Ranger trailer and Toyota Tundra problem

[Indymusky]

I just brought home my new 2009 620 and was shocked to realize the right turn signal and brake light on the trailer were not working properly. The trailer has a 5 flat and I have put a converter to create a 7 round to attach to the factory plug on the Tundra. I have also replaced the convertor to make sure that it was not defective.

There seems to be a couple of problems.

1. The turn signal does not flash on the right side. However, the side marker does flash.

2. The brake light on the right side appears to be on all the time.

3. I disconnected the trailer from my truck and attached it to a friend's Dodge ram and it worked correctly.

4. I assumed the problem is with my Tundra. I took the whole rig to Toyota and they hooked it to a new truck and had the same problems as i'm experiencing. They feel it's definetly not the truck.

I'm completely baffled by this problem. Toyota suggested contacting Ranger to see if they have had similar problems with their trailers and Toyotas. has anyone heard of this happening before?

Thank you in advance for your help.
Jeremy

[yarcraft91]

It sounds like you have eliminated the 7-to-5 adapter as the problem.

It would be surprising (but not impossible) for the problem to be in the design of either the Tundra or the Ranger trailer. Since the trailer is the new item here and has the same problem with another new Tundra, it would make sense to focus on something like pinched wiring or faulty taillight in the trailer. The behavior you describe is similar to problems I've had in trailers where insulation was missing from part of the trailer wiring harness and the conductors were intermittently shorting to the trailer frame and each other.

If you hook up different 2009 Ranger trailers to your Tundra, do the lights work correctly? That may help narrow down the search for a cure.

[perchjerker]

the first thing I would do it take it back to the Ranger dealer let them sort it out since its new afterall...

[Juls]

If the trailer wiring were defective then why would it work on the Dodge Ram?

I agree with PJ. Take it back to the dealer and let them figure it out. They're the experts.

Juls

[Hot Runr Guy]

Just for kicks, grab a jumper cable or similiar and create a new ground circuit from the vehicle frame to the trailer frame, behind the swing tongue if you have one. Sometimes, bad or weak grounds cause un-explainable problems. If by chance things start to work OK, at least your dealer(s) know where to look.
HRG

[bloodman]

Gotta be the trailer wiring. No way is the marker light rigged to the turn signal. Gotta be either where the flat plug is tied into the actual trailer wire or a short or exposed wire by brake kight or marker light.

[tzonetom ul]

I just brought home my new 2009 620 and was shocked to realize the right turn signal and brake light on the trailer were not working properly. The trailer has a 5 flat and I have put a converter to create a 7 round to attach to the factory plug on the Tundra. I have also replaced the convertor to make sure that it was not defective.

There seems to be a couple of problems.

1. The turn signal does not flash on the right side. However, the side marker does flash.

2. The brake light on the right side appears to be on all the time.

3. I disconnected the trailer from my truck and attached it to a friend's Dodge ram and it worked correctly.

4. I assumed the problem is with my Tundra. I took the whole rig to Toyota and they hooked it to a new truck and had the same problems as i'm experiencing. They feel it's definetly not the truck.

I'm completely baffled by this problem. Toyota suggested contacting Ranger to see if they have had similar problems with their trailers and Toyotas. has anyone heard of this happening before?

Thank you in advance for your help.
Jeremy

It sounds like a ground issue. Either on the tundra or the trailer.

[Indymusky]

After working on it some more today, and hooking it up to a Chevy 1500, here is what I have determined. It's definetly the trailer. I have auto headlights on my Tundra and when I turn them off, the turnsignal works. (it's very dim though) When the headlights are on, the problem returns. The Dodge Ram probably did not have his headlights on when we tested it.

When the Chevy had its headlights on, the same symptoms appeared. I'm going to try to create a ground from the truck to the trailer and see if it changes anything. The ground at the rear of the trailer appears solid and tight.

Thanks again for the input.
Jeremy

[LI Unlogged]

1/2 of the trailer is seeing the headlight circuit as a gnd if turn signal begins working but dim when headlights are off. You have a partial poor gnd if the head light circuit is a better gnd than the trailer ground.

Look at the 5 to 7 closely as well as where the right side of the trailer grounds join.

[yarcraft91]

Whatever you find, take the trailer back to the dealer for proper repair, as several have recommended. You might be surprised at what's causing the actual problem. I'll share my "strangest trailer wiring problem" story.

My duck boat trailer started having light problems. The lights checked out OK, but every once in a while the taillight fuse would blow out or one of the taillight bulbs would blow. I stored this trailer outside. I wondered if moisture/corrosion was the problem, so I cleaned and tightened every accessable electrical connection. That made no difference. Then, I began to notice the pattern that driving in rain was when the fuses or bulbs blew out, yet the next dry day when I replaced things and checked the lights, they worked OK.

I finally decided to replace the trailer wiring harness. So, I pulled the old wires out of the trailer frame and found that the insulation was completely missing from nearly 6' (yes, six feet!) of wiring. The mouse skeletons that came out with the wires were the clue to what happened to the wiring. How those lights worked in dry weather is a mystery, but it taught me that trailer wiring can be seriously screwed up and still work just well enough to give you fits when you're trying to fix a problem.

[guest]

I don't know what year your truck is, but I bought a used 2000 tundra pickup and right from the beginning, the trailer plug in on my truck wouldn't work. The previous owner had tried to put a 7 way plug on it, but I could not get the lights on my boat trailer to work. After hours of testing, running ground wires, and nearly replacing my boat trailer wiring, I decided to hook it to a friends truck, and the trailer lights worked. I tried another vehicle with the same results. So I knew it was the truck. After going to a local business that installs hitches ect.., and talking to other tundra owners I know, they told me that I had to buy some kind of converter box. I don't remember all the details now of why I needed it, but that fixed the problem. Again, I don't know if this applies to you're situation, but it may be worth checking into.
Good luck!!!

[Esoxchaser]

I have had four wiring issues with my Ranger Trailer.
One front marker light wouldn't work. Dealer fixed it.
The center rear light bar had two led's pout, dealer fixed it.
Then one backup lamp was out, dealer fixed it.
Now the backup lamp on the other side is out. I may end up doing it myself, as it is a simple issue, and I am not heading the dealers way for a while, it's sixty miles each way.

[beeman]

I installed new wiring harness from hoppes with converter on Nissan Frontier. I choose grounding to pickup bed up underneath. Come to findout there is no ground on bed? Ended up grounding to frame and all is well but its got me scratching my head. Maybe nissan forgot neg strap from the frame to bed. Maybe someting to do with rear air bag deploy? Now my lights work even without attaching ball hitch. Im double grounded now.:boozer:

[T Mac]

I don't know what year your Tundra is, but I have a 2010. Using my same old (several years old) 7 to 5 adapter, I have had no problem with any trailers, - surge brakes, or not. I have pulled several different rigs with it.

From experience in chasing wiring "ghosts" I can attest that bad grounds can do weird things.

[Indymusky]

Took the trailer to a Ranger dealer and it was repaired. It turns out the wiring was not correctly installed at the tailight. Quick easy fix for someone that knew what they were looking for. Thanks for all the help!

[yarcraft91]

Glad to hear it was a simple fix. My last pontoon, the running lights were mis-wired and blew the fuse immediately whenever we turned them on. Dealer crawled under the console, found/fixed the problem- the dash switch was wired to send the power directly to ground, not to the lights. Interesting- the final inspection checklist from the manufacturer AND the dealer both indicated the lights were tested and worked OK. Those inspectors don't always do their jobs. Nice, huh?
:bangin:

[PackerBacker]

http://www.carparts.com/4-POLE-CONNECTORS-WITH-CIRCUIT-TESTERS/GP_2004471_N_111+10718+600023131_10618.car

Glad to hear you got it fixed. One of these toys will pinpoint rather quickly whether it is the trailer or truck.

[Pezman38]

http://www.carparts.com/4-POLE-CONNECTORS-WITH-CIRCUIT-TESTERS/GP_2004471_N_111+10718+600023131_10618.car

Glad to hear you got it fixed. One of these toys will pinpoint rather quickly whether it is the trailer or truck.

This thing is what I have been missing.

Last year I rewired my Lund trailer because the wires were very old and hard to work on. About 50 crimps later I couldn't figure out why only some of the lights would work on the trailer. Beat my head on the wall for a week crimping new things, trying new ideas. Turned out the fuse had blown on my truck, replaced and it all worked pefectly. This device would have saved me two weeks, although my father told me to check that fuse first and I ignored him because the lights worked fine. Won't doubt him again for sure.
Thought you might all have a laugh about that one.