Tail Lights Out
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Tail Lights Out
I'm stumped, and hoping you may be able to help. I have googled the issue, but I've been unable to find answer to my problem. I recently purchased a boat and found that my brother's trailer wiring harness did not work correctly (the "running lights" did not work, but the break light did). He tapped a 4 pin wiring harness into the factory 7 pin harness. After disassembling his wiring job, I tapped into the license plate wiring to find power for the trailer running lights. Big mistake...Two incorrect wires touch by mistake and I heard a small pop and lights out. The tail lights and license plate lights are out, but the brake lights, turn signals, "truck bed" lights, all cab lights, and front head lights all work. I figured I blew a fuse, and while looking I found the #1 20A fuse was blown under the hood. I bet that’s why the trailer lights were acting up. After replacing the fuse, still no tail lights or license plate lights, nor are the trailer light working (I will have to start over with the trailer harness, I just need to get the truck tail lights working again). I have looked and looked at the fuses, relays, and manual with no resolve. I hope you can HELP!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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Joined: Sep 2006
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What year and what factory trailer connector do you have.
The tail light and stop light circuits are not made to power extra lighting.
It's a danger to lose your regular lighting from a trouble in trailer wireing.
For example, turn signal flash rate is greatly affected with more lamps are hanging on the same circuit.
There is a relay and seperate fused power circuit for this that is operated from the brake system.
You need to check for the relay being in the engine bay fuse distribution box and it's fuse, then go from there and do it correctly.
I have a 7 pin/4 pin combo and set up for electric trailer brakes with controller as well as backup lighting without any issues.
Again, tapping into the stop and brake lighting is old time stuff and not safe to do.
What you need to do now is test for power along the feed to the tail and stop circuits until you get a handle on where the failure is.
May be at a splice or ??? We can't tell from remote.
Best to get a copy of the Chilton book for 97 -02 F150 and look on page 12-24 at the lighting.
Trace the lights that don't work back through the headlamp switch and fusing.
Good luck.
The tail light and stop light circuits are not made to power extra lighting.
It's a danger to lose your regular lighting from a trouble in trailer wireing.
For example, turn signal flash rate is greatly affected with more lamps are hanging on the same circuit.
There is a relay and seperate fused power circuit for this that is operated from the brake system.
You need to check for the relay being in the engine bay fuse distribution box and it's fuse, then go from there and do it correctly.
I have a 7 pin/4 pin combo and set up for electric trailer brakes with controller as well as backup lighting without any issues.
Again, tapping into the stop and brake lighting is old time stuff and not safe to do.
What you need to do now is test for power along the feed to the tail and stop circuits until you get a handle on where the failure is.
May be at a splice or ??? We can't tell from remote.
Best to get a copy of the Chilton book for 97 -02 F150 and look on page 12-24 at the lighting.
Trace the lights that don't work back through the headlamp switch and fusing.
Good luck.
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My tail lights are not working becuase i shorted a brown wire for the license plate lights while running a test for optional power to the trailer lights. I have nerver had trouble with my tail lights until i shorted them. i'm just jooking for what i broke when i shorted them. I cant seem to find a blown fuse to fix them problem. I have checked them all.
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I back fed a wire with a fuse and switch from the battery to the license plate wire and spliced them. That fixed the lights (on the trailer, tail lights, and license plate), and I noticed the door chime started going off. This is an ok temp fix, but I still would like to find out what I shorted out.
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I also found out my instrument panel was also affected by this damage. The instrument panel will not light up unless I turn on my "added power". Does this sound like a relay issue or a switch issue? I have read about others having trouble with a switch located somewhere in the foward portion of the truck.
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