Trailer lights not working but signal and brake lights do

[brianmonique]

Ok so I am not very electrically knowledgable so any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Left the lake and illumination lights on my illusion trailer were working and then as I was driving home noticed about 5-10 minutes later they weren't working. Brake lights and signal lights work but not headlight connection/side and rear lights on trailer...what do you think, fuse or wiring harness? thanks for your ideas!

[NICKYPOO]

Did you try jingling the plug? If the were working and then they weren't, they are obviously wired right. I would check the plug first to see if it somehow got yanked or hung up on the trailer or maybe never got plugged in all the way. The marker lights are on their own pin in the plug so its entirely possible to have your experience. I have also seen the wire fall off of just one pin in a plug. There should be a set screw or two on the plug that hold the actuall plug in the outer case. Loosen those up and slide the plug out of said case and check all the connections. If they are all good, move on to the female side on the truck.

[laserfish]

What are you towing with. My F250 has fuses for both the trailer running lights and the brake/signal. Drove me crazy till I figured that out.

[kko]

The brown wire is the one you are concerned with. Like Nicky said i would try to wiggle the plug and start there. Also like Lasr said get your owners manual out and check the fuses. we had a customer said he had a right brake light out on his trailer. So I check it and it worked fine. He was under the assumption that if his truck (ford expiditon) was working the left brake it should work the right. Well not so fast my friend it turned out the the brake lights left and rigth have there own seperate fuses. Along with I am sure the headlight circuit. So thats why it will be important to make sure you check the proper fuse. But alot of the time its just a wiggle of the harness. Now if you have a swing tounge trailer thats another area for concern see alot of proplems with concetions and wires getting rubbed though in there..just a little FYI. good luck.

[brianmonique]

Thanks for the ideas. Started with juggling the connectors and wires. No luck. I drive an f150 and have read other issues with the fuses so on to that next and then wires as i do have a swing arm and always have to make sure wires aren't stickin out. Thanks again I am sure one of these will get to the answer!

[murphini]

my 2004 ford expedition should be same as F150 , had similar prob where some trailer lites workws but turn sigs didn't. It was a bad fuse. My fuaebox was on passengee side near door, checked and once I found it (bad fuae) was an easy fix.

[laserfish]

The confusing thing on the 250 is it has a fuse panel unter the dash and one under the hood. Had trailer fuses in both places. That is why it drove me crazy till I found that out. Check for both.