Troubleshooting a Malfunctioning Atwood Trailer Light Kit for Use with 2004 GMC Canyon Pickup

Published 12/10/2009

Question:

Purchased an Attwood Trailer Light Kit for 2004 GMC Canyon and will not work with our truck. Have confirmed that our truck fitting is not defective. Looking for light kit that is compatible with our truck. First of all we wired the trailer lights and tested them with our truck before we installed the lights on the trailer. When plugged into our truck connector, the lights worked (brake/stop and flashers) but NOT the turn signals. We plugged the same set of trailer lights into a friends truck and the lights worked (including the turn signals). We tested our trucks connector with a circuit connector...no problems. Also connected our friends trailer to our truck which confirmed that our trucks connector was not faulty. Any suggestions?

asked by: John S

Expert Reply:

Lights will do all sorts of funny things if they do not have a proper ground. Some will work, some will work intermittently and some may not work at all. If you did not have the lights mounted to the trailer, the TL29BK Kits use stud-grounded lights, then the lights did not have a true ground. If you want to test them again, run a wire from the mounting studs on the lights to a good ground on the truck, usually the frame, or the ground post on the truck connector (white wire).

Also, with stud-grounded lights make sure that the studs have direct contact to the metal trailer frame. Paint can act as an insulator and prevent a good connection from being made.

expert reply by: Patrick B