tow lights stopped working

[jerig]

Lights on tow vehicle have been fine until now. Motorhome lights work fine independently as do the toads lights but when hooked up to tow they stopped working.

 

[Ken & Sheila]

The connections at the plug can get corroded. First get the plug and make sure all the pins and sockets are clean, the check the connections to the plug and the socket. You need to do the for both thee car and the motorhome side. Actually first I would check the ground wire at both sockets. Usually just screwed to the frame near the socket. Removed and replace. The ground is most likely the problem since none of the litghts work.

ken

 

[jerig]

Thanks Ken and Sheila. After you said the thing about the ground wire we thought about what we did differently at the last stop because everything was working well when we left the last 8 locations and checked lights. At the last stop we took the hitch completely out and it took some grunt work to get it out, so I think we may have wiggled the ground loose. We took the hitch and tow bar out because we did not think it would still be there in the morning if we left it attached, the park was not a real good one and the clientele was a little iffy. Thanks for making us think a little more about it.

 

[jerig]

wires inside plug came loose

 

[Ken & Sheila]

Glad you got it fixed. Usually tracking these things down just take some patience.

ken

 

[SoEzzy]

Buy some locking pins for your hitch, it is a deterrence not a final solution but we've not lost one yet!

 

[jlazar]

What do I look for if the coach and tow brake and turn lights work on the right side but only the coach lights work on the left side?

 

[driftless shifter]

No lites on one side could be bad ground for that fixture, bad bulb or socket, or 2 broken wires (brake/turn and tail) unless you have separate turn signal, then 3 wires. Bad wires could be anywhere from before the plug on mh to the light fixture on toad or trailer. Uset test light at mh plug to verify power to turn signal on side not working. If turn signal shows power and ts/brake lite are 1 bulb then brake lite has power. If you have power at plug and the one side works, start at dead side and trace toward live side. look for loose or corroded connections and bulb sockets.

Replace the bulb first. 8)

Bill

 

[jlazar]

Thanks.  Checked and I have power at the socket.  Moved the bulbs and sockets to the other side and they are good.  Power was less than half a volt different but lower on none working side.  Recently had the wiper/signal switch replaced.  I will have them check the grounds up where they did the work.