Power to Trailer Running Lights

[TomD]

Kind of a takeoff on Quadfather's earlier topic...

Suddenly my Dodge Dakota is not getting power to the running lite pin on the vehicle side of the connector... my turn and stop signals work well on truck and trailer, and the parking/running lites work on the truck...

In trying to figure it out, I have replaced both the trailer plug and the vehicle connection.

Is there a fuse just to the trailer running lites or a relay or something that might explain this???

Thanks!

[BentRod]

It's a Dodge, that's your first problem...... :joker:

My guess would be a fuse. What year is your Dakota?
Here is a link I found that might have something useful.
'02 Dodge trailer hitch.

[G-Man]

Check your fuse panel, I had a similar issue with my Chevy. My "sealed" LED lights sprung a leak and shorted out the power to them. My truck has dedicated power circuits for a tow vehicle so the truck's systems was not impaired.

[rjn cajun]

It's a Dodge, that's your first problem...... :joker:

My guess would be a fuse. What year is your Dakota?
Here is a link I found that might have something useful.
'02 Dodge trailer hitch.

Whooaaa there Bentrod take it easy on the dodge.

[rjn cajun]

Check your fuse panel, I had a similar issue with my Chevy. My "sealed" LED lights sprung a leak and shorted out the power to them. My truck has dedicated power circuits for a tow vehicle so the truck's systems was not impaired.

I have a dodge also and when I bought mine this was the trouble I was having. I had a seperate fuse panel like G-man just said and had one burned.

[Amx]

It's a Dodge, that's your first problem...... :joker:

My guess would be a fuse. What year is your Dakota?
Here is a link I found that might have something useful.
'02 Dodge trailer hitch.

Whooaaa there Bentrod take it easy on the dodge.

That's ok. If they can't beat the Dodges, then they talk bad about them.

[TomD]

It's a 2003 Dakota... My previous 1993 Dakota lasted for 165K miles, so I bought another one!

I'll check out those fuses. Thanks!

[hewesfisher]

Tom you probably have a separate circuit for trailer running lights and brake/turn. My Ranger is that way and I learned early on not to plug the trailer in with the lights on. Blew that silly little 10amp running light fuse several times before I figured out why. Haven't blown the fuse since I stopped plugging the trailer in with the lights on.

[TomD]

Thanks everybody! It turns out it was one of the fuses up in the engine compartment box. I've blown it twice now, so my next project is to find and fix the short in the trailer!!!

['OL GREY DOG]

OK dumb question maybe but..... are u guys that are blow'n fuses un pluging your trailer before backing in ???...DOG

[TomD]

So I have never done that, figuring that I didn't need to... I haven't been blowing bulbs, which was why I thought you disconnected them, to let them cool so the cold water hitting the bulbs didn't crack it... my lights are supposed to keep the water out with an air pocket like an upside down cup.

I don't ground to the frame at the light, but have run ground wires up to the tongue where they don't get dunked, so I think I'm watertight at the back end of the trailer... I think I have a frayed wire or something somewhere...