Trailer Lights Are Always Powered After Hooking Up To Vehicle  

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Hi Tony!

I don't want to just jump in and say it's defective as it might not be. Whenever we hear something weird happening (and this is definitely in the weird category), it's almost always the ground causing the issues.

So to start, make sure the ground for the Curt T-Connector # C56218 you installed has a good clean area it is attached to. I also urge you to not have that ground "stacked" with other ground (multiple grounds on one bolt/screw) as I have had problems with that kind of thing in the past. Also make sure the grounding area is not aluminum. This is getting to be a bit of a problem with newer vehicles as they tend to have a lot more aluminum than older vehicles and you really need to be grounded to steel.

If that looks good, you will need to do the same thing on the trailer. The ground on the trailer is likely more exposed than the one on the vehicle and will tend to corrode and fail over time, which causes any number of issues. If you have recently replaced any lights on your trailer, you will want to check the grounds for those as well.

If all those look good, you will need to check the output on the 4-Flat on your vehicle (so the trailer needs to not be attached). You will need either a volt meter or something like the Brophy # F4CT (you may be able to borrow one from an auto parts store or a U-Haul). This will tell you if the wiring harness is doing anything weird. If it is doing weird stuff, like constantly pushing power when it shouldn't, then it is indeed defective. If it isn't doing anything it isn't supposed to be doing, there is something going on with your trailer. In either case, let me know what you find out and I can help you troubleshoot further. Odds are, it's one of the grounds though.

Out of curiosity, what kind of trailer are you towing?

expert reply by: Lazer S

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