Right Directional Not Working

[mdailey588]

Hi, I have a 1997 Shasta travel trailer being towed with a 2000 Silverado. I have an issue with the camper in that the right directional does not work. I am confident there is no issue with the tow vehicle as I have hooked it up to other trailers without issue.

On the camper, the left side wors fine. The running/marker lights also work fine. On the right side, the running light works in the tail light, just not the directional. I have opened the light assembly and put a test light to it. I am getting power from the running light wire (brown), but nothing from the directional wire (green).

Are there suggestions as to what to try next? Could it be a ground wire in the camper? If so, how would I test/fix?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

[mdailey588]

Hi, I have a 1997 Shasta travel trailer being towed with a 2000 Silverado. I have an issue with the camper in that the right directional does not work. I am confident there is no issue with the tow vehicle as I have hooked it up to other trailers without issue.

On the camper, the left side wors fine. The running/marker lights also work fine. On the right side, the running light works in the tail light, just not the directional. I have opened the light assembly and put a test light to it. I am getting power from the running light wire (brown), but nothing from the directional wire (green).

Are there suggestions as to what to try next? Could it be a ground wire in the camper? If so, how would I test/fix?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

[Ray,IN]

Hello Mike! Welcome to irv2.com You are correct that the vast majority of wiring issues are a poor ground. Buy a cheap 12V power tester, it looks like an ice-pick with a lead out the top. (about $3) Clip the lead/alligator clip to a good ground first, then puncture the wire with the ice-pick tip to find a live wire.

First, does the right brake light work? If it does, than means that bulb has a good ground, because the brake filament is also the turn signal. That would narrow it down to the right turn signal wire somewhere in the trailer wiring. You said the tow vehicle plug-end is working correctly because you've towed other trailers and the right signal worked-right? OK, that eliminates the tow vehicle, now you can concentrate on the trailer end of the problem.

In the trailer 12V wiring you should find a junction box or similar central point for the umbilical cord to connect with the trailer wiring that is hidden in walls, floor, etc. This is where you can access the right signal wire/right brake light. Test for 12V there, if you find 12V at that point you are slowly isolating the bad point. Continue to trace that wire for 12V as best you can. Hopefully you'll find the problem before you must begin tracing that wire behind walls, etc.

Oh, did I mention I too detest wiring problems. Good Luck, let us know your results.

[mdailey588]

Ray, thank you for the help. After tracing the wiring in the camper and finding that everything was connected and working properly, we tried the truck again. The prior owner of the truck has actually spliced in a 4-pin plug to tow a Bass boat. I found a bad connection in the original factory wiring of the truck due to the prior owner splicing in ther 4-pin connector.

I guess when i previously hooked to another camper to see if the truck was ok, I just lucked out that the truck was working at that time.

Point of advice to all is to check all your basic connections and ensure there is powere coming from the source before you start trying to follow wires throughout the camper.

Thanks again!!!

[Ray,IN]

If you found those cheap blue wire taps that snap together, replace them with quality wire crimp-on connectors. Those cheap things will give you trouble from now on, as you have likely discovered.