Grounding Issue? (1 Viewer)

[harrydunn]

I run both 4-pin flat and 7-blade trailer light adapters (both are brand new Hopkins models). I hooked up to my brother's ski boat last night for the first time and all of the lights and turn signals worked perfectly on both adapters and were very bright. However, if I have my foot on the brake or just my running lights on and hit either turn signal, the other side's turn signal VERY faintly strobes as well (on the trailer). It's not even noticeable in the daylight but is perceptible at night if you're looking for it. I hesitate to say it's a grounding issue because it is so faint and every other trailer light function works perfectly, but I suppose it could be. My brother can't say if it does it with his truck or not but we're going to check that next when we get some time. He's got a 2010 Tundra with the monster V8. Oh, how I love that engine.

Your thoughts? I'm a bit stumped.

--Mark

 

[greentruck]

I'd start by checking the offending lamp assembly to see if corrosion or water in it might be the source of the problem.

 

[frobuster]

Those lights are in a series; there is not much that you can do, short of a rewire.

 

[se2000]

Dim light do indicate a bad ground. Could be a dirty bulb contact or even the 4 pin connector.
Tundra even with the small V8 are beasts

 

[metri91]

Bad ground

Bad grounds can cause all sorts of odd things to happen. I'd definately check that first. You might want to try replacing the trailer plug too, see if that solves the problem.

 

[harrydunn]

Hooked up his Tundra to the boat this weekend and it did the same thing. He's just never noticed. Definitely a trailer-side issue. We winterized it and will mess with it in the spring. On a side note, I pulled his boat down the road a few miles and was surprised that the 80 did pretty well. Nothing like his Tundra (cannot even feel it back there), but decent.