Trailer Towing and Lights

General Discussion
1

Here is a neat little work-around for trailer lighting problems…Install replacement L.E.D. 1157 bulbs in the trailer light sockets…Many cars (and trucks) will rebel when a trailers wiring is spliced into the cars system. The extra load of the trailer lights is just too much for the cars fuses and switches and flashers to handle. Nasty problems can result, like blown fuses, melted headlight switches and turn signal switches…But if you install these new super low amperage L.E.D. replacement bulbs, the cars electrical system will hardy notice the added load and everything works fine…

Most bulbs used in automotive lighting are now available in an LED version. If you find the ones in parts stores to be too pricey, try eBay for a more reasonable price-point…

How did I discover this? The hard way! I use a 1992 Crown Vic to tow a 20’ sailboat…This model Vic has 6 running lights in the rear, 2 in the front, (that’s 8 1157’s lit plus the instrument panel lights…This is the parking/running light load…The boat trailer added 2 more 1157’s plus 4 clearance lights…All this currant has to pass through one contact on the headlight switch. When my tail-lights stopped working, I found not a blown fuse but a melted connection at the headlight switch…The 20 year old connection developed high resistance, got hot, and that was that…Using the LED bulbs makes the trailer load disappear and cured the problem…

2

Yep, that’s why many better trailers these days come with LED lights. That, and they last longer. LEDs can also be used for other interesting things in the automotive world. My brother replaced his incandescent instrument panel lights in his Jeep with super white LEDs to change the color of his lighting. I think it looks really good and am considering doing the same thing with my F150. My truck uses a blue film and incandescent bulbs to make for a green backlight (blue film + yellow light = green display). I’m thinking of installing super white LEDs to get a bright blue display effect.

3

Caddyman What a good idea. But I need to ask, are you sure you have 1157 bulbs and not 2057’s? 2057’s are voltage corrected. I also have to add that its not wise to splice into wire on a late model car/truck. You should use the adapters that plug in line. Evan cars/trucks made back in the late 80’s and 90’s you need check to see if a adapter is needed. When I worked at the dealer in the 90’s. We had a oldsmobile that would not run right after a rear end hit. After we sent it over to the mechanics they found that we had replaced the rear bulbs with 1157’s not the 2057’s it called for. It was explained that 1157’s not being voltage corrected somehow interfered with the computer, causing the car not to run right.