Troubleshooting Clearance Lights of Trailer Not Functioning on Magic Tilt Trailer

Updated 07/20/2022 | Published 07/19/2022

Question:

Ive been dealing with this since shortly after I bought the trailer 9 months ago. Its a magic tilt tandem axle for a 23foot Keywest 230BR with a Dexter A60 brake actuator. There are 4 side markers along the frame, at first they all worked perfectly. The markers are single diode LED and there was times they would flicker and or be very dim which I didnt even know was possible with this type of an LED. Over time they gradually stopped working on the driver side and now only the passenger side forward marker works. Ive ruled out any ground issue from the car side as well as it being anything to do with the hitch connection. Ive tested multiple tow vehicles with other known good trailers at the same time with the same result. Im stumped because the groundwhite wire running through the trailer harness that connects to the actuator isnt grounded anywhere that I can find. Ive asked magic tilt and they were absolutely no help whatsoever. Ive installed new marker lights on the driver side so far with no change. The marker lights have only 1 white and 1 black wire. stop lights, blinkers, and driving lights operate fine but those are mounted to the frame. currently towing with a 2022 Audi Q8 with factory installed trailer hitch and harness using a 5 flat to round adapter on the car side to a 5 flat to the trailer. Im lost.

asked by: Tim

Expert Reply:

You mentioned the ground wire of the trailer wiring not being connected to anywhere. That would be what I would assume is the problem. It should connect to the frame of the trailer. On tilt trailer's it's not uncommon for their to be grounding issues so what I would recommend doing is run a ground wire from each light assembly back to the main ground wire of the trailer wiring harness which then should also be attached to trailer frame. That will for sure take care of the problem.

expert reply by: Jameson C