Lost Running Lights 2008 15 ft. HiLo

[Johnnie-HILO]

Running lights not working. They worked last year. Stop and turns work. Tail and clearing lights don't. I read continuity through the trailer pig tail running lights to ground. I took the tail lights off and checked continuity at the light. On the vehicle plug I got 12 volts between the running light pin and ground with the vehicle lights on. I cleaned the bulb contacts. I don't know what to do next.
Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[retiredcamper47]

Hold the trailer's 7 pin electrical cord in your hand with the flat spot on top. Place a 2 prong 12v auto flasher unit into the plug at the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock position of the flat spot. This will cause all your exterior lights to flash, using the trailer's battery for the power source. If the running lights come on and flash, the problem is not in the trailer. If they do not flash, trace where the opposite end of the 7 pin cord connects to the trailer. Should be a metal electrical box mounted to the frame. Take the cover off and check for corrosion of the wires or a loose wire nut. Would not hurt to spray contact cleaner (PB Blaster or such) on the trailer plug pins and the truck plug pins. Hope this helps. This flasher trick is great to use if you are stuck on the side of the road. All lights flashing is better than just the 4 ways.

Bob

 

[JackandJanet]

It certainly COULD be just a bad connection in the trailer wiring - probably a fault in the ground if all the running lights are inop.

You might look at the wire bundle that runs from the bottom half to the top half. In my trailer, this is in the bathroom. All the wires in that bundle have a wire nut connection so that the top half can be separated from the bottom half. I'm pretty sure the ground wire is white, but you can check ALL the connections there to be sure they are good.

Another possibility is rodent damage. I found recently, that a mouse had chewed through one of my brake/turn signal wires before I mouse-proofed my trailer. I discovered the break was at a point where I couldn't really get to it (under the refrigerator or under the bathroom floor), so I jumped the break with a new wire that ran behind the refrigerator and along the back wall of my bathroom cabinets.

So, those are my suggestions. If you have a multimeter, use the continuity tester to discover which wire is not complete, then you're halfway there.

- Jack

 

[Johnnie-HILO]

Thanks for the great ideas. I am returning from camping tomorrow (during day light hours) and will be doing more trouble shooting at home. I will post what I find.

 

[Johnnie-HILO]

I have tried to post twice now and after going into details I loose my internet connection and my post.

 

[JackandJanet]

I have tried to post twice now and after going into details I loose my internet connection and my post.

Johnnie, that's happened to me MANY times. If it seems to be a problem, compose your post in Notepad, and once it's finished, just copy and paste it to a new post in your thread. This way, you won't lose a Pulitzer Prize winning post!

- Jack

 

[maestro123]

take it to the junk yard like I am gonna do mine here soon lol j/k

 

[lisakjcowgirl2016]

good evening,

I was cleaning the trailer and broke the top light on the right hand side. I went to the trailer place to get a replacement and it only have two wires. the one on the trailer have 4 wires 2 green and 2 white. can these be adapted or do anyone know where I can find the light with 4 wires?

 

[JackandJanet]

Lisa, I'm pretty sure the white wires are ground wires and the green ones are the positive 12V feeds. Was that light just a running light, or did it combine stop and turn signals too? If you don't know, hook your trailer up to your tow vehicle and see what the upper left light does.

If it's just a running light, then your original must have had two separate bulbs and they had separate feeds. You can just splice the two white wires from the trailer together and connect them to the new light's ground. Splice the two green wires and connect them to the new +12V feed wire on the light. You could use wire nuts that are big enough to accept three wires each to do this.

IF, however, you had stop and turn signals there, you will need to find a replacement that gives you the same function. And, I don't know where you'd find one in that shape and size. You may have to mount a different kind of light there, filling the original holes with caulk, or covering them with fiberglass or even Eternabond tape.

If I'm not making sense, just tell me what you don't understand and I'll try to be more clear.

- Jack

 

[sam-HILO]

Replacing lights in back of HiLo

My HiLo dealer carries exact replacement lenses and will ship them to you (same day ship). Mantelli trailer sales Jay in parts. !-716-625-8877. Jay has 30 years of HiLo sales/experience.

 

[sam-HILO]

Replacing lights on back of HiLo.

Tell Jay Simon to look at the picture you posted on this forum. I am confident he can help you.

 

[lisakjcowgirl2016]

My HiLo dealer carries exact replacement lenses and will ship them to you (same day ship). Mantelli trailer sales Jay in parts. !-716-625-8877. Jay has 30 years of HiLo sales/experience.

Thank you so much, will give them a call

 

[lisakjcowgirl2016]

Tell Jay Simon to look at the picture you posted on this forum. I am confident he can help you.

yes i will

 

[TMWillis13]

I'm new to HiLo and to this forum but I need help. I hooked up the lights this morning before we were to leave to go camping. The lights all came on but there was one light on the right side front of the trailer (top) that was broken. Now remember up to this time all the lights were on. While at work my husband went and bought a light to replace this light. When he took out the screw to replace the light it was busted and it all came apart On the backside there is a white and green wires. The wires were so short he did not try and hook them up because you cant get ahold of them. So the wires were bare not taped. Then he hooked the truck up to the harness and no lights. Does this light have to be reconnected to something for the rest of the lights to work. Please help if you can because at this point my Memorial Day RVing trip is ruined!

 

[lisakjcowgirl2016]

I just had all my light redone. The lights fed off each other. I found out.

 

[JackandJanet]

What Lisa said is close enough, but it's probably the fact that the white (ground) wire is not connected.

You should try to get the new light installed - you may be able to pull gently on the wires that are in the trailer to get them far enough out that you can attach them to the wires in the new light (white to white, green to green or what other color you have).

- Jack