Trailer Lights Stay on All the Time when Connected to 2006 Toyota Matrix

Updated 10/21/2014 | Published 10/20/2014

Question:

After you install this item, all seemed well until I turned on my lights at night. The lights of the trailer stays on. No brake light or blink. Yet the facility was so simple, whats the problem? Thank you

asked by: Nathalie F

Expert Reply:

This sounds like a ground issue. Ground problems normally show up when there is more draw on a system such as when you have the running lights on and then use another function like a turn signal or brake light.

Make sure that the vehicle side and trailer side connectors are clean and free of corrosion inside and out. The main connector grounds should be attached to clean and corrosion free bare metal surfaces. Converter # C55522 does have a separate white ground wire that needs to be attached to bare metal. No paint or coating can be present on the metal surface. And I also recommend avoiding grounding it with other electrical devices.

The trailer light grounds should also be attached to clean and corrosion free bare metal surfaces. If there is anything between a light ground and the metal trailer frame or if the trailer has an aluminum frame, tilt bed, or folding tongue, any of these things can interrupt the ground. Running jumper wires from the light grounds to the main trailer connector ground can help.

expert reply by: Michael H