1998 Explorer Trailer Lights

[Gormy]

Hello everyone,

New to the forum. I have seen many posts for related probelms but not for the one I have. I have a problem that I just haven't been able to figure out in my hours of working on my explorer and several more hours searching the web.

I have a 1998 Explorer and I no longer have left brake/turn signal lights on my trailer (yellow wire). I have the adapter for the factory 4 pole to a four flat that has worked fine for two years, but for some reason it is no longer working. I tested the four flat adapter, as well as the four pole after disconnecting the adapter, with a volt meter and neither have any output from the yellow wire. I also used my brother-in-laws real nice tester and we confirmed that there is no power.

I check my owner's manual and there is only one fuse that it shows for the left trailer lights - a 7.5 amp fuse in the cab. I cannot find any other fuse inside or maxi/mini under the hood that controls this. Anyone have any ideas? I was going to jump it from my tail light (since the truck has 218,000 miles and I don't care if the repair is cheap and dirty at this point) but I don't think that will work since the brake light and signal bulb are separate. Any help would be greatly appreciated since I need this working for snowmobile season. Thanks!

 

[Gormy]

If anyone read this and is curious about it I found the problem. I've read several forums and I remember a few where people mentioned that Ford had accuracy issues with certain areas of their owner's manuals on Explorers, fuses being one of these areas. On mine the manual had the left and right trailer light fuses reversed in print from what they actually are in the wiring. My manual said fuse 3, when actually it is fuse 7 (Alldata/Mitchell on Demand has this correct in their information). Found the broken fuse and replaced it - all the lights work great. Hope this helps anyoen else having the same issue.