Trailer lights

[Ancient Man]

Just joined this discussion because of trailer light problems with 2019 Silverado LTZ. My lights suddenly stopped working so I thought I had a fuse problem. Reading the owners manual led to this and that, then I discovered my truck was telling me my trailer wasn't connected.But wait, I could actually see that it was! Just in case, my eyes were deceiving me, I hooked my boat trailer to my wife's little Ford Escape and lo and behold, my trailer lights work. Given a little time, I'm sure I could wire my trailer lights to my 69 VW bug and the lights would work. (Although the bug couldn't pull the boat out of my driveway.)

 

Anyway, I have read you guys suggest that I should do this and that to get my truck to provide lights to my trailer. I am old and retired, so I have some time, but I have a better idea. How about GM issuing a recall and fixing their problem? It's not our problem. For years, vehicles have provided a source of power to operate a stupid light bulb. Now, with all this analytical garbage to test my trailer's light system, the darn thing can't even provide the juice to run the lights. Am I missing something here? Talk about over kill. Thanks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. Engineer who came up with this great system!

 

I have to drive 20 miles to my dealer and try to explain my problem, which apparently many people are having, in hopes they can make my simple trailer lights work. Of course, they will give me an appointment next week and I get to drive back and sit for half a day. I could get my Bug to provide power quicker. If only the little car could pull my boat.  :>(

[kf9yr]

Just joined this discussion because of trailer light problems with 2019 Silverado LTZ. My lights suddenly stopped working so I thought I had a fuse problem. Reading the owners manual led to this and that, then I discovered my truck was telling me my trailer wasn't connected.But wait, I could actually see that it was! Just in case, my eyes were deceiving me, I hooked my boat trailer to my wife's little Ford Escape and lo and behold, my trailer lights work. Given a little time, I'm sure I could wire my trailer lights to my 69 VW bug and the lights would work. (Although the bug couldn't pull the boat out of my driveway.)
 
Anyway, I have read you guys suggest that I should do this and that to get my truck to provide lights to my trailer. I am old and retired, so I have some time, but I have a better idea. How about GM issuing a recall and fixing their problem? It's not our problem. For years, vehicles have provided a source of power to operate a stupid light bulb. Now, with all this analytical garbage to test my trailer's light system, the darn thing can't even provide the juice to run the lights. Am I missing something here? Talk about over kill. Thanks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. Engineer who came up with this great system!
 
I have to drive 20 miles to my dealer and try to explain my problem, which apparently many people are having, in hopes they can make my simple trailer lights work. Of course, they will give me an appointment next week and I get to drive back and sit for half a day. I could get my Bug to provide power quicker. If only the little car could pull my boat.  :>(

I’m guessing you have a 1500. If your trailer has LED lights it’s not a matter of “providing the juice” to power the trailer lights.

The issue is your trailer doesn’t have enough current draw to let the system know the lights are on. It measures the amps of current used by the lights to determine the trailer is connected.

Borrow or buy a Reese 20142 Trailer adapter ($25) and see if the trailer lights work. This is just a male / female plug with a resistor in series with the running lights.

Otherwise either add more lights to your trailer or tell your wife you need a bigger boat!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Ancient Man]

Hey everyone..... Finally had truck repaired. Bad module with  only 10,000 miles on truck????? Lights now work. Say Hallelujah!

[JM2500]

I've got a 2020 Silverado 2500 and the only lights working are the camper lights. No lights on the boat trailer or two different utility trailers. All trailers work fine on four other trucks. Had it at the dealership today and they tried to tell me it checked fine on their machine, and they didn't see a problem. I'm furious. Had I known I couldnt tow with this truck I never would've purchased it.

[Njmurvin]

On 9/25/2020 at 4:48 PM, JM2500 said:

I've got a 2020 Silverado 2500 and the only lights working are the camper lights. No lights on the boat trailer or two different utility trailers. All trailers work fine on four other trucks. Had it at the dealership today and they tried to tell me it checked fine on their machine, and they didn't see a problem. I'm furious. Had I known I couldnt tow with this truck I never would've purchased it.

Read the response above by kf9yr

 

Do your trailers have LED lights?  If so, I think he's got it spot on. It would make sense that your camper probably has more lights and therefore has more resistance than your other trailers. The Reese adapter he referenced is likely to solve your issue.

Edited September 26, 2020 by Njmurvin

[Gecko50]

On 2/5/2020 at 7:07 PM, Cool J said:

The video cables are not long enough to move the plug from the bumper into the bed. I would suspect that someone will develop a way to adapt in the near future.

I did order from Pasternack. I contacted "Derek Burkett" I had him make up a 4 foot cable. Someone found this source for the cables but his was3 feet and really tight. and he recommended a 4 foot cable. My cost delivered was about $70.00. I took the bumper trailer plug assembly and moved it into the bed and took the bed trailer plug with the 4 way adapter and put that into the bumper location. It took a little while. I found a small problem but was able to resolve the issue. The relocated camera / trailer plug did not want to seat on the bed opening with the spring clip on the trailer plug assembly. I used a long screw driver and was able to open the spring clip and on the tail light side I used a 90* cotter pin tool and was able to open the clip. I did post several pics on the install. I also used a webbing to cover the new cable and help protect it under the bed.

 

Chuck

 

CONTACT Derek Burkett
 

US & Canada: 866-727-8376
International: 949-261-1920
[email protected]
www.pasternack.com

[honda65]

Hi, I just now discovered this thread. Of course having the same problem. I have a 2020 2500HD Turbo Diesel. Aside from a 5th wheel, which I don't tow much, I use a 6x12 cargo trailer for my motorcycles. I bought the truck in June 2020 and up till about a week ago it worked fine. Now suddenly it doesn't recognize the trailer so of course none of the lights work. It always had the flashing lights when off issue but I assumed it was normal. Also from time to time, it would tell me to check one of the tail lights to make sure it was connected. So I google the issue and there apparently is a service bulletin out for it, TSB #20-NA-198. I had an appointment to take my truck in for an oil change so I had them look at it then. I told them about the TSB of course. When I got the truck back they said they hooked it up to two other trailers and of course it worked just fine. Then he gave me the info on the Curt 57003 setup (which I'm a little confused on how that works or mounts). But no one local had one in stock so I tried simply a new 7-4 pin adapter, one that has the LED lights that let you know its working. The only thing the lights did was 2 of them blinked, the other two dead. And of course no trailer lights. So I bought a Curt 57004 off Amazon. This is a standard style 7-4 pin adapter but it has the resistors for LED lights. Plugged it in and all 4 LEDs on the plug worked as they should. Plus the truck now recognizes the trailer.

 

Still no trailer lights. Now I will check the trailer itself but it worked just fine before. Seems to me that regardless of the fix, GM needs to pay for it.

 

I did see a blurb in the owners manual about LED lights so I need to go track that down.

 

As for the Curt 57003, how does that work? Looks like a lot of work that we as consumers should not have to do

 

[L8T]

On my wood trailer I have 2 incandescent and 2 led lights. The trailer lights work fine. But I have the blinky led thing as well when the truck is off. Very annoying.
 

Does anyone know what size of resistor I need to get this to stop? I just want to wire something inline. Not paying 50 bucks for some big gawdy adapter. 

[kf9yr]

The blinky LED thing is your alarm system.

It pulses the lights and checks the amperage. If it doesn’t sense the trailer lights the alarm goes off.

In the setup menu system for your trailer I think there is a setting to turn off the alarm...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[L8T]

On 1/27/2021 at 8:18 PM, kf9yr said:

The blinky LED thing is your alarm system.

It pulses the lights and checks the amperage. If it doesn’t sense the trailer lights the alarm goes off.

In the setup menu system for your trailer I think there is a setting to turn off the alarm...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Someone previously said they turned it off and it still did it. I just want to put a resistor in the trailer wiring so the issue is solved once and for all.
 

FWIW I believe I unplugged the trailer when it was doing this and no alarm went off either. 

[superdad707]

Buy this part; I had the same issue

 

https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Tow-Ready/TR20141.html

 

It's because the LED lights do not put enough load on the circuit per the dealer. Thus I started googling around found a way, the above part puts a load on the circuit. 

 

I had same problem with my boat/trailer on a 2016 Seaark Easy 200 double axle. 

 

I have a 2020 Silverado 2500 HD. 

 

If you ask me, it seems freaking dumb when you buy a new truck and it doesn't work like your old one   I had a 2017 prior and no issues. With all the trailers going to LED, this seems like a no brainer to me. Come on GM. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by superdad707

[Basketcase]

So, to bump this thread again.... 

 

I posted on this issue back in 2019 when I tried to connect my sled deck to the bed mounted trailer plug for the first time and it didn't work. After some research, I ordered the Putco light bar pigtail harness that ties directly into the taillight plugs under the bed. That solved the issue and worked great!

 

Now, I went to load my truck camper up for the first time since owning this truck and it didn't work. The running lights on the camper aren't all LEDs, so I thought it would work fine. It also uses this plug for power to charge the onboard battery, so I thought there was plenty of draw to trigger power to the outlet. 

 

I have looked up this Tow Ready 20142 adapter that people have recommended, but in some of the reviews, says that it didn't work to trigger the cameras and such. Will this fix my problem? I don't just need the running lights to work, I also need it to provide power to the charger and would like the turn signal cameras to work as well like they should while towing. 

[Waggs160]

2019 Silverado 5.3 lt
So the trailer lights work tested them on another truck. Used tester on fuse and no power is going to the (R) trailer blinker/brake. Couldn’t get an appointment til Monday at dealer and even then they said they might not be able to diagnose the issue in 2hrs being that I need a vehicle for transportation for work and them not having an available loaner. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I even checked the wires going into the trailer harness and nothing is loose or missing(not sure if that would have anything to do with it).

[Scott West]

I have a 2021, 2500 Denali Black Diamond Edition.  It has the Multipro Kicker Bluetooth Stereo system in the dropdown tailgate, both my trailering system, camera hookup, and the Kicker Multipro keep blowing the fuses.  I believe the Kicker is wired through the trailer harness.  How can GM market and sell 80K plus Trucks and not address these issues.  I had a 2017 prior and never experienced such a problem.  Now this happens regularly rendering my GMC Truck unreliable for towing my many needed trailers.  Back to the Dealer for a third time to see if they can do more than a fuse replacement, you think they would be aware of the challenges out there.

[ChefJonb]

I have a 2020 3500 Denali with the fifth wheel prep that has the 7 pin connector in the bed. Now I did switch out the bed 7/4 pin connector to the pumper and the pumper 7/camera connection to the bed using the 4ft extension cables. Took 35 minutes. It worked great for several trips pulling my camper. Now the truck won’t recognize my camper or any trailer I have. Trailers all test file. Fuses are all good. I get power to camper to run fridge and charge camper battery, I get electric brakes to camper to work, and brake lights only. Nothing else. No hazards, turn, running lights and no camera or trailer connection, no matter the sequence of hook up or start up it does work. Dealer says “ you have a problem. Bring it back next week”. I’m betting it’s a module. But I planned to leave town next week camping. Any ideas? Or any ideas if those modules are hard to get?  I’m hoping they don’t say it will take weeks to get parts in. Any thoughts would be welcomed.  
 

new-bee to it, 

jon.