New car trailer light issue

ngt

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Short and sweet:

When the car is off and the hazard/headlights are on on the car, the trailer lights don't light up. Everything else works when the car is off, brake/blinker/etc...and when the car is on, everything works 100%, including lights and hazards. I had the same car 2002 version and all worked with the car off, got a newer version and told them to swap the hitch over (they got a new one installed on the newer car instead. Now having the problem described above. What did they do wrong in the car wiring to cause this?
 

NYBo

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Without telling us what the vehicle is, you're not likely to get a useful response. Would this happen to be a Ford?
 

ngt

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Without telling us what the vehicle is, you're not likely to get a useful response. Would this happen to be a Ford?

Sorry,

2002 Nissan Murano , hitch installed by u haul, wiring done on the inside of the trunk....everything was perfect.
2007 Nissan Murano , different hitch company, wiring under the car.....everything works but the lights when the car is off.
 

smokeonthewater

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I'd say you have a converter and it is wired to a switched 12v+ source instead of constant 12v+

Pretty simple to fix, go back to the place that installed it and let them worry about it
 

ngt

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thanks! I'll take it in tomorrow
 

alldodge

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Short and sweet:

When the car is off and the hazard/headlights are on on the car, the trailer lights don't light up. Everything else works when the car is off, brake/blinker/etc...and when the car is on, everything works 100%, including lights and hazards. I had the same car 2002 version and all worked with the car off, got a newer version and told them to swap the hitch over (they got a new one installed on the newer car instead. Now having the problem described above. What did they do wrong in the car wiring to cause this?

Most vehicles today are all computer controlled. The hitch wiring is a simple cable which plugs directly into the main harness on the truck. There is no longer a requirement to splice into the wiring of the main harness going to the tail lights. The 2003 model just used a simple Tee connector, the 2007 needs a module which is installed in line to make it work correctly. My guess is they didn't have the 2007 model, but had an earlier version.

C56105_1000.jpg
 

ngt

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Opened stuff up and there's a module in there. Not a mark or word on it to tell what year it was for. Just a black box.
 

smokeonthewater

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the 3 I posted pics of are un-powered versions and wouldn't support my theory....

On them the input colors are: green-right, yellow=left, red=stop, brown=tail, white=ground.
Output are the same except that green=right turn /stop, yellow=left turn/stop, and red isn't used..

The powered units that fit my theory will have an additional wire which is usually red and larger than the rest that should run to 12v+....
 

ngt

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looks like the first one. I'll get a picture today and post it up.
 

oldjeep

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So they pulled the grommet completely out and then ran wires that are allowed to rub against metal? Step number one - never let those people touch your car again.
 

ngt

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WOW.... um yeah... crappy install to say the least.

The guy said the power was on a key on and not on a constant. They're fixing it now. What can I do to fix how they set it in there on the install? A rubber passing, strap it down at least? They aren't going to make it pretty, but I'd like to.

Can i post the name of the company? I remember that being frowned upon here a while back.
 

oldjeep

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The guy said the power was on a key on and not on a constant. They're fixing it now. What can I do to fix how they set it in there on the install? A rubber passing, strap it down at least? They aren't going to make it pretty, but I'd like to.

Can i post the name of the company? I remember that being frowned upon here a while back.

Well. tell them to put the grommet plug back in and poke a hole in it for the wires they added. Then take that crappy crimp connector they used and use one that has shrink fit on it so that the connection isn't open to the elements. I can't tell exactly where that box is, but if it is right under your carpet then it should have been placed in one of the compartments or behind one of the trim pieces so it is out of the way, Put some Velcro on it and attach it to something so it doesn't move around.

What I would be more concerned about is how that mess is tied into the rest of the car wiring. Was it an exact fit that plugged directly into the car harness (doubt it) or did they use t-taps to hook into your signal wiring?
 

ngt

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Well. tell them to put the grommet plug back in and poke a hole in it for the wires they added. Then take that crappy crimp connector they used and use one that has shrink fit on it so that the connection isn't open to the elements. I can't tell exactly where that box is, but if it is right under your carpet then it should have been placed in one of the compartments or behind one of the trim pieces so it is out of the way, Put some Velcro on it and attach it to something so it doesn't move around.

What I would be more concerned about is how that mess is tied into the rest of the car wiring. Was it an exact fit that plugged directly into the car harness (doubt it) or did they use t-taps to hook into your signal wiring?

The guy said it plugged right into the harness, but I don't know how he'd get the "key on" and "constant" for power mixed up. It's all under a screwed down trim piece in the trunk. I'll velcro it down and fix the connector. At least all is working now.
 

ngt

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If you want something done right do it yourself.


I traded in a car that had a hitch for another that didn't. The car dealer said they would have another hitch installed. I didn't know it was through some garbage little truck trailer shop down the road. Figured they would do it themselves.
 

smokeonthewater

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He wasn't pointing a finger at you... He was illustrating that "paying the pro's to do it right" is generally paying some lazy moron to halfa$$ it and leave you screwed.
 

ngt

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He wasn't pointing a finger at you... He was illustrating that "paying the pro's to do it right" is generally paying some lazy moron to half***** it and leave you screwed.

I haven't really had that same experience overall, but it has happened before. I thought the dealer was doing it, and they paid someone else to half ass it for them. Guess that's worse, lol. If I had known it was happening, I would have researched the company first and possibly asked for it to be done elsewhere.
 
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