No trailer lights from my truck

VortecJeep

VortecJeep

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Aug 24, 2005
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Concord, NC
2005 Ram 2500 diesel 4x4. Went to hook up my trailer and the lights don't work. 7-pin connector. Checked for loose and broken wires on the trailer, found nothing. Did find 1 blown fuse in the fuse box under the hood, replaced it, but still no lights. Plugged the trailer into my Dad's truck and the lights worked, so it must be a problem on my truck.
I'm reading all these horror stories on the web about a TIPM, but I can't find if the 2005 had this TIPM or not.
Have any of y'all had this issue on the same truck?
 
Well, if all the lights are not working that indicates to me there is a ground issue or a connector issue. I think tipm implementation started in 06 or 07. An easy way to tell is if the PDC (or possibly the tipm) has relays or not. If the trailer fuses and relays are good, it's time to grab a volt meter and a wiring diagram! Make sure to load any circuits to verify they'll carry current!
 
Check for corrosion in the plug in on the truck, I've had it bad enough the trailer lights wouldn't work, a little break cleaner and some dielectric grease cleared it up and kept it from happening again.
 
I cleaned the posts on both batteries and cleaned out the 4-pin plug, it was full of junk. Now the tester says my 7-pin plug is working everything, so I'll try the trailer again later today. Unfortunately it is not at my house.
 
I've ran into this issue on my new Ram.... Plug the trailer into my Cherokee and the lights work. Plug it into the truck... No lights. Not to hijack but what am I missing here...
 
May have to take it to the dealer and try to get it reset. Sometimes the modules shut down the outputs to lights after so many attempts with too many amps being drawn. Might be from bad trailer ground, bad vehicle ground, or too many bulbs on the trailer.
 
If I had a newer truck with that TIPM stuff, I would make up a relay or fuse panel that protected the truck from the trailer wiring.
 
I think it is a ground issue somewhere. I bought one of those trailer plug testers and plugged it into my 7-pin plug on the truck. Everything works. Plug the trailer into the truck and only the turn signals work. No brake lights, no running lights. I keep the trailer parked at my parents', so next time I go up there, I'll check each ground on the trailer.
 
The TIPM will fault for roughly 30-40mS and attempt to re-energize the circuit. No need for a dealer reset. The most common issue we see it the ground where it comes put of the plug and connects to the trailer frame, they'll get some corrosion/resistance. However if the turn signals work thats most likely not your issue.
 
mysterync said:
The TIPM will fault for roughly 30-40mS and attempt to re-energize the circuit. No need for a dealer reset.
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After it faults multiple time it should set a DTC and shut down the circuit to protect the module. If the logic of the module is not designed in such a way, after multiple faults it will permanently shut down the circuit and set a DTC for internal module fault/failure and the only way to fix that is module replacement.
 
fordwheelinman said:
After it faults multiple time it should set a DTC and shut down the circuit to protect the module. If the logic of the module is not designed in such a way, after multiple faults it will permanently shut down the circuit and set a DTC for internal module fault/failure and the only way to fix that is module replacement.
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Not on any that I've seen, and not by the description of operation provided by the manufacturer. That would be considered a failure (transistor failure to be exact) and not a designed element of operation.
 
mysterync said:
Not on any that I've seen, and not by the description of operation provided by the manufacturer. That would be considered a failure (transistor failure to be exact) and not a designed element of operation.
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Had one years ago (at a dealership) that had no output from module. Had a code in it for the trailer lights. Customer had spliced into truck lights to get trailer lights, killed those too. It was a 3500 mega cab dually, don't recall there being a difference between the light duty and heavy duty trucks. Don't remember what year it was but it was that same generation of trucks, post 01-pre 09/10. Ended up getting a module put in it and customer was told to rewire their trailer
 
fordwheelinman said:
Had one years ago (at a dealership) that had no output from module. Had a code in it for the trailer lights. Customer had spliced into truck lights to get trailer lights, killed those too. It was a 3500 mega cab dually, don't recall there being a difference between the light duty and heavy duty trucks. Don't remember what year it was but it was that same generation of trucks, post 01-pre 09/10. Ended up getting a module put in it and customer was told to rewire their trailer
Click to expand...
If it's a dead short, I'd say eventually it will kill the module! But it's not designed so that the module turns off that circuit requiring a new module. If it doesn't power up an output its damaged the tipm.
 
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