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Old 07-24-2018, 03:07 AM   #1
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Cool No Lights On Tow Vehicle..Help

We have a 2008 Damon Tuscany 4076, Freightliner chassis, and when we connect the tow car, no lights on the car work. Hoping someone with a Damon in that year range has an idea. Here's the facts:
All lights on the coach work fine.
We had a Honda CR-V now have a Cadillac SRX so I know the car lights work fine.
All lights on the cars worked fine when connected to a different vehicle.
No visible wiring issues, everything looks nice and clean.
Many people have mentioned a ground wire, where would I find the area to inspect?
I have found ground studs in the compartment by the driver side front wheel and under the front "hood" on the firewall. All look good and other things connected to those ground wires work fine.
Help! What am I missing? Thank you.
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Old 07-24-2018, 10:26 PM   #2
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You'll need to systematically test your wiring to find the issue. I'd start with the pins in your connector in the RV bumper. You said the RV lights all work. Test for 12v at each pin in the connector. If you don't know which pin is for what function, diagrams are available online for 6 pin, 7 pin, or 7 blade connectors, whichever you have. Those pins often have fuses separate from the actual taillights, you'll have to find them if the pins don's test for power.

If the pins are powered, including the ground pin, then plug in the umbilical cord and try the pins at the end of it.
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Old 07-25-2018, 06:02 AM   #3
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You'll need to systematically test your wiring to find the issue. I'd start with the pins in your connector in the RV bumper. You said the RV lights all work. Test for 12v at each pin in the connector. If you don't know which pin is for what function, diagrams are available online for 6 pin, 7 pin, or 7 blade connectors, whichever you have. Those pins often have fuses separate from the actual taillights, you'll have to find them if the pins don's test for power.

If the pins are powered, including the ground pin, then plug in the umbilical cord and try the pins at the end of it.
Thank you. The umbilical cord and the 7 pin connector are all new. Freightliner told me to check a certain 30 amp fuse which I did, and it tests good. All fuses marked for lighting look good and I found a ground wire on the frame which looked good, but I cleaned it and reinstalled it. Still nothing. I just can't imagine what single thing that is causing no power to anything.
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Old 07-25-2018, 07:06 AM   #4
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Have you done what Bob said, which is to use a test light or multimeter on each pin of the coach hitch connector?
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Old 08-02-2018, 12:40 AM   #5
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Just because the product is new does not mean it’s not faulty. Check the pins just to be sure and go from there.
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Old 08-03-2018, 10:30 PM   #6
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did you check the fuses on the trailer plug converter that is in the aft drivers side electrical bay its airens or arrens on the plastic box, about 6" x 6" square. its converts the signals and power to the trailer connector
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Old 08-05-2018, 05:58 AM   #7
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did you check the fuses on the trailer plug converter that is in the aft drivers side electrical bay its airens or arrens on the plastic box, about 6" x 6" square. its converts the signals and power to the trailer connector
Yes sir I did. A tech from Freightliner told me about that box ( mine is not marked Airens though). He told me about a 30 amp fuse that basically kills everything if it is not good. I found that fuse and with my multimeter it seemed to check good. It's a bigger grey fuse and you can't tell if it's good just by looking like you can the colored transparent ones. I may replace the fuse anyway just to see what happens. Thank you for your input, please let me know if you think of anything else.
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Old 08-05-2018, 06:13 AM   #8
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…..did the lights ever work on the new Caddy? The Honda CR-v has amber signal lights that require separate left and right turn signal wire [5-wire connection]. Pretty sure yr Caddy uses a std 4-wire config where the signal and stop lights are combined in a single bulb with two elements [one for tail lights and one for signal/stop]. Don't think there is a way for MHs to auto switch between 4 vs 5-wire configs on different toads. If your MH has separate amber turn signals, your rig is set up for 5-wire and will need a combiner box....
PS--not familiar with your rig so I don't know what a "converter" box is-- but a "combiner" box yes....
PSS--many new cars are very "sensitive" to how their wiring is modified--many owners use one-way diodes or separate bulb sockets to avoid potential feedback issues in the toad...
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Old 08-05-2018, 06:22 AM   #9
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Probably not your issue, however, I always carry a spray can of "plastic safe" electronics cleaner. I used to experience periodic light issues on my towed vehicle, since I started carrying the spray, no issues. I use it as a preventive measure and spray both the male and the female ends go the connecting "cord" every few days!
A little contamination on the interconnect contacts can stop the 12V power from working.
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Old 08-05-2018, 10:17 AM   #10
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Here's a post by another 2008 Tuscany owner.
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Old 08-06-2018, 05:41 AM   #11
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…..did the lights ever work on the new Caddy? The Honda CR-v has amber signal lights that require separate left and right turn signal wire [5-wire connection]. Pretty sure yr Caddy uses a std 4-wire config where the signal and stop lights are combined in a single bulb with two elements [one for tail lights and one for signal/stop]. Don't think there is a way for MHs to auto switch between 4 vs 5-wire configs on different toads. If your MH has separate amber turn signals, your rig is set up for 5-wire and will need a combiner box....
PS--not familiar with your rig so I don't know what a "converter" box is-- but a "combiner" box yes....
PSS--many new cars are very "sensitive" to how their wiring is modified--many owners use one-way diodes or separate bulb sockets to avoid potential feedback issues in the toad...
The lights quit while we had the CR-V, the Cadillac is newly wired and equipped to tow. On both cars the lights work when plugged into another vehicle. I tried both of them on two different trucks that had 7 pin plugs and all lights worked like their suppose to. All lights on the motorhome work too.
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Old 08-06-2018, 06:38 AM   #12
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….OK so back to the original question: does your rig have separate amber turn signals or "combined" stop and signal lights [red lens]? if separate amber signals, your rig would need a combiner box for the GM product. Also possible that CR-v was wired with separate bulbs to accommodate a combiner. Still think this may be your issue--these after market combiner boxes are subject to failure.....as again, amber and combined red signal light configs are not interchangeable.....
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Old 08-06-2018, 07:46 AM   #13
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The goal of every installation should be to ensure the motorhome hitch connector is putting out the standard signals:

Parking lights
Left Turn/Stop
Right Turn/Stop
Ground

on the standard pins (link here). If any changes are necessary, they should be made on the motorhome, before the hitch connector.

Many coaches come with turn signal switches that have two sets of contacts. One set is turn-signal only, and the other is turn/stop. For those coaches, no converter should be needed; the coach uses one set, the hitch connector the other. I would expect this to be the case for almost every coach manufactured after 2010, as well as some from 2005 onward. I would expect a 2008 Tuscany to be wired to the standard.

One can confirm the signals with a test light or voltmeter, applied to the motorhome hitch connector pins. Using the hazard flashers is a great way to test both turn signals at once.

If the signals do not appear at the pins, you look upstream for the cause. If the coach has a converter, it could be there; or, it could be a fuse, relay, or failed connection. Sometimes it is due to a short or miswire in the hitch connector.

Note: The motorhome lights can work even when the hitch connector has failed.
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Old 08-06-2018, 08:40 AM   #14
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If you have a multimeter, the grey fuse can be checked by using the Ohm setting on the multimeter. If the probes read "1" when the fuse is checked, you have continuity. Old Scout is giving very good advice, I'd follow him before many of the distracting contributors. If the RV signals aren't compatible with the lighting in the Caddie, the brake, and turn signals won't work. Often the taillights will still function when the brake and turn signals won't. If you have nothing, you'll have to dig deeper, like making sure the ground pin of the Caddie connector is actually going to the Caddie ground.
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