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HELP trailer problems

603 views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  waverider 
#1 ·
I have a 99 4 Runner Limited and I’m having problems with my trailer lights and I’m looking for some help. First, the problem isn’t in the trailer. I’ve hooked the trailer up to 3 different trucks including a Lexus and the lights work just fine. I’ve towed probably 10 different trailers with this truck and didn’t have a problem. It’s a snowmobile trailer with a bunch of extra lights on the outside and a few additional on the inside so it’s drawing quite a bit of current but the other trucks don’t seem to have a problem lighting it up.

Let me give you some history. The running lights won’t work but the brake and directional don’t have any problems. I cut the wiring on the trailer so I’m only lighting half of the lights thinking it might be drawing too much current. Now with only half of the total lights hooked up they work. As I try to add more lights to the system the running lights on the trailer only cut off. Once the lights cut off to get them back on I turn the lights on the truck off and on again. There must be some sort of breaker that blows and turning the truck lights off and on again must reset it. Sometimes I have to do it two, three or sometimes four times to get the trailer lights back on. WHERE IS THAT BREAKER AND COULD IT BE CAUSING MY PROBLEM? After a while it wouldn’t even light up half the lights so I reduced the number down to a quarter of the total trailer lights and they came on a gain. It’s almost like I’m loosing more power to the trailer every time it cuts off.

I took the truck to the dealer. They charged me $50 bucks and told me everything was fine but they didn’t test it under load. Everyone else’s truck lights up all the lights without any problem. The problem must be in the truck, but where it is, or how to fix it, I have no idea.
 
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#3 ·
Sounds like you are overloading the circuits.

You can buy a power box for it. I dont know the real name, but it uses power directly from the battery instead of from the tail light/blinker circuits. It just activates the connection through relays. This box could be had for about $50. I have seen them at GI-Joes, but should be able to get them at any autoparts store if you order it. Probably get them online.

Jeeps need these the most, since they have SMALL wires for the tail light circuits.
 
#4 ·
You could do what Benny said, if you want to save money you could just hook up a relay to it. Radio Shack sells 12 volt, 30 amp relays for less than 10 bucks. Just wire it up so that your existing wire from the vehicle energizes the relay, and run a heavy wire directly from your battery to the relay, then the relay to the trailor light circuit. It's pretty simple to do. Good luck
 
#5 ·
waverider said:
You could do what Benny said, if you want to save money you could just hook up a relay to it. Radio Shack sells 12 volt, 30 amp relays for less than 10 bucks. Just wire it up so that your existing wire from the vehicle energizes the relay, and run a heavy wire directly from your battery to the relay, then the relay to the trailor light circuit. It's pretty simple to do. Good luck
Yeah, autoparts stores sell the same relay for $5 each. But I think you would need 3 relays if you want to have the relay setup for the blinkers too...

If its just the tail lights causing the problems, then yeah, one relay would work great.

If you need, I can draw you up a diagram to wire the single relay.
 
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