2020 Boatmate Trailer - No lights/Reverse Brakes Locked

[morrow]

Anyone know how I can troubleshoot a Boatmate trailer? This weekend my brakes locked up and I couldn't reverse. Don't have lights either, brake lights, reverse, etc. Connected a tester to my truck and getting power and all of the functions checkout fine, so I've narrowed it down to the trailer.

The connector still looks solid, don't see anything obvious. Anyone know where the ground cable is located? Or any other ideas on what I should look at? The connector looks solid and not really sure how I'd break it apart without doing significant damage.

Thanks

[NautiqueJeff]

Certainly not the first electrical issue I have heard of on a Boatmate...

The issue with the brakes locking up is probably related to the electrical issue. Since the trailer isn't getting a good signal from the truck, it isn't activating the brake lockout when you put your truck in reverse.

You have to find out what's causing the breakdown in the electrical signal to the trailer and go from there.

I assume you have a 7-way connector. If so, here's the diagram.

[morrow]

Thanks Jeff, yes I have the 7 pin connector. From the truck side all are working...but when I plug in the trailer, none of them listed work, that's why I'm wondering if it's the ground or something. Seems strange that none of those features would work. I read somewhere you could flip it over to see if that made a difference, but I can't fit my plug into my truck if I do that.

[NautiqueJeff]

I don't think flipping it over would ever work. The ground would be in the wrong spot and you'd pop your fuses in the truck. Have you traced the wires on the trailer to see if they are cut anywhere? I agree that the ground would be a likely culprit.

[NautiqueJeff]

I know you said that the truck side checked out, but you might want to just try connecting it to a different truck, just to confirm.

[morrow]

I don't think flipping it over would ever work. The ground would be in the wrong spot and you'd pop your fuses in the truck. Have you traced the wires on the trailer to see if they are cut anywhere? I agree that the ground would be a likely culprit.

Yeah, I didn't see any obvious cuts...I'll do some more digging. Good idea on trying a different truck, i'll try that.

[mpost]

If you suspect ground a jumper cable from truck frame to trailer will give you a temp ground for trouble shooting. Make sure you are an unpainted surface on both ends.

[Promoted]

Your trailer may have another connector inside the tongue that connects the trailer wiring harness to the wiring going to your truck. With the tongue folded, look inside and see if that connector came unplugged.

[SilentSeven]

Wow...shout out to Selah Washington.

[morrow]

Spent several hours working on this today. The jumper cable trick worked, to help me test it, I get to the second connector inside the tongue, but no current is going beyond that. I think I'm going to have to take it in to a shop to have them figure it out for me.