Trailer wiring issues.. WTF?

[Curly]

Before I start, I have searched and searched but can't find the answer I am looking for, so here goes!

I have just wired up my tow bar electric socket, and have checked, double checked and then checked all the positions again. But when I plug the trailer in, the trailer side lights flash instead of the indicators, and the indicators light up when the brake pedal is pushed, and the brake lights come on when I turn on the side lights? I have tried a trailer board from a friend which I know is right, and it does the same. Looking into the plug socket on the car, starting from the top and rotating clockwise, I have:

1:Yellow (indicator)
2:blue (Fog light)
3:white (earth)
4:green (other indicator)
5:brown (lights)
6:red (brake lights)
7:black (lights)

That's from memory after faffing about with them ALL day!

I have tested every fooking terminal with a volt meter and they all do as they should, so what could be wrong? It's driving me crazy LOL!

Help please!!!

Cheers,

CURLY

[BUSHWHACKER]

Make sure the earth is good on the trailer and the tow vehicle.

[popuptoaster]

is the trailer wired up right?

[GRASSMAN]

.

[Curly]

Make sure the earth is good on the trailer and the tow vehicle.

I used wire 3 (earth) when I tested the lights. Maybe it wasn't a very good earth though? How do I test if it's a strong earth?

Trailer is 100% correct. And so is the Surf.. That's why I'm so bemused! Hopefully the earth will be at fault and all will be ok.

Cheers

[wishbone]

Sounds like you've wired the surf looking at the wrong side of the socket ?

When you say looking into the socket on the car, going clockwise, your head is under the vehicle looking at the inside of the bumper etc.. ?

[Curly]

Sounds like you've wired the surf looking at the wrong side of the socket ?

When you say looking into the socket on the car, going clockwise, your head is under the vehicle looking at the inside of the bumper etc.. ?

He he that's what I did the first time I wired it up LOL, but after testing it I realised and re-wired it correctly. Even noticed that the socket had numbers stamped on it too.. Doh!

It's wired up correctly now though, and the numbers I put above are if you lift the flap on the socket and look into it.

Thanks for the response though.

Cheers,

Curly

[Tallyman]

First question is, do you have a wiring diagram for the Surf, because it sounds like you have wired the car end of the towing socket to the wrong wires on the car. The wires may be right in the socket, but it's what wires they connect to on the car that determine what happens when you brake, indicate, light up that counts.

[Ploddit]

like this....

7N type

7S caravan type

Maybe the car is S the trailer N?

[Curly]

First question is, do you have a wiring diagram for the Surf, because it sounds like you have wired the car end of the towing socket to the wrong wires on the car. The wires may be right in the socket, but it's what wires they connect to on the car that determine what happens when you brake, indicate, light up that counts.

I have tested every conection with a volt meter whilst the lights, indicators, brakes etc were on and each one gives 12v as it should.

I'm wondering if the earth on the trailer could be bad, but could that cause these symptoms??

Cheers,

CURLY

[spacast]

Make sure the earth is good on the trailer and the tow vehicle.

I'm wondering if the earth on the trailer could be bad, but could that cause these symptoms??

What Bushwhacker said - and in my experience bad earths on trailers and caravans are what causes weird effects. Trailer boards usually have really crap plated contacts and bulb holders, usually zinc'd steel which goes rusty. so look inside the light units and clean 'em up.

[NiftyNev]

First question is, do you have a wiring diagram for the Surf, because it sounds like you have wired the car end of the towing socket to the wrong wires on the car. The wires may be right in the socket, but it's what wires they connect to on the car that determine what happens when you brake, indicate, light up that counts.

I tend to agree with this diagnosis. As you say everything works but not as it should, so how can it be an earth problem?

Test each point, individually on the socket, at the vehicle and see if each does as it should do. If that is ok, then test the trailer while disconnected from the vehicle, by running an earth to it for the plug and then apply power to each pin individually and see if they work as they should.

Nev