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Trailer running lights

Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 7:55 pm
by Rossi_the_heeler
Hi everyone,
New here, and am at my wits end with my "new" finder.
This is a 2005 off road, with a factory installed hitch and tow harness.
Weird thing is I've only got stop/left turn/right turn lights. No trailer running lights.
I've beat up the interwebs in search of why I don't have running lights.
So here's where I'm at:
I have a trailer tow relay 1 (which should be for my trailer running lts I believe). The relay actuates/energizes when I turn on my lights. I have checked the contacts of the relay and I can light up my test light on the leaving side of the contacts of the relay when I turn my lights on. From all I can gather it is a straight shot from there back to the 4 pin factory junction (right behind the drivers side rear wheel). I check at that junction and I've got nothing for trailer running lights. If I check hazards, I do get the test bulb to flash as it should.
So my question is how in the devil does that little red wire from trailer tow relay 1 get back to the tow harness plug?
It looks like it hits a SMJ (super-multi-junction) plug (supposedly black) but I can't seem to find that to even ferret out a bad connection....
Thanks for the help guys, this place has proven pretty valuable in the past for my last finders.
-Aaron

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:27 am
by disallow
There is a dual 10A inline minfuse under the drivers side dash running out of the BCM. I'd bet my left nut that one of these fuses is blown.

I posted about this several years ago on this site. If I can find the post, I'll link to it for your perusal... I think I even took pictures.

Pretty sure we determined that this was a temporary fix due to some field issues for 05-07 models. After that MY, there is no inline fuse.

t

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:29 am
by disallow
Here is the link. Looks like the picture isn't up anymore though... :(


http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=5606

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:33 am
by jman9895
disallow wrote: Pretty sure we determined that this was a temporary fix due to some field issues for 05-07 models. After that MY, there is no inline fuse.

t
I was gonna say, thats not on my '12, although I have blown that fuse once or twice towing a bobcat trailer with iffy wiring

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:21 pm
by Rossi_the_heeler
White two place fuse holder with two mini blade type 10A fuses. Kind of on the right (passenger) side of the drivers footwell?
Those are both good. Sorry forgot to mention that I checked that earlier because of your post I believe. Anywho I checked em again and still good.
UNLESS that's not the right fuse holder...

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:17 pm
by disallow
Did you check the wiring on your trailer? The post brought back that memory too, a squirrel chewed through part of the harness and it affected the running lights.

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:45 pm
by Rossi_the_heeler
Yeah we took it fishing with my buddies Tahoe and they work flawlessly. Which was unfortunate because he is a Chevy guy. Made for a long day on the water with all the "maybe ya should've bought a Tahoe" talk. :evil:
Any ideas where the c1/e1 super-multi-junction connector is? The wire off the trailer tow relay supposedly goes there, and I have juice on the leaving contact of the relay. Figure I'd start at known-good and work my way out from there...
Thanks for sticking with me!
-Aaron

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:26 am
by jman9895
you have power out of the relay but no power at the hitch connector?

And you're sure its not constant power coming out of that relay? (Just making sure)

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 7:28 am
by CPLTECH
jman9895 wrote:you have power out of the relay but no power at the hitch connector?

And you're sure its not constant power coming out of that relay? (Just making sure)
If I can speak for jman and express it another way…

You need to measure the voltage under load. The relay contacts may be pitted but yet able to pass some voltage because the meter places a very slight load on it. Therefore the admonition to have the trailer hooked up, then test again.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:57 am
by Rossi_the_heeler
Jman-
Yes the power is being switched by the relay. It seems right. I am using a 12volt trailer light with a gator clip soldered to one contact and a probe soldered to the ground on the bulb, it's kinda rednecky, but I've been fooled by transient voltage and crappy contacts at work, so I rigged up that setup to test it under load.
I am soooo close to just pulling another wire back there!