Stereo and GPS loose intermittently loose power when pulling a trailer

[816Tech]

I'm having a weird issue with my 14 Spyder RT Limited. We bought the Spyder used this summer and have had the issue since the first time pulling the trailer with it.


The issue is whenever we pull our 2014 Time Out camper behind the Spyder the stereo sound will cut out and the GPS screen will dim and say external power lost for a few seconds and then come back on for a little bit then do it again. It only happens when pulling the trailer. The stereo sound still cuts out without the GPS connected but I see the screen dim and the external power lost message when using the GPS also. The lights on the Spyder and trailer work normally at all times and it isn't blowing any fuses. I thought it may have been an issue with the Show Chrome trailer harness/isolator I was using. So I removed it and replaced it with the one from BRP that came with the hitch and am still having the same issue. I have no issues when I pull the trailer behind my Jeep or Harley.


This really has me baffled because it only does it when towing the trailer but I don't have any issues pulling the trailer behind other vehicles. The isolator in the harness is supposed to isolate the trailers lights from the Spyder so the trailer shouldn't be able to cause any issues.

The trailer only has the Tail/brake/turn LED lights on the back of it.

Any ideas on what it could be?

[trikermutha]

Dumb question

Did they tie anything else into the trailer harness at all.

Check connections going back to the battery

[816Tech]

Dumb question

Did they tie anything else into the trailer harness at all.

Check connections going back to the battery

I istalled the Show Chrome harness myself. It plugged into the connector behind each tail light and the had seperate battery and ground leads that wired directly to the battery. Nothing else was wired to it. I removed it and replaced it with the BRP harness/isolater that came with the BRP hitch that plus into the light wiring harness under the seat and continue to have the same issue.

[trikermutha]

I istalled the Show Chrome harness myself. It plugged into the connector behind each tail light and the had seperate battery and ground leads that wired directly to the battery. Nothing else was wired to it. I removed it and replaced it with the BRP harness/isolater that came with the BRP hitch that plus into the light wiring harness under the seat and continue to have the same issue.


What is your battery voltage and while idling?

Curious if you are getting the correct voltage.


Something just does not sound right..Is you trailer grounded to the plug properly?

Have you used this trailer before on the bike?

[816Tech]

What is your battery voltage and while idling?

Curious if you are getting the correct voltage.


Something just does not sound right..Is you trailer grounded to the plug properly?

Have you used this trailer before on the bike?

Battery is 12.6. and 14.2 when idling. We bought the trailer new and have pulled it behind my 13 Jeep Wrangler and my 14 Harley Ultra Limited without any issues. We bought the Spyder used this summer and added the hitch and wiring harness/isolator to it. Have had the issue since the first time pulling the trailer behind the Spyder but only have issues with the Spyder. The lights work correctly on the trailer and Spyder even when the GPS and stereo cut out. This really has me baffled. I just found someone in the local Spyder Ryders group that said I can try pulling his trailer to see if I have the same issue or not. That will help to isolate the cause to the trailer or Spyder.

I mentioned this to the dealers service department when I had the 3K service done and they checked the wiring to the stereo and GPS and said all connectors are tight and no signs of any corrosion. But they couldn't do anything else since they couldn't duplicate the issue. If I try another trailer and have the same issue I'm going to take it to the dealer with the trailer so they can duplicate it and hopefully fix it under warranty.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The GPS gets its power from the radio. The fact that both the GPS and radio act up simultaneously tells me the radio is losing voltage. Either the power lead has an intermittent high resistance short to ground, or the ground side has an intermittent high resistance connection to ground. I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what the connection to the towing the trailer might be. I can't find anything on the wiring diagram that shows an interconnection between the trailer wiring and the radio wiring.

[billybovine]

The one common factor is the ground wire. The radio, all rear Spyder lights and trailer module and lights all share the same common ground wire. Since you plugged in the BRP trailer harness and have the same problem. There is a high resistance connection before connector CIC2. That is the connector you plugged the trailer Y-harness into. That would lead me to think it is the main chassis ground GND1 is corroded or loose. The problem I have is I am working from a 2013 wiring. Not sure if there were any changes for 2014. The service manual I have says it is located on the left side, forward of the oil tank. Obviously the oil tank is not located there on your 2014. But should be in that general area. Maybe someone with a 2014 service manual can look it up. Once you find the chassis ground. Take it apart, clean and tighten back up.

There is also a junction in the harness that could be the culprit. Lets just hope it's not that.

[816Tech]

The one common factor is the ground wire. The radio, all rear Spyder lights and trailer module and lights all share the same common ground wire. Since you plugged in the BRP trailer harness and have the same problem. There is a high resistance connection before connector CIC2. That is the connector you plugged the trailer Y-harness into. That would lead me to think it is the main chassis ground GND1 is corroded or loose. The problem I have is I am working from a 2013 wiring. Not sure if there were any changes for 2014. The service manual I have says it is located on the left side, forward of the oil tank. Obviously the oil tank is not located there on your 2014. But should be in that general area. Maybe someone with a 2014 service manual can look it up. Once you find the chassis ground. Take it apart, clean and tighten back up.

There is also a junction in the harness that could be the culprit. Lets just hope it's not that.

Thank you. I know a lot of electrical issues can be traced back to a faulty ground. I've posted another thread asking where the GND1 ground is located on my 14 RT. Something I didn't mention in the previous post is I cant duplicate the problem with the Spyder running parked in the driveway. It only happens when I'm riding. So I'm thinking the vibration is causing it which points to a bad or lose connection somewhere.

[816Tech]

Update. I took my trailer to a friend that has a 15 Spyder Rt and a trailer. My trailer worked normal behind his Spyder but his caused the same issues on my Spyder. While I was traveling the 10 miles home my trailer lights quit working, tail/brake and turn. I used a volt ohm meter to check for ground and battery and I'm not getting any voltage out of the harness now. Even after the trailer lights quit the GPS and radio continued to cut out. As soon as I unplug the light connector from the Spyder GPS an stereo started working normally again. The other gut knew were the chasis ground was and grab the cable and couldn't move it. It appears to be tight. But we didn't take it off to clean it.

[trikermutha]

well keep chipping away..sounds like you maybe getting closer to finding the problem:shocked:

[billybovine]

It was guess on my part that it was the grounding point. Mostly because it was easy to fix. It could be anywhere between that grounding point and the CIC2 connector.

Your trailer module may now have failed. They do not like intermittent power or ground.