Jayco 2004 10x Qwest Tail light issue

[Runrisecamper]

Hi,

I just bought a 2004 Jayco pop up camper. But the running light which connect to the car has some issues. The bulbs are all working but it does not work as it should when turning left or right.

Symptom:
Brake: works as it should - all bulbs light without blinking
Hazard light: works as it should - all bulbs flashing
Left turn: all bulbs flashing/blinking, exact the same as hazard light
Right turn: no light from all bulbs.

The camper has 6 pin to 4 pin connection.


Below is what I found online on the plug information, I am not sure if it is the correct as the camper does not come with a manual.


Anyone know where should I start to solve this issue? I bought a Viking 4-6 cord and it act the same.

Thanks.

 

[SpencerPJ]

I'd be looking at the tow vehicle. Easy test, have a friend come over and plug the simple 4 pin into his tow light connector. Most basic issue with lighting problems tends to be a poor ground. Take some jumper cables and make a good ground from car to trailer (for a test). Other than this, it will take a basic electric meter to test various things.

 

[Runrisecamper]

I'd be looking at the tow vehicle. Easy test, have a friend come over and plug the simple 4 pin into his tow light connector. Most basic issue with lighting problems tends to be a poor ground. Take some jumper cables and make a good ground from car to trailer (for a test). Other than this, it will take a basic electric meter to test various things.

We have tested by 2 cars, same result. So I tend to think its the wiring.

 

[SpencerPJ]

I have an assortment of long wire lengths. Maybe rig a bypass option and direct run to trailer light sockets. Critters chew wires and let them get a slight current (enough to pass an electrical meter test, yet don't work when in real environment. Smart electrical guys are good at troubleshooting this, dumb ones like me run a spare wire and see if it fixes problem, that decide what is my next action step. My confusion is, the R blinks on emergency flasher, not turn signal. That uses the same wire... Question, does the trailer have electric brakes? It might need the standard 7 blade connector?

 

[Papa Glenn]

The fact that left turn is activating both sides points to a wiring issue on the trailer. Easiest way to solve would be with a jumper wire connected to + on battery and going pin by pin on the trailers plug to see what each illuminates. You should have running, left turn and right turn on the 4 pin with the other pin being ground.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Flaky problems like that are often a bad ground connection between trailer & tow vehicle. If I was just guessing, that's where I would look first. Without a good 12v ground, current will backflow through the other bulb circuits and yield strange results. The best approach, however, is to test each trailer circuit separately to verify each works. Then check the 6-pin your are feeding it from - it may or may not be exactly like the online picture you found.

 

[Runrisecamper]

I think I solved the problem. I think the previous person did the wire just connect same color wire together from the 6 pin to the 4 pin. After some try and error. I sorted out which wire is goes to which and they are not same colors. From the camper 6 pin connector:
Blue - right/brake
Red - left/brake
Yellow - running light

Now left, right turns, break, and running light are all working. The only thing I am unsure is, while the turn signal is on, only the big red light at the rear flashing at each side. The little yellow lights in front and side are not flashing with the turn signal. But I can live with that. Thanks for everyone replied!

 

[Kirk]

While it is always a good idea to be sure that there is a solid ground connection between the trailer and the tow vehicle, there pretty much has to be a ground connection between them for the brake and 4 way lights to all work. What you have not told us is what happens if you turn on the parking or headlights? Each tail light should have either 2 bulbs or 2 bulb with 2 elements and the brake should light one of those and the parking/headlights should light the other. I am suspecting that you are lighting both the parking and the brake lights when any of them has power.

 

[Kirk]

I was posting my last as you were it seems. If you have a running light on each side that stays on when you apply the brake & release it, with a separate turn & brake light on each side, they probably the side markers just connect to the running lights, which is pretty normal. As I look at the picture you posted, your trailer harness does have the blue and red wires that would connect to a 6 pin connector.

The blue lead is for brakes and the red to keep the trailer battery charged. Have you looked to see if you have brakes? If you have a volt/ohm meter you can check to see what those 2 wires do It could be that the manufacturer used a standard wire harness that has wll of the wires but only used 4. If the red wire has 12V then it is connected to the battery.

 

[Runrisecamper]

I was posting my last as you were it seems. If you have a running light on each side that stays on when you apply the brake & release it, with a separate turn & brake light on each side, they probably the side markers just connect to the running lights, which is pretty normal. As I look at the picture you posted, your trailer harness does have the blue and red wires that would connect to a 6 pin connector.
View attachment 159298
The blue lead is for brakes and the red to keep the trailer battery charged. Have you looked to see if you have brakes? If you have a volt/ohm meter you can check to see what those 2 wires do It could be that the manufacturer used a standard wire harness that has wll of the wires but only used 4. If the red wire has 12V then it is connected to the battery.

Thanks for the reply. I check underneath the trailer, there is no break. The 6 pin harness has 2 other wires, I know one is charging which I assume it is for charging the optional 12v battery? The other wire is connected to the blank section of the receiver.

 

[SpencerPJ]

I think I solved the problem.

The little yellow lights in front and side are not flashing with the turn signal. But I can live with that. Thanks for everyone replied!

The little yellow lights on the pop-up camper are only running / marker lights. They will not blink. Only far rear red lights will blink and brake. Seems you have it working as it should.
Question still... does it have electric brakes on the trailer? If yes, you will need them to work.

 

[Papa Glenn]

The other pin should be for trailer brakes.

 

[Runrisecamper]

The little yellow lights on the pop-up camper are only running / marker lights. They will not blink. Only far rear red lights will blink and brake. Seems you have it working as it should.
Question still... does it have electric brakes on the trailer? If yes, you will need them to work.

No it does not have electric brake.