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
