About trailer tail lights:
Just like cars, there are several regulations that need to be addressed in order to have your trailer road-legal. In New Zealand, it is a legal requirement for your trailer to have visible tail lights. This allows it to remain visible at all times of the day while you are towing it.
The tail lights in trailers can become dim, have cracked lenses, blown light bulbs, corroded wiring, broken wires, or simply stop working over time, causing your car trailer tail lights to lose their indicator lights, park lights, stop lights, reverse lights and number plate light effectiveness. If any of these trailer lights are not working it will cause your trailer to fail a WOF Warrant of Fitness. The tail light lenses can also be subject to cracks upon impacts and collisions. In this case, the light may fail to work and need to be replaced.
Older model trailer lights have filament bulbs in them that are prone to failure due to some of the following
- high vibration from the trailer bouncing while being towed – this is especially true if the trailer is towed while it is empty as the trailer will often bounce significantly over every bump and pot hole.
- corroded bulb holder sockets – any moisture can make the bulb holder socket corrode prevent a good electrical connection between the bayonet or festoon type trailer light bulbs. This is a major problem for boat trailers that are used in the ocean as the salt in the air and salt water will quickly corrode light bulb fittings. It is also a major problem for boat trailers used in fresh water lakes and rivers.
- bad trailer wiring earth contacts – any corrosion on the trailer earth connection can prevent these high wattage trailer light bulbs from working correctly
- poor trailer wiring plug connection – trailer tail / stop light bulbs draw quite a few amps, so any damaged or corroded terminals on the trailer wiring plug where it plugs into the socket on your car will either cause the lights to be dim, behave incorrectly, or not work at all. This is especially true for the trailer earth wire pin as if it is damaged or corroded you can get feedback through other trailer plug pins makes the trailer lights behave in strange ways.
When should the trailer tail lights be replaced?
If you have any problems with older style trailer lighting with bulbs, then we recommend you have them replaced with LED trailer lights at the first opportunity. This is for the following reasons
- LED trailer lights are designed to last the life of the trailer
- Ideal for boat trailers as there is much less chance of salt air and salt water (or lake / river water) causing corrosion as
the LED trailer lights are fully sealed units. - It will most likely cost you more in labour to keep repairing
the older style bulb trailer lights than the cost of new LED trailer lights, making new LED trailer lights cost effective. - LED trailer lights are fully sealed so don’t have the same corrosion problems that trailer light bulbs have
- LED trailer lights don’t have a light bulb filament and
therefore don’t get damaged from trailer vibration - LED trailer lights draw very little current compared to older bulb style trailer lights, which means they put less electrical load on your cars alternator and electrical system, and tend to be more tolerant of bad earth and trailer wiring problems.
- LED trailer lights often have indicator lights, park lights, stop lights, reverse lights and number plate light built in, and so can be simple to fit and a direct replacement.
- LED trailer lights can often be brighter than older style bulb trailer lights bulbs, which increased trailer light visibility and safety on the road.
New LED Trailer Tail Light Installation & Replacement in Hamilton
Is your trailer in need of new tail lights? If so, we can help!
At Grimmer Motors, our skilled and experienced mechanics can quickly fit new LED trailer lights to fix lighting related problems in your trailer. This will increase your trailers visibility and therefore your safety, give a long term trailer lighting solution and allow your trailer’s to pass a Warrant of Fitness / WOF.
For all new LED trailer tail lights in Hamilton, contact Grimmer Motors today!