Caravan Indicators / Brakelight Problem

[Dave_5040193]

Hello,

I've just got back from holiday and whilst travelling home and stopping to fill up with diesel I checked the lights again only to discover that when I indicated left both of my brake lights flashed on and off at the same time. My car only has a single thirteen pin socket with a split two socket lead. Any idea what can be wrong and any checks I can carry out before taking to an auto electrician?

Thanks in advance.

 

[rayc]

Dave, I suspect an earth problem on the van. I suggest you connect the van to a friends car to see if it is the car or the van.

 

[cris_408518]

Check the earth lead is securely fixed to a good clean point on the chassis. Also check there is no water or moisture in the lights and that all contacts ar clean where they touch all the bulbs. Also check for good clean dry contacts on the plug to caravan connections.

 

[DavidW1]

I aggree it's an earth problem - with the indicator circuit the prime suspect and the plug arrangement a good place to start. Take the protective covers off all three plugs in turn and check the connections for tightness, dampness and corrosionand rectify accrdingly. Give them agood dose of Hellermans switch cleaner or WD40.

 

[DavidW1]

sorry I cut myself off in mid stream - If you have a meter check for shorts between the the indicator and brake pins at the lead and the caravan/car plugs with the lead disconnected

to isolate the fault to car, lead or van. You can download thestandard pin positions from club sites etc.if you don't have them or they will be in the handbook of your van

The dangly bits of the leads get the hardest life followed by the car mounted plug and in my experience corroson and short circuiting is quite common and usually easy to spot ie. rust and gunge with signs of over heated insulation.

Delving into car and van wiring if it's not the external connection plugs, can be daunting and best left to an expert, earth connections and condition of insulation can be inspected for obvious damage though.

Lastly has any work been carried out recently on the van or car in areas close to wiring or bulb holders etc. Body shops are sometimes careless in reconnecting wires and could even have cross connected a crucial circuit!

 

[WatsonJohnG]

http://www.towitall.co.uk/trailer_wiring/instructions.htm
Have a look here if you need the wiring diagram etc

They have Q & A section as well