Trailer Wiring Problem

[shortstop45us]

I have a 98 Chev Truck with 4 prong trailor connector...The lights on the used boat trailer I just bought work kinda weird. The guy I bought the trailer from said he thought his son had a Japanese made truck and wired it for that...How does that differ from my Chevy?....Thx in Advance

 

[rpeeples]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

SS,<br /><br />Believe it or don't, I have the same problem only in reverse. <br /><br />I bought a trailer from a guy that towed it with a GMC and all the lights worked ok.<br /><br />I have a Toyota 4 Runner and all I can get to work is the running lights.<br /><br />I am wondering if you have to wire a trailer all cattywompus to work with a Toyota.<br /><br />Or maybe we should trade trailers and let it go at that.....<br /><br />Russell

 

[shortstop45us]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Well...don't want to trade trailers yet but sure hope somebody can help us out....

 

[Ranger354]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Someone used to make a little converter box that took care of the wiring nightmare on Toyotas. But that was years ago. I would have thought Yota would have fixed that by now.<br /><br />On the chevy, got dwn the the local Walmart and buy an in-line wire haress. It actually plugs in where your wires come together at the back of your truck un newar the spare tire area. Then the trailer is White - Ground.... Brown - tail.... Green and Yellow are left and right blinker and brake depending on the trailer lights.<br />Hopethis helps some

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

shortstop45us<br />The only difference between the trailer wiring for a toyota and your truck is that the trailer has two separate light fixtures. Toyota uses a separate brake lite circuit. If you tell us what bulb you have in each fixture, we can help...

 

[shortstop45us]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Thanks...my only problem right now is that the trailer is at my cabin about 75 miles away so I can't check the bulb situation right now...It does sound like if it was in fact wired for a Toyota product that is the problem and I may just need to rewire back to the original "American" configuration..

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

maybe i'm missing something, but i've not seen a trailer(boat) with separate turn/brake lights.... schematic, is this not a standard?<br />if it is, then the trailer should have the brn,grn,yel,wh with possibly an e-brake wire.... unless someone put a 5-to-4 wire converter on the trailer side....

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Yo ebbtide176<br /><br />Worked for TOYOTA for years. Seen many trailers with separate brake and signals to accomadate TOYOTA's. It sounds like (from the first post) that some guy wired the trailer for TOYOTA. Lord only knows what he did. Some guys added another light assmy. Once we know what he has for bulbs and fixtures, we can help him rewire as necessary.(if needed)

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Allow me to insert some trivia here... <br /><br />Your Toyotas are wired the same way ALL our cars & trailers in NZ and Australia are wired. Brake lights have their own circuit and run red bulbs. Turn signals have their own circuits and run orange bulbs...<br /><br />In recent years it seems that the plugs between our cars and trailers have become standardised - which is nice, so you can almost be assured of plugging any trailer into any tow car.

 

[rpeeples]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Kiwi,<br /><br />Do you have a digram of how to wire a trailer for Toyota that you could send to me? I have tested everything and can't figure out what the problem is.<br /><br />Thanks

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Russell and Shortstop45us,<br /><br />I don't have the diagram right now but I will either find one or work it out with a multimeter from my car & trailer within the next 12 hours of this post.<br /><br />What I CAN tell you now is as follows; See the two scenarios listed seperately;<br /><br />ShortStop45us;<br />--------------<br /><br />IF your trailer is wired for a Toyota and IF that is the same as ours in NZ, then your trailer will have more bulbs and circuits than you need. I will work on the basis that you have NZ/Toyata wiring on your trailer. Therefore...<br /><br />Your trailer has one circuit that activates both brake lights. It also has a circuit for the left turn indicator and another circuit for the right indicator.<br /><br />The easiest fix is to connect your trailer's turn indicator circuits to your brake/indicator circuits on your car. If your turn indicator bulbs are orange (as in NZ) then you need to solve how to make them red (as I presume that you need the combination brake/indicator to be red).<br /><br />Under this arrangement, you will NOT be using the trailer's brake light circuit (which connects to lights on both sides).<br /><br />Once I have the wiring diagram, I will be able to tell you the wire colours etc.<br /><br />Russell<br />-------<br /><br />Your problem is a little more complex and might involve adding some extra wiring and bulbs to the trailer. You require the extra brake-only circuit that Shortstop has (& doesn't need).<br /><br />The Toyota (if like in NZ) needs the trailer to have separate bulbs for the brake lights as apart from the turn indicators. The 2 brake lights must be on the same circuit.<br /><br />I think the best way to go is to use your current brake/indictor lights as turn indicators. You will then need to add a new circuit to the trailer as a brake light - which will connect to a bulb on the left and right of the trailer.<br /><br />That's my best description of your two different problems. Next I will come back with wiring specifics.

 

[shortstop45us]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Kiwi...thx, appreciate your help

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

I couldn't find a diagram, so checked out my trailer with a multimeter and here is the result.<br /><br />Firstly, this is what a standard (New Zealand) car plug looks like (with the cover open);<br /><br />

<br /><br />And this is what it looks like at the trailer end;<br /><br />

<br /><br />Now - looking at the trailer's plug from the perspective of the picture, consider the pins to be numbered from 1 to 7 from left to right.<br /><br />The wiring is as follows;<br /><br />1. (Yellow wire) Left turn indicator<br /><br />2. (Red wire) Brake lights (both sides)<br /><br />3. Not used.<br /><br />4. (Black wire) Ground / earth.<br /><br />5. Not used.<br /><br />6. (Brown wire) tail lights.<br /><br />7. (Green wire) Right turn indicator.<br /><br />What I don't know (maybe someone can help me here) is how the plugs on your American vehicles look and are wired...<br /><br />Russell & Shortstop - do you recognise these plugs ?

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Just comparing the info in my post with the info in Ranger354's post - it looks like the wire colors are the same, so it should be an easy job in Shortstop's case, to remove the Toyota style plug from the trailer and then rewire a standard Chevy style plug, using normal wire colors (except leave the red - brake light wire out).<br /><br />Russell's trailer needs to have a red wire / brake circuit added - and possibly new bulbs added for these.<br /><br />I'll await your comments, to see if anyone recognises what I'm showing and talking about...<br /><br />

 

[rpeeples]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

I have never seen a plug like yours but I should be able to match up the wires like you have them listed. I will give it a try and let you know.<br /><br />Thanks for your help!!!

 

[shortstop45us]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Thanks again Kiwi...I also don't recognize the plug/wire configuration...Mine is a 4 position plug on both the trailer and the truck plug...whoever wired up the trailer plug also has a 5th wire going to ground on the trailer tongue...But I think you are right...If I rewire the trailor plug with the config for a GM product I will probably get it to work...May not be able to do that for a few weeks as my trailer is 75 miles away and I won't be getting to it for awhile...Again thx so much for all your help....Short...

 

[Ranger354]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Boys,<br /><br />This ain't brain surgery! Heck, I could have driven up and wired the thing myself.<br /><br />Shortstop,<br /><br />Go down to Wal-Mart and buy a trailer wire kit complete with lights and wires. Pull all the old wires off and put the new wires and lights on the trailer. <br /><br />This way everything is new. It should last longer and you will have a much better understading of your truck and trailer.<br /><br />Nothing like getting ready the night before and the darn lights don't work. Do it right the first time.

 

[shortstop45us]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Thx Ranger....just might do that....<br /><br />Shortstop..(Part-time brain surgeon)

 

[TJ39]

Re: Trailer Wiring Problem

Okay a somewhat similar problem here that is kicking my butt. I have a 94 Ford Ranger and bought a converter to hook up the pigtails. Worked fine on a boat trailer last year (small 14' trailer). Just bought another small boat and put a new standard 4 wire harness in it, new lights. I get turn signals and brakes, but no taillights. The taillight (Brown) wire is hot, but I cannot for the life of me get the lights to work. And yes, they are all brand new etc etc. Any help?