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VF Trailer wiring not working

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Hello all,

Just thought I'd ask the brains trust of knowledge if they may have an idea about why the trailer lights won't work when i plug my trailer into my calais.
The trailer lights work fine, plug it into another car, no problem, plug it into the Calais nothing works. I can't find a blown fuse, all the wiring seems intact, I'm baffled. They have worked just fine until recently any suggestions????

Thanks, cheers.
 

Skylarking

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I had issues with trailer lights when connected to one car I owned (not a commodore). The trailer lights themselves worked when plugged into another car but not mine.

Broke out the multimeter and all terminals on the cars trailer socket worked, well the indicators worked, then didn't work, then worked again :p

So I took a knife and use it to open up the pins on the trailer plug so they made better contact with the cars socket… Trailer lights worked fine after that, we’ll still had the indicators doing their working and not working.... :cool:

Sometimes it’s a simple thing so break out the multimeter and check your voltages and earth at the plug for things like brake, park, indicators, etc :p You may find all works and it’s just a simple mechanical thing as I did :D
 

chrisp

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I had issues with trailer lights when connected to one car I owned (not a commodore). The trailer lights themselves worked when plugged into another car but not mine.

Broke out the multimeter and all terminals on the cars trailer socket worked, well the indicators worked, then didn't work, then worked again :p

So I took a knife and use it to open up the pins on the trailer plug so they made better contact with the cars socket… Trailer lights worked fine after that, we’ll still had the indicators doing their working and not working.... :cool:

Sometimes it’s a simple thing so break out the multimeter and check your voltages and earth at the plug for things like brake, park, indicators, etc :p You may find all works and it’s just a simple mechanical thing as I did :D

Indicators are notorious for being intermittent. I’ve lost count of the number of trailers I’ve seen with intermittent indicators. As you say, they work, not-work, work, not-work, work, not-work,… frustrating! Only once in a blue-moon do a I see a trailer, or car, where the indicators steadily work.

:cool:
 

hademall

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Hello all,

Just thought I'd ask the brains trust of knowledge if they may have an idea about why the trailer lights won't work when i plug my trailer into my calais.
The trailer lights work fine, plug it into another car, no problem, plug it into the Calais nothing works. I can't find a blown fuse, all the wiring seems intact, I'm baffled. They have worked just fine until recently any suggestions????

Thanks, cheers.
It might be a long shot, but nine years ago I had a similar situation with a car we owned. Now I can’t remember exactly what it was, but I’ll try to give my recollection. So my trailer being a camper van, when plugged into my AU Falcon Wagon the lights all worked fine, but when I plugged it into the Great Wall X200 (Yes I know what you’re all thinking!), there was a problem with the lights not working on both, I can’t remember whether it was just the indicators, I think it was.
Okay, so I did some googling and came across a post somewhere that mentioned something about the wattage and or the voltage of the globes in the trailer needing to be higher to suit something or other in the car? I remember changing the globes and voila, it worked.
Sorry I can’t be more specific. Good luck.
 

Z31na

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Indicators are notorious for being intermittent. I’ve lost count of the number of trailers I’ve seen with intermittent indicators. As you say, they work, not-work, work, not-work, work, not-work,… frustrating! Only once in a blue-moon do a I see a trailer, or car, where the indicators steadily work.

:cool:
Add that to the amount of user error when indicators get involved. Not just when a trailer is attached…
 

Fu Manchu

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Check the thread linked also seconding the plug pins in either the trailer plug or the car being loose or worn.
 

Skylarking

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Add that to the amount of user error when indicators get involved. Not just when a trailer is attached…
Especially with BMW drivers where the lack of use of an indicator stalk means it still looks like new even after 200,000 kms :p:p:p well past the useby date of the vehicle itself :rolleyes:
 
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