Wiring Harness Troubleshooting on a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder

Expert Reply:

If your 1996 Pathfinder was hard wired without a converter then you could see this problem. You need to check to be sure there is a converter installed inline on the trailer wiring harness on the vehicle. If there is not a converter you will need a new wiring harness and will need to eliminate the harness presently connected.

If there is a converter inline with the trailer connector to the vehicle taillights then start with the trailer disconnected and check the wires leading in to the converter. Check to be sure that the ground is securely attached to a good grounding point on the vehicle. Then going in to the converter you should have a white ground, yellow left turn, green right turn, red brake light, and brown taillight circuit. If all of these check out then check the connector and you should have stop and left turn on the yellow, stop and right turn on the green and taillights only on the brown wire. If the connector does not checkout on the output side but does on the input side then the converter has been shorted out or is bad for some reason and will need to be replaced. The best option for a replacement would be the T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness, item # 118361.

From your explanation your trailer is wired correctly. Brown should be the parking lights, green right turn and stop and yellow left turn and stop, with the remaining white wire grounded to the trailer frame.

expert reply by: Bob G