Right Turn Signal Does Not Work When Tailights Are Active

Question:

The blinker does not work on the left side, the right side does not light up when lights are on

asked by: Randall

Expert Reply:

I suspect you have a ground problem as that is the main cause of most lightning problems but there could also be a blown fuse or shorted out wire so you will need to work your way through the steps below.

I would first check the trailer towing fuses on the vehicle to make sure none are blown. Once this is done I would then move onto checking the grounds. When I say check grounds, I do not mean merely looking at them but rather remove the bolt/screw, sanding down the surface and then re-attaching. I recommend doing this for every ground point on the trailer and the vehicle side trailer connector. This is more than likely going to fix your issue as when we hear of a light that quits working when other lights are on, it is a result of an overload which is caused by the lack of a good ground.

Once the grounds are all checked and the problem still persists, you need to begin tracing both the right and left turn/brake signal wires back from the lights on the trailer all the way up to the vehicle side trailer checked. If there are any shorts/breaks then you need to repair or replace them. If you have access to a different trailer/vehicle then you can test to see if the issue is on the trailer or tow vehicle but tracing wiring and checking grounds is going to be needed regardless.

expert reply by: Conner L