Trailer lights gone wild.

[Blacktoe]

When I plugged in the trailer (Imagine XLS 17mke) to my tow vehicle (2020 Chevy Silverado 1500), the lights on the trailer did not work correctly. Here is a list of the problems.

All 12v power inside of the trailer was out.
The running lights did not work.
The trailer brakes did not work.
The turn signals were reversed.
The brake lights did work.
I got multiple warnings about trailer wiring on the dashboard display.

Everything worked fine 2 days ago.

 

[huntr70]

Check the plug and the 7 way on your truck for corrosion, and then look for a loose ground wire on the trailer.

 

[Steven@147]

Normally the inside RV 12V lighting has no circuit connection with the exterior lights of the RV. They are totally separate power circuits.
The exterior RV lighting, turn signals, running lights, brake lights and such only come from your truck. Pins 3, 5 & 6 of the 7 way. The RV brake power comes from pin 2. Pin 1 is the ground on the 7 way. Agree with Steve, there is something wrong with your 7 way plug, water inside plug connection, corrosion, pins shorted? Truck software and power to the 7 way gone bonkers?

The interior 12V lights get their power from the RV battery or converter through the RV distribution panel.

But yup they may have connected all the grounds for all the 12V circuits to a common point on the RV frame.

 

[DougW9876]

More often than not, a strange problem with trailer lighting is due to a bad ground somewhere in the circuit. All of the things you describe depend on a good ground to work properly.

 

[jkwilson]

12V power inside the trailer should run from the battery. The tow vehicle connection may add to that circuit, but it isn’t going to disable it. That is a separate issue.

Before doing any troubleshooting, be absolutely sure the 7-pin is fully inserted in the truck. Some of them are a bear to get all the way in, and behavior like you are seeing with the lights can be caused by a partially inserted plug.

 

[Blacktoe]

Thanks for the responses. I just bought the trailer a couple of days ago and was really confused by the power going off inside and it made a clicking sound when I inserted the plug, sort of a relay type of sound. I will trace the wiring and check the connections.

 

[Butcher]

Varmints.

 

[Jomani]

You need to isolate the problem to either truck or trailer. The easiest way to do that is with a tester like this.

https://a.co/d/iUBPJyl

 

[Blacktoe]

Thanks for the info, I don’t think it is the truck. I hooked up to another travel trailer and all was well.