Two tow vehicles - 1 works 1 doesn't??

[JAB]

tnHi Forum Members:
I have a unique (I think) puzzle.
When I hook up my Equinox to my UHaul CT13 the lights don't work.
When I hook up my Ranger they work.
Everything is the same up to the connector to the UHaul. I get a current in both vehicles at the connection point. It's a standard ground + 3 connector.
Does anyone have an idea why this would happen and how to solve? I want to use the Equinox.
Thanks, John

[floyd]

Originally Posted by JAB

tnHi Forum Members:
I have a unique (I think) puzzle.
When I hook up my Equinox to my UHaul CT13 the lights don't work.
When I hook up my Ranger they work.
Everything is the same up to the connector to the UHaul. I get a current in both vehicles at the connection point. It's a standard ground + 3 connector.
Does anyone have an idea why this would happen and how to solve? I want to use the Equinox.
Thanks, John

Check the trailer for a frame ground to the ground wire.
Sometimes that connection fails and you still get a ground through the ball to the TV. This could be happening with the one Tv but not the other.


Also get one of these... and check both TVs....
Then report back here.

[AC0GV]

We need more information. Did it ever work? What’s doesn’t work? Any lights at all? Did the Equinox come with a trailer package or not? Did you use a factory kit or just crimp a plug on?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeGl_s4iMfo

[JAB]

Hi floyd and AC0GV,
A defect in the grounding is a good thought but neither vehicle has been hooked up to the ball when testing. I pull the vehicle close and hook up the wires - the Ranger works and the Equinox doesn't.
I used a voltage tester and tested each of the 3 plugs at the vehicle and then the connector from the vehicle to the camper. This connector has the regular ground + 3 at the vehicle end and a round 6 prong at the camper end. This round connector attaches to the round camper connector and includes a slot to make sure you get the 3 correctly connected as there are 3 others not used. Still.... what if the ground on the Equinox is defective.. not sure how that works.

The truck has always worked for the past 3 seasons. We upgraded to the '16 Equinox for longer trips and it has a factory installed tow package. The tester shows a current at each spot: under the rear trunk, under the tailgate, and at the end of the round connector. We even got a current as the wire enters the frame near the hitch. So we thought it was some problem in the frame wiring that happened over the winter. Then on a whim I attach the truck - and the lights work!

I have also checked the fuses in the Equinox - we replaced #18 (trailer parking light) that had blown and thought we had solved the problem. The fuse has been ok since even after hooking up the trailer. We taped some of the wires near the hitch. Still no lights when hooked to the Equinox. Then I hook up the Ranger and it works.
Thanks for your help - you guys are great and I've called on you a few times in the past.
John

[JAB]

Also meant to write:
No lights at all. I also compared the connectors including the round one to make sure the Equinox under bumper connector and the Ranger under bumper connectors correspond in both vehicles all the way through and they do.
John

[AC0GV]

Can you post a picture of the Equinox hookup? It sounds like you are using some kind of adapter. WHen you measure voltage on the Equinox 4 pin plug, are you putting the black meter lead on the plug or the frame, use the plug. Drop the trailer onto the ball and see if the lights come on, if so, it is a ground problem on the Equinox plug. Is the Uhaul a 6 pin with brakes? I'd want them to work.

[JAB]

Hi Ken,
I'll try to get a photo. When testing at the bumper I put the alligator clip on the naked ground plug. It's a voltage tester not a measurer.
I use a Hopkins #47185 7 round/4 flat adapter to go from the bumper to the camper. Only 3 wires go from the flat (4) bumper to the round (7) connector. The camper has a round male connector that fits into this and then runs along the hitch into the frame.
John

[Mike Meyer]

When we put a factory hitch on our equinox they had to reprogram the computer so that it would recognize the plug according to the dealership.

[JAB]

Ken,
Some progress.... I attached the camper to the Equinox ball and now the rt signal and running lights work but not the left turn signal. The bulb looked good and the left signal worked when hooked up to the Ranger. I'll fiddle with it tomorrow. Thanks again - looks like it might have been a grounding issue.
Mike, hmmmm hope I don't have to bring it to a dealer. How has the Equinox worked for you? We have a '16 V6 and plan to tow the CT13-about 200 hitch wt and 1400 lbs.
JOhn

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by JAB

...Only 3 wires go from the flat (4) bumper to the round (7) connector. ...

Maybe I misunderstood, but it sounds like you are missing a wire.. likely the negative / ground.

It also sounds like one vehicle is making a ground negative connection through the ball and hitch, but the other is not. But neither should rely on the hitch for electrical power. You should always have a negative wire from the tug to trailer's wiring, through whatever connector and/or adapter you use.



PS.. Credit where credit is due on this idea...

Originally Posted by floyd

Check the trailer for a frame ground to the ground wire.
Sometimes that connection fails and you still get a ground through the ball to the TV. This could be happening with the one Tv but not the other....

[Mike Meyer]

Originally Posted by JAB

Ken,
Some progress.... I attached the camper to the Equinox ball and now the rt signal and running lights work but not the left turn signal. The bulb looked good and the left signal worked when hooked up to the Ranger. I'll fiddle with it tomorrow. Thanks again - looks like it might have been a grounding issue.
Mike, hmmmm hope I don't have to bring it to a dealer. How has the Equinox worked for you? We have a '16 V6 and plan to tow the CT13-about 200 hitch wt and 1400 lbs.
JOhn

We don’t tow with it. I have a 2008 Envoy we use to tow our UHaul VT. It does present some problems going up a mountain at 70 mph. Aside from that I get 15-16 mpg so we are very happy with that tow. The wife’s equinox is a 4 cylinder. When we bought it they said they could install a home link to open the garage door. When we brought it in for the install they couldn’t do it so I traded for the trailer hitch.

[JAB]

Ken, Floyd, Mike, Gordon,
I think Floyd got to the idea of a grounding problem first. Yesterday I had lights on the Equinox when I connected the hitch to the ball. (This wasn't necessary with the Ranger.) Today I jacked up the hitch off the ball of the Eq and connected the wires - no lights. Then I lowered the hitch on to the ball - lights! So the puzzle had a solution.
Since I'll always be towing when running the lights it looks like I'm good to go.
Thanks to all of you for your help.
John

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by JAB

...Then I lowered the hitch on to the ball - lights! So the puzzle had a solution.
Since I'll always be towing when running the lights it looks like I'm good to go.
..

But the hitch is a very bad electrical connection. Please dont rely on it. First, your lights will flash as the ball moves around in the coupler. But you also might lose trailer brakes, or have intermittent complete or partial loss of braking. Use a proper negative / ground wired connection!

[JAB]

Yes, I'll work on that. Perhaps connecting a separate wire from the hitch to the car. I could disconnect the hitch and find a good place to attach a separate wire by seeing when the lights come on.
Thanks, John

[floyd]

Originally Posted by JAB

Ken,
Some progress.... I attached the camper to the Equinox ball and now the rt signal and running lights work but not the left turn signal. The bulb looked good and the left signal worked when hooked up to the Ranger. I'll fiddle with it tomorrow. Thanks again - looks like it might have been a grounding issue.
Mike, hmmmm hope I don't have to bring it to a dealer. How has the Equinox worked for you? We have a '16 V6 and plan to tow the CT13-about 200 hitch wt and 1400 lbs.
JOhn

I had two aftermarket interface boxes fail on my Escape, each right after the warranty expired, The third was a much better brand and it lasted until the car was sold.
In each case of failure, it lost only one turn signal.
When I bought my TC I used a Ford factory interface and have had no problems.

[ehoepner]

On some vehicles the trailer light connect needs to be turned on in the vehicle computer. My Jeep is that way.

[AC0GV]

Using the ball for the ground is not a good idea. The lights may flash as you drive down the highway and you may get pulled over. Also that adapter is a temporary solution, the brakes need to work so after you have the accident you can tell the court that they worked .

[floyd]

Originally Posted by AC0GV

Using the ball for the ground is not a good idea. The lights may flash as you drive down the highway and you may get pulled over. Also that adapter is a temporary solution, the brakes need to work so after you have the accident you can tell the court that they worked .

Good practical advice for the ground!
The legal advice just comes across as scare tactics though.
The trailer is a 13ft U-Haul, even behind the Cheddar Curtain, brakes are not required, not in New Hampshire either.

[workhorsed]

If one vehicle has amber signal lights an adapter is needed. Common problem!!

[Mike_L]

Looks like a grounding problem.

When you test the positive leads, do you ground to the vehicle or the ground on your connector?