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Old 06-29-2019, 12:03 PM   #1
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7 pin not communicating with airstream

I was driving and noticed the lights on my Airstream were not working. Checked the fuses in the fuse boxes on both the Airstream and the van I am towing with. That wasn't it. Ended up replacing the 7-pin power cord from the Airstream and that didn't do it either. Nothing I have tried will get the lights to turn on on the Airstream. Any ideas? The female power receptor for the 7-pin is only 6 months old and the pins look pristine.
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Old 06-29-2019, 12:22 PM   #2
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You don't give info on trailer or tow vehicle.
Have the lights worked in the past?
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Old 06-29-2019, 12:26 PM   #3
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First determine which vehicle is creating the problem. Disconnect the trailer. Use a test meter to check if there is power coming from the tow vehicle.
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Old 06-29-2019, 12:37 PM   #4
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It's a 2014 Ford e350 van and a 2008 airstream safari 22'. Yes it has always worked in the past, and i have other cargo trailers that the van tows, I haven't had access to them to test tho since this happened while I was out camping.
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Old 06-29-2019, 12:59 PM   #5
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Try spraying the connections with electrical contact cleaner which will clean the metal contacts without leaving a residue. As a 2nd choice you could try WD40.
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Old 06-29-2019, 01:13 PM   #6
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Hello Adamyurla.
Do you have a multi meter? Have you metered the output from the TV? Brake controller issue? You said you checked fuses, replaced the 7 pin umbilical from the trailer to the TV. Do you have power at the connection box from the umbilical when it's plugged into the TV? From the connection box the marker, tail, brake light wires should go straight to the appropriate light fixture. Do you have power at the fixture? Did you blow every light bulb on the trailer? Perhaps a bad ground.


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Old 06-29-2019, 03:55 PM   #7
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I used to have electric connection problems often. Once I knew I had power from the tow vehicle, I replaced the 7 pin plug from the Airstream with a new wire with a molded plug. You did not mention the type of plug you have, but if you have anything other tan a molded plug, you will continue to have connection issues. Hope this helps. Good luck!
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Old 06-30-2019, 12:07 AM   #8
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A 7-pin tester, available on Amazon or some auto parts stores will tell you pretty quick if the problem is with your TV. I assume most RV service shops would have one as well.
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Old 06-30-2019, 06:08 AM   #9
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My receiver plug on the truck was a 2 part affair that had been replaced once prior to my owning the vehicle. It seemed to be intermittent or no connection a lot of the time. Turns out the connector is a 2 part affair where and outer sleeve that is attached to the vehicle let’s the inner plug slide in and out for assembly and locks the inner part with a locking tab. The trucks original owners broke the tab and the inner sleeve was moving every time I tried to make a connection. We fixed it with a couple of zip ties and it hasn’t moved since.
Maybe yours is similar?
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Old 06-30-2019, 09:15 AM   #10
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Hi

It's a good bet that your truck side 7 pin connector plugs into another connector. If that connector comes loose, you have no power to the trailer. Usually you can see the second connector behind the bumper. If not, you can get to it by un-mounting the big 7 pin connector.

Guess number 2 would be the ground wire. If it comes loose, either from the trailer or the truck, pretty much everything stops working. You can get tricked by the ground connecting through the hitch. Once things get dirty, they stop, clean things up and they work again .... Simple answer is to make sure lights work when the trailer is unhitched. Doing that with modern trucks sometimes can be a pain .....

Crazy stuff !!!

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Old 06-30-2019, 10:31 AM   #11
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As Uncle Bob stated: check the connection on the TV behind the 7 pin where you plug into the TV. I had some work done on my truck bed and they didn't plug into the back of the 7 pin connection therefore when i went to hook up my boat trailer none of the lights would work. Ford F150
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Old 06-30-2019, 06:12 PM   #12
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YA question.

Are any of the lights working on the trailer? That is, side marker, tail lights, (punch the hazard flasher button and that will test brake lights as well)?

If all those light are working on the Econoline then unless there is a complete break in the wiring to the 7-way fixture, then you only have two choices.

Either ground from TV to trailer is gone or the “slave” relays under the hood are not sending power to the 7-way are not working. Those relays send TV power thru fuses hidden in the engine compartment.

If memory serves me correctly, there is a fuse panel inside the cab and another under the front access panel hood in the front of the van. That fuse box contains all of the relays ( very seldom fail) and the fuses that connect to the seven way connector along with other stuff like trailer brakes, fuel pump, head lights, tranny stuff etc.

You can have brake lights, parking lights, etc. working on the TV and have nothing working on trailer lights. The fuses for that are in that second fuse box. It is usually next to steering column (side toward left of the column) in a black box that requires a hand like a monkey to reach and get open.

Be sure to have some bandaids on hand because a certain amount of bloodletting is customary.

If on joy at finding a blown fuse there, it’s got to be ground fault at the seven way or at the trailer frame if you totally replaced the umbilical.

Hope you have success.
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