benjamin247
New member
I just tried renting a U-haul trailer. We hooked up the trailer and found the blinkers didn't work. Tried another trailer and it didn't work either. Sucks that I couldn't rent one because of this. What could be wrong?
Trailer blinkers not working
- Thread starter benjamin247
- Start date
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Like Doc said, it's probably the converter box. Mine was bad when I bought, but you can pick up a plug and play replacement from amazon for about $30. Here is what I went with - Amazon.com: Hopkins 43415 Plug-In Simple Wiring Kit for Toyota 4Runner 1996-2002: Automotive
It took about 30 min to replace. I would take a volt meter to yours first just to double check, but your converter box is probably out. After I figured out that mine was out, I did a little reading. Apparently it's pretty common.
-John
It took about 30 min to replace. I would take a volt meter to yours first just to double check, but your converter box is probably out. After I figured out that mine was out, I did a little reading. Apparently it's pretty common.
-John
nglayton
Senior Member
Ditto this, the converter boxes are unreliable at best. I have ended up just bypassing about half the wires to keep it working correctly.
s20004runner
New member
yep, had to change my converter box.
mine was behind the driver tail lights. You can access them by lifting the interior plastics covers.
mine was behind the driver tail lights. You can access them by lifting the interior plastics covers.
benjamin247
New member
Where would the converter box be for a 97?
Doc2012
Senior Member
Probably the same place.
benjamin247
New member
I checked the pins with a voltmeter and found the following (while headlights and blinkers were on):
- Pin 2 (closest to ground pin), voltage fluctuating from 3V to 13V
- Pin 3: no reading
- Pin 4: no reading
Are these signs of a bad converter?
- Pin 2 (closest to ground pin), voltage fluctuating from 3V to 13V
- Pin 3: no reading
- Pin 4: no reading
Are these signs of a bad converter?
jgue467
Senior Member
nglayton said:
So you just connected the appropriate input wire to the converter box to the appropriate output wire? So if this works for you then i wonder what the purpose of the converter box is?
My right light won't blink, all else works. Tested connections and the right side has no voltage. I'm gonna try this solution this weekend. Thanks!
weekendclimber
New member
Are you testing the wires going into the box, or coming out and going to the plug outside that inputs into the trailer?
I just did this over the weekend and the cheapest option I found was using the U-Haul converter box kit. It's $17 plus tax and they usually have them in stock. All the wires on my setup worked going into the OEM converter box, but I was getting nothing coming out of the box. So, I took the wires from the that plug and one by one move the wires over to the new converter box to make sure they are connected properly.
Uhaul Converter: http://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/Wiring-lights/Tow-vehicle-wiring/U-Haul-4-Way-Flat?id=13684
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The T4R has separate bulbs for the turn signals and brake lights. 99% of the trailers out there use the same bulb for brake and turn. The convertors allow the turn signals and brake signal on the 4Runner to go to one wire on the trailer without backfeeding the other bulb on the 4Runner.
You don't want to step on the brakes and have the turn signal bulb light up on the 4Runner when a trailer is connected to it.
benjamin247
New member
Thanks John308. I got my new wiring kit from your link above. Where exactly is the old one? Is it near the driver side tail light or more like underneath the trunk floor?
benjamin247
New member
I think this might be the diagram for 3rd gen:
http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/doc/43415.pdf
http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/doc/43415.pdf
Benjamin,
The converter box should be on the passenger side of the truck in the panel behind the passenger blinker/brake light. Its a little black box, a little smaller than a pack of cigarettes. You'll know it when you see it, because the four-pin wiring from the trailer plug runs to it.
You will have to unscrew the molding strip across the back floor, and then pop the side panel out enough to get to it. You don't need to remove it completely, just enough to get your hands in there. You'll end up having to pop out the panel on both sides of the truck so that you can get to the connections on both sides. Once you get the new one from amazon, and you look at the old one, it will be obvious what you need to do. The connectors are all plug and play, no cutting involved.
The only potential pain in the rear is pulling the old four-pin plug up through into the back of the 4runner, and then running and routing the new one back down the hole. I ended up cutting the old wire inside the truck, and then taping the new four-pin connector to the old wire. I got under the truck and then pulled the old wire down so that the new one came out. All in all, it took me around 30 min +/- start to finish.
The converter box should be on the passenger side of the truck in the panel behind the passenger blinker/brake light. Its a little black box, a little smaller than a pack of cigarettes. You'll know it when you see it, because the four-pin wiring from the trailer plug runs to it.
You will have to unscrew the molding strip across the back floor, and then pop the side panel out enough to get to it. You don't need to remove it completely, just enough to get your hands in there. You'll end up having to pop out the panel on both sides of the truck so that you can get to the connections on both sides. Once you get the new one from amazon, and you look at the old one, it will be obvious what you need to do. The connectors are all plug and play, no cutting involved.
The only potential pain in the rear is pulling the old four-pin plug up through into the back of the 4runner, and then running and routing the new one back down the hole. I ended up cutting the old wire inside the truck, and then taping the new four-pin connector to the old wire. I got under the truck and then pulled the old wire down so that the new one came out. All in all, it took me around 30 min +/- start to finish.
IBallEngineer
New member
Drivers side, behind the trim panel, you can easily follow the wires.
