Help! No trailer lights work

Discussion in 'Freightliner Forum' started by Firedawg11, Feb 13, 2016.

  1. Firedawg11

    Firedawg11 Bobtail Member

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    i own a 2012 cascadia. Been having problems with trailer lights working... I hooked up to a trailer couple days ago and nothing worked. Then on my way to shop
    Lights would flicker on and off and trip abs light in cab. Get to shop and they thought I needed a new plug on tractor... Next morning a new tech plugs pigtails in and lights work... Week goes by and abs light is on.. Thinking ok gotta go to shop for service. Shut down at night and wake up before sun up and trailer lights aren't working again... Took to shop at TA and said fuses relays are good but they aren't get ground from computer... I have no clue
    What to do and now have to wait until Monday to get to Freightliner... Anyone have any ideas?
     
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  3. S M D

    S M D Road Train Member

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    Have you tried wiggling the pig tail to see if the lighs will even flicker? Could be the pig tail cable its self. Thats the first thung id change.

    If the lights flicker push the cable in and wedge some folded paper with the pigtail into the plug so its stays. If that makes sense
     
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  4. Firedawg11

    Firedawg11 Bobtail Member

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    Tried a different pigtail the first time and nothing... Wiggled it, disconnected it, even took the connection off the tractor in back and replugged wires back in... Everything else in truck works but trailer lights
     
  5. tech10171968

    tech10171968 Medium Load Member

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    I'm assuming that you've been having the same problem even with different trailers?
     
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  6. S M D

    S M D Road Train Member

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    Hmm ok.. Well My next suggestion would be plug your pig tail onto another trailer and see if the lights work. If they do then its your trailer. If same thing then its the tractor.

    On the trailer where you plug the pig tail in if you open that mount there is a bunch of wires in there that you could check. Check them for currosion and loose wires.
     
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  7. Firedawg11

    Firedawg11 Bobtail Member

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    Yeah this is second trailer, worked when I originally hooked up and now after shutting down last night nothing... It's cold as hell here in ohio
     
  8. tech10171968

    tech10171968 Medium Load Member

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    If you look in the cab on the driver's side there is kick panel to the left of the clutch pedal. Remove the kick panel and you should see a black cable bolted to the firewall with a ring terminal on it. Make sure this is tight. I've seen a few Cascadias lose a ground connection because of this.
     
  9. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    If you are having intermittent issues with ALL trailer electrical circuits and its the same on multiple trailers, I would suspect maybe you're having a ground issue in the truck for the trailer circuits.
     
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  10. tech10171968

    tech10171968 Medium Load Member

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    That's another good point. I'd start looking at the SAM chassis module under the hood. There are some wires under there which supply power to the trailer. You can take a voltmeter and check to see if there's even any power on those cables.

    EDIT: a fellow driver tells me it could also be something called a trailer PDM, if that option came with your Freightshaker. I'll have to see what that is...
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2016
  11. Firedawg11

    Firedawg11 Bobtail Member

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    TA mechanic said I wasn't showing a ground... I'll check that kick plate
     
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