Expert: Sean Halliday - 11/16/2007

Question
QUESTION: I have a 2000 Silverado 1500 with less than 50,000 miles on it that I pull my travel trailer (Jayco Feather). A friend advised me on our last camping trip that my brake lights on my Travel Trailer were not working. The brake lights on my truck work fine as do the turn signals. Turn signals work on Trailer as well. I had my camper dealer check for an electrical or fuse problem. They check the pigtail as well as all of the fuses under the dash as well as the ones under the hood on the Driver's side. I was told that they could not locate the problem at any of those places. I then took it to a friend's independent auto sales and service business and they kept it a day and told me that the problem was in the steering column with the emergency flashers. They said that there was a short in the emergency flashers and the system/unit would have to be replaced to the tune of 300.00 + dollars. I have had others suggest that this does not sound like it is the problem. I don not know what they are basing their opinion on and I am not a mechanic. Can anyone advise me as to the reasonableness of this recommended solution?

Thanks,


ANSWER: Do they mean the unit on the trailer or on the truck?.I am assuming they mean the trailer and its possible that the unit is faulty.The wiring on a trailer would go through this unit.Did anyone check the bulbs?I have seen both stop bulbs blow at the same time.If they guarantee that it will fix the problem,then let them fix it or buy one and fit it yourself.

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QUESTION: The finding of the mechanic was that the emergency flasher unit/switch on the steering column was defective or had a short in it.

Answer
If the brake lights and turn signals work ok on the truck,then i dont think thats your problem as its almost impossible.Your problem is in the wiring on the trailer.If you think this out,the fault would cause the fuses to blow on your truck but they havnt.So,i think you need to have a good electrician look at it again and dont let this guy work on it.I have never in 38 years seen a faulty hazard unit cause the brake lights to short.The 2 circuits are entirely different.