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Toad lights won’t work


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I had an RV mobile person come out to check the lights on the RV and the car. It turned out to be a blown fuse in the RV. $100 and a five dollar fuse fix the problem. I am up and running again. Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions.

 

I have a 2010 Coachman Freelander with a Ford e450. The problem that I am having is that once I plug the power cord from the RV to the car then the lights on the car stopped working. I took the cord into an RV place today and they checked it and they said the cord was fine.  The RV place here in Casagrande could not get me and to look at the vehicles until late November. Does anyone have a suggestion on what would cause the lights in the toad not to come on once it’s plugged in to the RV? 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. 

Edited by maggie blair
Problem solved

Maggie Blair

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Maggie, even if the cord is fine and the toad lights are fine, the toad lights cant work UNLESS the Outlet on the rear of the RV is installed correctly and providing good signal voltage (tail lights and turn and brake signals) plus has a GOOD GROUND and its being suppled to the toad, PLUS the RV and toad need to be configured the same or an adapter is required, see below. REGARDLESS you still need good grounds and if so and even if the turn n stop aren't working correct (due to 3 or 4 wire system mis match) the tail lights might still work. 

 One VERY COMMON cause of failure is there's a poor/loose/resistive or non existent GROUND connection at the RV's rear outlet. INSURE THE GROUND CONNECTION. Plus there needs to be a good ground connection at the toad.

 You could have blown fuses !!!!!

 The cord,,, and its plug,,,,,,,,, and the connection on the toad ALLLLLLLLLL need wired right     

 They make easy simple plug in testers for many of the common 7 pole round RV outlets that show if all the lights and turn and brake lights are being fed voltage to the outlet. You just plug it into the RV rear outlet then try the RV lights and turn signals to see if the little indicator lights on the tester all work. That will tell you if at least the RV's rear outlet wiring is good. If not troubleshoot the problem at the RV (bad ground or blown fuse or improper wiring).  If you don't have one a simple 6/12 VDC test lamp or a DC voltmeter can be used to insure good signals AND A GOOD GROUND are present at the RV rear outlet. If all is good at the RV rear outlet (voltage and ground) then you have to start troubleshooting the toad and its connection and wiring and ground.

 The above is all very simple to test and troubleshoot with a 6/12 Volt test lamp or a DC Voltmeter or a plug in tester, you have to have good signal voltages and a good ground there at the rear outlet, but if you're completely electrically challenged take it to a mechanic.

OTHER POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: "Some" RV's may use the older 3 wire (Left Turn & Stop, Right Turn & Stop, Tail Marker) system, while others the later 4 wire (Left Turn, Right Turn, Tail, Brake) system. "Most later cars are the 4 wire. IF THE RV AND TOAD ARENT THE SAME   then you need a solid state (black box) wired correctly. That's not that hard but if you're electrically challenged best let a professional wire that.   

NOTE maybe someone can be kind enough to post a picture of one of those plug in testers which can show if at least the RV outlet end is correct and working ???????????  

 If it used to work and now stopped and NO lights at all work MY FIRST SUSPECT IS YOU LOST THE GROUND CONNECTION at RV rear outlet or at toad connector or at toad...………If all worked before that eliminates my 3/4 wiring concerns above. NOTE A plug in tester is your friend and they are cheap easy n so simple.

PS if you have a 6/12 DC test light or a DC volt meter with RV lights on and the probe end of the tester/voltmeter on the tail light pin in the rear outlet and the ground lead attached to a clean steel/aluminum conductive frame/chassis member and it lights AS IT SHOULD  but DOES NOT LIGHT if the ground pin in the RV rear outlet is used as ground, the ground wire or its attachment to the outlet is bad/open.  This is a simple one minute test if there but hard to describe over the net, sorry 

  John T

 

Edited by oldjohnt
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10 hours ago, maggie blair said:

The problem that I am having is that once I plug the power cord from the RV to the car then the lights on the car stopped working.

This leaves me with several questions. As Barb asked, did the lights ever work properly when you were towing? If they did it would tell us that everything was properly wired and something has failed, thus eliminating several problems. Do the lights on the car work properly now with that cord removed? The answer to this would tell us if something happened to the car when you connected to the RV. If removing the cord from the RV makes the car's lights work right but connecting it back to the RV means it doesn't, would be a very different problem from what it means if your lights on the car do not work at all since you had them connected. 

1 hour ago, oldjohnt said:

NOTE maybe someone can be kind enough to post a picture of one of those plug in testers which can show if at least the RV outlet end is correct and working ?

51OVcFSYYSL._AC_UL320_ML3_.jpg  51tRJK7fvnL._AC_UL320_ML3_.jpg

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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3 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Are we right that the car's lights do work when not connected to the RV?

 

Yes the lights work when not connected. I have to use my phone to type in so it takes me a little while. Thank you so much for helping me out.I have to use my phone to type in so it takes me a little while. Thank you so much for helping me out.

Maggie Blair

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20 minutes ago, maggie blair said:

The lights did work prior to this trip. 

I will go into Casa

Grande today and buy one of those plug in testers.

  Maggie, Thanks for the update. Since they worked before,,,,,,,,,And work on their own,,,,And the cord checked out,,,,,,,,,,,,, I suspect a problem at the RV rear outlet, perhaps a wire came loose or it lost the ground connection, or the problem is at the toads input connection or loss of ground there.

 Wise choice to buy the tester I mentioned, that can help locate the problem be it a bad wire or missing ground etc., let us know what you find. 

 John T

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An auto parts store should have what you need. I just looked and O'Reilly  shows as having them and being in Casa Grande. There are probably others who would have them.  Once you get one to fit your light harness, the lights will show what is there and what isn't.

Edited by Kirk W

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Thank you all for your help. Hopefully I can find the plug in tester in Casa Grande today. 

5 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

An auto parts store should have what you need. I just looked and O'Reilly  shows as having them and being in Casa Grande. There are probably others who would have them.  Once you get one to fit your light harness, the lights will show what is there and what isn't.

I’m headed into town. I’ll let you know what I find. Thanks for the info. 

on a different note...I’m at the Escapee park here in Casa Grande. Nice park. 

Maggie Blair

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8 hours ago, maggie blair said:

on a different note...I’m at the Escapee park here in Casa Grande. Nice park

Last time I was there it was over 100 degrees so I pulled in, hooked up, turned AC on high and pretty much stayed indoors lol

PS NOTE: IF you buy a tester (to match your RV outlet) as I recommended and try the RV lights and turn signals and NOTHING lights up on the tester (if its strictly indicator lights requiring a good ground type of tester) THE OUTLET MAY BE MISSING A GOOD GROUND CONNECTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. That's where if a person had a good 6/12 test lamp or a DC Volt Meter they could check for the presence of voltage on the outlets tail/marker light pin but use a clean shiny conductive metallic frame or bumper or chassis for the ground return (IE not relying on the outlets ground). If good voltage is present that way but not when relying on the outlets ground pin, the outlet could be  missing a good ground connection. LOOK FOR A BROKE OFF OR MISSING GROUND WIRE to the outlet !!!!! or perhaps the entire unit isn't connected ?????

 If they worked before and the toad lights are fine on their own and the cord is good with all connections in place and no bad fuses, there may be a missing ground (or even more bad wires or a bad connection) and the tester can help find the problem, but you may need a bit more troubleshooting.

In the event the RV outlet and wiring and ground is all okay but still no toad lights grrrrrrrrrrr then you have to start checking the toads connector for loose or bad wires or connections ………….

Let us know what you find and post back any questions, I may be gone a while but will check back later. Hoping its just a bad connection or a wire got pulled loose...      

 John T 

Edited by oldjohnt
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  • 1 year later...

2005 Holiday Rambler Class A and 2012 Terrain as the toad. Got the tail light kit for the terrain installed and run to the from to the 6 pin connector.  Plugged into RV and no lights. Checked cable at the toad end with meter and test light, all good.  Hooked the 7 blade end to my 2016 Canyon and the six pin to the Terrain and all lights worked. Hooked back to RV and nothing. HELP

  

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Welcome to the Escapee forums! We will do our best to help you.

Since things work with the cable connected to your pickup, it would seem that everything is connected properly. You stated that the Class A has 6 pin connector and the Canyon a 7 pin?  Not sure that I am following but if the two plugs are different, that may be the problem. If I am missing something and the Class A has the same connection plug as the pickup, then you need to get your meter & test light and verify that the connections to that plug are good and working properly. It could also be the plug itself. 

             Trailer_Lights_8C9B6885-E03D-B3CA-702064

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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