we are trying to connnect our boat trailer to our 2000 dodge dakota. it woked fine last year but now we get no lights, is there a fuse that may be bad.

 

Welcome tothe DFneighborhood!!

Speed Safely,
AL

 

I would check the ground on the trailer first, the white wire on the trailer side of the harness. If you have a volt meter, check the plug on the truck side to see if the problem is the truck or the trailer.

If the tail lights on the truck work then the problem has to be on the trailer side.

James

 

Your trailer plug on your truck should be directly connected to your truck light circuts, so unless your truck lights aren't working eaither most likely the problem is in the truck plug or the trailer plug/wiring harness.

Like mentioned above, the first place I'd look is the power in the truck plug, and then the grounds. If your not handy with a meter, you can buy a connector at most auto stores that plugs right into your truck plug. It has LED's on it that light up showing that the circuts are working.

If all light aren't working on your trailer and you've ruled out a problem on the truck, then check the ground, sometines it will get a ground through the ball and hitch butwith the paint an stuff on it, it might not make a good connection. Check that white wire or if you have a lenth of scrap wire, put one end one bare metal on the trailer andthe other on bare metal on the truck chassis,that will test the ground connection, if the lights come on then its grounding trouble.The next thing I'd do is just have a good look at the trailer wiring harness. Usually there exposed to the elements and corrode quickly or wires can be pulled and disconnected easily.

Hope this helps, good luck.

 

Most likely on the trailer side since it's been a year. Clean all the male connections on the plug in with steel wool or light sand paper and clean the female plug side on the truck with connection cleaner. also as mentioned test the ground.