Tail Light Converter on 2008 Hyundai Tucson Keeps Shorting Out

Question

Question:

Hi, I have had to continually add a new wiring harness to my Tucson. They work for a short period, then one of the blinkers does a short blink, and the brake lights dont work. Any suggestions?

asked by: Dale

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

If you have a harness that is currently acting up, you can use a circuit tester like part # PTW2993 and do some troubleshooting on it. You can activate the right turn signal, then use the tester to check the green wire on the input side of the converter box to ensure that the signal is reaching the box. Then, test the green wire on the output side to make sure the signal is leaving the box. Repeat the same test with the yellow left turn and brown running light wire, checking both the input and output side of the converter. If you have signal entering but not leaving the box on a particular circuit, then the converter is indeed bad and would need replacement.

Since this seems to be a recurring problem, my suspicion is that you might have a short somewhere in your trailer wiring that is causing your converter to continually short out. Closely examine your trailer wiring, beginning at the trailer connector. Make sure the connector is not damaged or corroded. The point where the wires actually enter the plug can be a weak point. Repair or replace the connector as needed. Make sure the white ground wire is securely grounded to the trailer frame. Trace each circuit from the connector back to the lamps. Look for pinched wires or loose connections. Check for cracked or worn wire insulation that would allow the copper wire to short out on the trailer frame. Check that the bulbs are firmly seated in their sockets and that the sockets are not corroded. Tracking down the short might be time consuming, but if it is not found, you will continue to short out your taillight converter.

There is another possibility. If your trailer has more than one turn/brake lamp on each side of the rear of the trailer, you could easily be exceeding the converters 2.1 amp/circuit capacity for the stop and turn lamps. The Curt wiring harness, part # C56175 actually has a higher rating at 3 amps/ circuit, which might solve your problem if the converter has been continually overloaded by too many lamps on the trailer.

I have linked you to a trailer wiring troubleshooting FAQ and video that you might find helpful.

expert reply by: Mike L

1