99 expedition tow wiring problems
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99 expedition tow wiring problems
all my signals/lights work correctly, then when I plug my utility trailor or boat with four prong adaptor in, I get nothing, originally had problems with just the left turn signal but now it affects right and running lights. I get nothing with a 12v light tester now too. I have no blown fuses in the panel under the drivers side dash or in the box under the drivers side hood. All the connections into the tow recepticle are tight and I cant find an in line fuse. Any thoughts on where a fuse may be, or thoughts on resolving?
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From: Morehead KY
First you need to check you have a good ground, If you do then check the inside of the plug on both the truck side and the trailer plugs for corrsion. I just recently had the same problme and had to get a small pcs of sandpaper and roll it up and clean if out. I also used a set of engine cleaning brushed. There could also be a bad connection where the trailer wiring connects in to the factory harness on the right rear frame rail. Good look hope this helps.
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From: Virginia
I am a little unclear exactly what's going on. Do you have a permanent problem with the expedition now, since you plugged in the trailer, or you only have the problem when the trailer is plugged in, and everything goes back to normal on the expedition when the trailer is unplugged?
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From: 3rd Rock
Originally Posted by dracor
all my signals/lights work correctly, then when I plug my utility trailor or boat with four prong adaptor in, I get nothing, originally had problems with just the left turn signal but now it affects right and running lights. I get nothing with a 12v light tester now too. I have no blown fuses in the panel under the drivers side dash or in the box under the drivers side hood. All the connections into the tow recepticle are tight and I cant find an in line fuse. Any thoughts on where a fuse may be, or thoughts on resolving?
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I unplugged and replugged the tow harness on the bumper back in The ground is good and I retried the lights with a tester. The right side lights and running lights now work and so does the stop lights, but the left side remains out, Perplexed and frustrated.
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: NJ where fun comes to die
Any corrusion in the light socket? Are the wires good, no shorts? I assume the bulb is good. With my small trailers, I usually replace the plugs once a year, and the lights about every two years, with new wiring. They get corroded from salt etc.
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From: Virginia
Take your tester and turn the right side blinker on and probe the plug. You should be able to find the right side blinker voltage in the plug. I usually do testing first on the working side to see if my tester as well as my brain are working correctly. If you get a signal, then turn on the non-working left and probe the back of the plug coming from the front and see if you get a signal.
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yes, the lights on all the trailers are good, I tested them with a battery. The connections are all good too. The quad trailer is brand new and worked when I brought it home from gander mtn. The problem started after I tried to get an ez loader trailer connected. Now the left light/turn stop doesnt work on any of the trailers. The turn and stop work on my truck and when I crawled under the truck I couldnt find any seperate in line fuse to the left side. I am extremely confused.
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From: Virginia
I looked at some diagrams on your vehicle, and there are several fuses that could be blown in both fuse boxes. I didn't suggest that you look there, since you did already, but since you are running into a dead end, maybe you can check again. Did you pull the fuses out and check them with the tester?
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From: Valdez, Alaska
Might try unplugging the tow harness that you mention above and using your test meter to see if the left light/turn stop works from the main harness. At least you can then rule out the pig tail harness running to the 4-prong. As mention doesnt hurt to recheck both fuse panels. Did you buy the vehicle used? Just wondering. I had bought a used F350 (99) and someone did a number on the trailer wires when they placed an autostart in it. I end up rewiring some of the trailer wires from the dash to the rear. I was not able to figure out why some of the lights just wouldnt work. What fun that was. No longer have that truck but you never know what you get when buying used.
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The truck was used but I have had it for two years, and towed a travel trailer and utility trailer without any trouble. It wasnt until I tried to hook up an ez loader boat trailer that my problem started. Now my left turn and stop light doesnt even work on the travel trailer. The right side works fine. and like I said the car lights signal without any problem. Doe you think it is in the tow wiring harness? I cant find any problems with the fuse boxes. Thanks
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From: Valdez, Alaska
Try to get ahold of a wiring digram for you vehicle. Worse case, if no one else can help you might have to trace it from the fuse panel, ect to the rear of the vehicle. Time consuming. Something just dosent sound right when you state the vehicle lights, turns and stop work. So if you got power to those but not to your 4-plug I would guess that there is an issue with that part of the harness. Call up EZ Loader and see if they have any suggestions and/or have they had this problem in the past. Worse case you could pigtail a new plug from the wires that work.
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abroke down and took it to a shop...He found a 5 amp fuse which wasnt working right and replaced it. Cost me 5 bucks for the service.....I was willing to pay $100 for the frustration it was giving me. However the boat must not be wired right, because the lights are all messed up. Thanks to all for their suggestions.
