Hi Everybody,
The problem isn't with our Protege but maybe someone has some general knowledge about car electric.
I got a 97 GMC Jimmy the other day, the wiring for the hitch pre-installed by the manufacturer already. I just added the plug. I checked all the wires and even rewired the whole trailer but still, whenever I have everything hooked up and I use the break the dashboard light dim down and when I keep my foot on the break the break light/hazard light fuse blows. I already replaced the fuse with a circuit breaker after I blew about $15 worth of fuses.
If I unhook the trailer everything is fine, so there is no short on the Jimmy.
If I hook on the trailer but unhook the lights everything is fine as well.
If I have one or the other or both lights hooked up, the fuse blows.
I checked all the grounds and even added a direct ground from trailer to vehicle frame.
Running lights, blinker, hazard light works fine.
Now I got those all enclosed oval trailer lights so I can only look if the bulbs are intact but I can't replace the bulb neither check the wiring inside the light.
Does anybody has an idea what is could be? Are both lights causing a short? Or is it possible that there is a short in the wiring of the vehicle that only blows the fuse when I break and only with the trailer hooked up?
Thanks.
Michael

 

Does the Jimmie turn signals and brake light use the same bulb on the rear?

 

Yes, turn, hazard, running and break lights are using all the same bulb.

 

The very fact you thought adding an extra ground might fix things shows you are out of your depth, yet you say you rewired the whole trailer.
Unless you fitted some jazzy aftermarket light assemblies incorporating LED arrays, you can certainly replace bulbs in automotive lighting assemblies using incandescent lamps.
You are dealing here with basic vehicle safety issues; I would not venture, and I think neither should anyone else on this forum, care to get involved in this issue.
Get competent local skilled electrical help: otherwise you're risking your neck and the necks of anyone following you.

 

Rewiring a trailer that has 2 lights is no masterpiece if you have a wire harness already and after days of checking cables and cable connections adding a ground was one of the last ideas I got from a car mechanic and was worth a shot
And still, without destroying the light you can't change the light bulb in those trailer lights, they are welded shut. Just to clarify what lights I'm talking about:

I also don't risk anything by trying to fix this problem on my own property, I wouldn't go on the road without having proper working signal lights.

Anyways, I found out that the problem lies within the Jimmy, I thought I'm gonna rewire the whole truck ... just kidding, I'll have it check out by a professional.

 

Not Meaning to **** in the Cheerios here, but if you have lights like he showed, and the trailer light are wired were it grounds to the trailer, a rusty ball, receiver hitch or the female end on the trailer being a little rusty a good ground is not made, hence you add an extra ground.
Also, the lights he showed are a series 60 Truck-Lite style light, which in turn is a sealed unit where the whole light have to be replaced, not just a bulb.
http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs...4098&langId=-1