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Trailer light issues

Old May 24, 2009 | 10:20 PM
  #1  
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ggwash21
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Trailer light issues

I have a 2004 F150 FX4 and every time I hook up my trailer lights I blow the back up light fuse #10 on the fuse panel. Any ideas where to start?
 
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Old May 24, 2009 | 10:48 PM
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Try asking in the Towing forum. Is this a seven pin or a four pin connector?

Good luck,
 
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Old May 24, 2009 | 10:51 PM
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Thanks I didnt even know there was a towing area.... It happens with my 7 pin and 4 pin.
 
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Old May 24, 2009 | 10:54 PM
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Rikster-7700
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From: Jacksonville, FL
Originally Posted by ggwash21
I have a 2004 F150 FX4 and every time I hook up my trailer lights I blow the back up light fuse #10 on the fuse panel. Any ideas where to start?
is it on one specific trailer or any trailer? because it sounds like it is a couple of different trailers if you have used both the 7 and the 4 pin?
 
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Old May 24, 2009 | 11:01 PM
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Its on my 3rd brake light under tailgate but also did it to the trailer. I thought maybe it was the 3rd brake light but it was both. I tried it with my 7pin to 4pin plug in and the 4 pin. I thought maybe it was my trucks 4pin but it was both. Im thinking its something to do with my trailer hook ups on my truck. something grounding out etc.
 
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Old May 24, 2009 | 11:08 PM
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Rikster-7700
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Originally Posted by ggwash21
Its on my 3rd brake light under tailgate but also did it to the trailer. I thought maybe it was the 3rd brake light but it was both. I tried it with my 7pin to 4pin plug in and the 4 pin. I thought maybe it was my trucks 4pin but it was both. Im thinking its something to do with my trailer hook ups on my truck. something grounding out etc.
definitely sounds like you have a short somewhere, was just trying to figure if the problem was your trucks wiring or the trailers, if it only seems to happen with one trailer, i would lean to that trailer, but if it happens when you plug any trailer in then it is more than likely a truck wiring issue! is there any water in the trailer light housings or any nicked wires you can see?
 
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Old May 25, 2009 | 08:04 AM
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If it blows when you plug the trailer in, it's the trailer. Otherwise it would blow on it's own if it was the truck. I recommend having one of these in your towing kit; 12" Extension w/ 4 Wire Trailer Wiring Pigtail Tester :eBay Motors (item 200345031116 end time Jun-21-09 10:13:37 PDT)
 
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Old May 25, 2009 | 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by shorebird
If it blows when you plug the trailer in, it's the trailer. Otherwise it would blow on it's own if it was the truck. I recommend having one of these in your towing kit; 12" Extension w/ 4 Wire Trailer Wiring Pigtail Tester :eBay Motors (item 200345031116 end time Jun-21-09 10:13:37 PDT)
Im gonna hook up to a different trailer today and see if it does the same thing. I do have a small crack in my tail light and i have seen water in there im gonna pull it off and check it all out..
 
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Old May 25, 2009 | 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by ggwash21
Im gonna hook up to a different trailer today and see if it does the same thing. I do have a small crack in my tail light and i have seen water in there im gonna pull it off and check it all out..
You may be on to something with seeing water in the tail light. Here is the thing. The four pin connector has, left turn signal, right turn signal, tail light and ground. There is no connection to the back up lights.

Any time the back-up light fuse blows is because it has a path to ground without any load, ie. lamp bulbs.

My question is what else does this fuse supply for a trailer? The seven pin connector has the same four supplies as above with the addition of battery charging, trailer breaks and perhaps back-up lamps. ah-ha.

So, when exactly does your fuse blow? When you first plug in the trailer? or when you turn on the lights? or when you apply the breaks? or when you put the truck into reverse?

Let's pin this down first. BTW, your not the first one to have this problem.
 
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Old May 31, 2009 | 03:03 PM
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Well I figured it out my third brake light taps into my reverse lights as soon as I unplugged the wire I don't blow anymore fuses!
 
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