Trailer Lights Work Sporadically With Curt Harness # C56124 Installed on 2013 Nissan Juke  

Question:

Expert Reply:

Since you have rewired your trailer and have tested it successfully with another vehicle, it is most likely that the trailer lighting issue you are having is related to the harness installation in your Juke. Please note, just for your safety, that the 2013 Juke owners manual indicates on page 9-15 that this vehicle should not be used to tow any trailer.

First check that the white ground wire with the ring terminal is very tightly attached to a clean bare metal surface behind the driver-side tail light assembly. Very often a weak or intermittent ground connection is the cause for the trailer lighting malfunctions you describe. You can use an existing grounding point if there is one or you can carefully drill a new hole for the ground wire (after checking that there is nothing delicate behind that spot). You can also sand off any paint from the grounding location to enable solid metal-to-metal contact between the ring terminal and vehicle. When a ground is weak it may pass enough current for some light functions (such as the blinking turn signals that are not on continuously) but not enough for others.

Next I suggest you check the solidity of each of the T-One connectors to ensure each is fully seated with the mating vehicle connectors. Inspect the actual contacts within the plugs for any signs of a bent or damaged pin that might not make full contact when the connectors are joined. If all plugs are in good shape and solidly connected you can move on to test the 4-pole trailer connector with a circuit tester.

Using a tester like # PTW2993 have a helper activate the Juke light functions one by one while you test each of the output pins. The photo provided indicates where to ground the tester and which pin should carry each of the light functions: brown = running lights; yellow is stop and left turn; green is stop and right turn. If your testing shows the correct signals are present on the 4-pole, then there may still be an issue in the trailer connector. Inspect the trailer 4-pole for signs of even slight greenish or whitish discoloration and clean as necessary. A coating of dielectric grease is recommended to help keep connectors free of moisture that can interfere with electrical contact. This is available from local auto parts stores, but we also offer it as part # 11755.

I have also linked an article that covers troubleshooting trailer wiring that will provide additional guidance.

expert reply by: Adam R

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