Left turn signal problem

Hello All,
I am the proud owner of a '94 3124 KS. My wife and I have had it for 4 months now and have been able to camp in it 4 times now. We have had absolutely no problems (other than operator confusion) until this weekend. When I hitched up this weekend to head home, I did the normal blinker/brake light test I always do. I discovered that my left rear turn signal didn't work while the tail light (which is the same bulb) did work. I replaced the bulb, which had no impact. Any ideas to where I need to start trouble shooting? I am no electrical genious either. Thanks in advance!

Welcome Joe.
Often the culprit is a bad ground. Create a piece of wire that you can run from the grounding area of the bulb or bulb housing to a good ground. You could probably find a spot on the bumper where there's some paint rubbed off and use that. Won't work over paint, of course. If the bulb lights after this, remove the taillight and thoroughly clean the area where the taillight fastens to the body. Good luck!

If your left signal didn't work, then your left brake light also wouldn't work.  The trailer's wiring follows a path in which they are coupled together under the trailer.  They unite abut midway on the left side.  The feed wire for your left signal may have come unplugged.  I know of cases where this is exactly what happened.

Hal

Thanks Hal! That is great advice. Now that you mention it, the left brake light didn't work, but the tail light did work(same bulb).  I will take a look at that first opportunity. Joe

I have corrosion problems with the sockets.  Have you tried "grinding" the bulb in its bayonet socket while it operates?   You might find it to briefly illuminate and then you know what to go after.

Lol how about this one, I had a problem on the way back from my vacation where my left and right turn signals were opposite on the trailer from my tow vehicle until I stopped, and unplugged the trailer's connector, and reconnecting it again........then they were fine! Strange things going on....lol (Yes, it was plugged up correctly btw both times) Oh, and when I turned on the lights on the tow vehicle, it put on the trailer's brakes........I fixed it, but still didn't have brakes.....dunno, everything was wired to code by someone I trust........Anyone with any ideas on what was going on?

[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails........[/glow]

Happy Trails,
I am assuming you have the 7 pin plug; I have had stray strands of wire hit against another pin inside both the male and female ends of the plug and cause all sorts of interesting combinations of lights, what I did to reduce the chance of it occuring again was to "tin" the end of the wires before hooking them up. I have also had a wire come loose in the connector hit against another connector, but when you opened up the connector it was back where it belonged but it was loose. Other than that it must be....POLTERGEISTS!

Aaron

Wahoo......"tin"? Sorry, not sure what you're talking about. I had the brake controller and my connecter in the back professionally installed, and had the trailer's wiring checked and repaired to where it was wired to code. Yes, it is the same 7 pin connector. I might need to have it replaced tho as it looked like someone had pulled it out, and ground it down on the pavement or something and put it back. all of the connections seemed fine, just the rubber missing around the pin that controls the brakes. I dunno WHAT happened while we were in the pottery, but it was strange, and definately something we didn't need. I'm wondering if it wasn't someone playing a prank or something. Dunno........

[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails...........[/glow]

We just returned from a short trip with our TM.  While backing into our site my wife noticed that our left brake light wasn't working.  I was about to "get out and get under" and then remembered i had problems of this time before.  I removed the tail light lens and then the bulb.  As was mentioned by Tipper, the solution was an easy one.  There was a lot of powery residue on the contact for the light bulb.  I was able to wipe it off with my hand.  Before, I would file it down by stroking it on the sidewalk.  I placed the bulb back into the socket and voilla, there was light.  I can remember when I washed the trailer that the tail light lenses would fill half way up with water.  I feel sure that moisture must make the contacts oxidize.

Hal

Happy Trails,
"tin" is when you put a light coat of solder on the bare wires. It keeps the strands together and makes for a better connection.  A lot of people won't bother to do it. I use a flux and silver solder when I do mine and reduces a lot of problems. I also do it when repairing drop cords, rewireing drills etc. Just an old habit I guess. Nowadays a lot of equipment comes with a small brass crimp end that serves the same purpose.

Aaron