running lights

The back lights on my 2010 Trail Mini are not functioning properly. Roadside backlight has no brake light function and both backup lights are not working. Otherwise lights are working and bulbs have been replaced. Any thoughts?
Debbie

[MudDog]

Hi Debbie,

Did the backup lights ever work? If I recall, the backup light is wired thru the center AUX pin on the Bargman connector. Often this pin is not wired from the tow vehicle, so the backup lights on the trailer will never come on.

On my Sienna the TM dealer installed the bargman connector and did not wire the backup-light - I did it myself a few months later.

My Tacoma came with the factory hitch and connector, but once again the backup-light pin was not wired so I had to do it myself.

As far as the brake light only working on one side, on the side that it is not working, check the ground. You can take a short piece of wire and with one end touch the light ground wire and the other end touch the skin of the TM. If the light then comes on (while someone is hitting the brakes), it is a bad ground. On my TM the screws that hold the light fixture to the trailer are the only metal contact to the skin. If there is caulk or an otherwise loose/bad contact between the screw that the ground wire is connected to and the skin of the TM, the light won't work.

--jim

[T and C]

Originally Posted by Debbie

The back lights on my 2010 Trail Mini are not functioning properly. Roadside backlight has no brake light function and both backup lights are not working. Otherwise lights are working and bulbs have been replaced. Any thoughts?
Debbie

Two weeks ago I was asked to tow our church trailer to where we meet. After I hooked up we did a light check. The road/driver side tail light did not function in any way. The right one worked fine. My solution was to tap on the left "ear" of the Bargeman connecter with a rubber mallet to drive it just a little further in. Problem solved, so it was a connection problem.

Tom

It turns out that the converter in the wiring on my tow vehicle was the cause the cause of the brake light not working. The folks at Uhaul tell me that these things can go out at anytime due to exposure to weather. They also tell me that on the Odyssey that can not wire it any differently.
Thanks to all for advise & info