Brake Light Problems

Dry Fly · 06-28-2007, 06:53 AM

Okay, nobody laugh at me as this is my first time posting and I don't know what I'm doing. Our problem is this: We own a 1998 Winnebago Adventurer DP, 34'; our last trip we discovered on coming home that our brake lights didn't work. Our turn signals and rear lights work, just the brake lights don't. In addition to the left and right rear lights, there is a middle light located midway on the back of the coach and it works fine. And emergency flashers work on all. We tow a 06 Saturn Vue and lights respond as the coach does so there's no brake lights there either. Freightliner suggests checking a diode (6amp) under the dash which I haven't been able to find as yet, but I wondering if that's really the problem since the center midback light works. Have talked with the dealer and Winnebago Customer Support and they don't really have an answer, and am waiting for logon and password info. from Freightliner. Hoping someone out there knows the answer. Waiting with hope on all of the vast knowledge of you guys..................

Dry Fly · 06-28-2007, 06:53 AM

Okay, nobody laugh at me as this is my first time posting and I don't know what I'm doing. Our problem is this: We own a 1998 Winnebago Adventurer DP, 34'; our last trip we discovered on coming home that our brake lights didn't work. Our turn signals and rear lights work, just the brake lights don't. In addition to the left and right rear lights, there is a middle light located midway on the back of the coach and it works fine. And emergency flashers work on all. We tow a 06 Saturn Vue and lights respond as the coach does so there's no brake lights there either. Freightliner suggests checking a diode (6amp) under the dash which I haven't been able to find as yet, but I wondering if that's really the problem since the center midback light works. Have talked with the dealer and Winnebago Customer Support and they don't really have an answer, and am waiting for logon and password info. from Freightliner. Hoping someone out there knows the answer. Waiting with hope on all of the vast knowledge of you guys..................

LHyzer · 06-28-2007, 08:10 AM

Dry Fly go to this site and look for the article on Brake lights it has the info you are looking for.

http://www.freightlinerchassisowners...ch_tidbits.htm

Mutha · 06-28-2007, 09:20 AM

Dryfly, have you checked the stop light harness where your trailer/toad harness attaches to the coach harness. You may have a stop light wire that has come loose.

Good luck and let us know what the final fix is.

Glenn

smlranger · 06-28-2007, 09:32 AM

DryFly:

Welcome to the forum.com

. As you can see from the first two responses to your question, we have many folks here ready and willing to help. Let us know what you eventually find as the issue and come back often to share your RV experiences.

Stevegd007 · 06-28-2007, 09:35 AM

I had a similar problem. Lights quit working. Checked everything, like you have done, could not find a thing wrong. I then crawled under the back of the coach to look around and saw a large loop of wire (between the back fiberglass and the rear of the coach), it was just swinging in the wind (so to speak) as the coach moved. This movement caused an attached "ground" wire to break loose. Reattached this broken wire and all was fine. Then I zipped tied the loop to a metal brace bar, so it no longer would swing, and the lights were OK. So check out the back wire attachments, you too may have a loose or broken wire.

Dry Fly · 06-28-2007, 05:34 PM

Thanks for your quick responses, most appreciated. Steve, as for crawling under the back, been there and done that to no avail. I now have actually talked with Freightliner and confirmed that it is a diode that I have now found and confirmed this is the problem. Found a hotspot and now must repair. They tell me that I can find this 6amp diode at any auto supply and parts store. And after talking with them, came back to see what you guys had for me and LHYzer (thanks) had already found the answer for me. Thanks so much for that web site. Will be next week before I can get to the repair so I will keep you posted once I can get to it. Thanks again and I'll be back as soon as I can tell you something.

My daughter told me about this web site and am soooo glad to find you guys. We're just learning about RVing life and it can be a challenge, lots to learn but love it.

Thanks....

Trina & Wally Gardner
(Trinket & Dry Fly)
1998 Adventurer 34' DP
2006 Saturn Vue

rvarner · 06-30-2007, 07:15 PM

Dry Fly
I don't have brake lights on the toad. Everything else works right. Tail turn and flashers. Winnebago say's it's a fuse but I am unable to locate the fuses for the hitch. Is this a similar prob? Coach lights all work properly including brake.
Thanks
Richard

CHIPPYSGT · 07-01-2007, 12:57 AM

Richard,

Check your plugs to the toad for a loose wire, especially if you have the round connectors. I just went through that when leaving on vacation. After searching for two hours I finally just went down to the local parts house and bought another set of magnetic lights.

I finally got a chance to look again and one wire was loose in the plug that connects the wiring harness to the Jeep.

Fuses in my 05 Meridian are in two locations. One is under the front hood mounted on the firewall in a box about two feet square. The other is in the electric hookup compartment. If you look at the compartment it is on the right wall behind a piece of sheet metal about one foot by two feet. If memory serves me correctly there is some AC voltage in there also so be careful.

Dry Fly · 07-01-2007, 10:05 AM

Richard, this is Dryfly's wife, Trinket. He's gone fishing (ahahaha!) Sounds like a good one, doesn't it? He's a flyfisherman and a member of Trout Unlimited. This is their monthly fishing w/e plus a dedication of a memorial to an old member that died last year, so I DO know where he is. Not that this has anything to do with what's going on here.

Your problem does sound like something completely different from ours. Sounds like Doug may be of more help. Ours does seemed to be a bad diode and I'm on the way to get one now so we can check it out.

Good Luck with yours...............

Trinket (and Dryfly)
1998 Winnebago Adventurer 34' DP
2006 Saturn Vue

LHyzer · 07-01-2007, 02:37 PM

rvarner, the fuses for your tow plug are located in the same compartment as your shore power cable. They are hid behind a metal cover. I believe there are 4 screws holding the cover.
For more information go to this url: http://www.freightlinerchassisowners...ch_tidbits.htm

Look for the article on tow plug fuses. It will give your more info. And by the way it is related to the Horizon. Hope this helps.