Brake Controller Problem

johnnybgood · 09-23-2021, 03:42 AM

Hi
My tow vehicle brake pedal no longer engages my trailer brakes. Controller works fine using it manually. Is there something simple to check first?

My TV (2015 Ford Transit van) didn’t come from the factory pre wired for a brake controller. I had a local trailer repair company install it and they are since out of business [emoji53]

mainah · 09-23-2021, 04:06 PM

Do your brake lights work?

johnnybgood · 09-24-2021, 06:23 PM

Yes, both the TV and trailer brake lights work when applying the brake pedal.

The green light on my brake controller is supposed to turn orange/red when brakes pedal is pushed. Now it just blinks once and stays green.

mainah · 09-25-2021, 06:19 AM

First looking at the connections on your TV assuming you have a 7 pin connector with the alignment pin facing up the two pins at the bottom (pins one and two) are the ground and (left) and the brake (right) with a test light or meter and some one apply the brakes should show voltage or light a test light. After that making sure your camper battery is fully charged and the battery connections are good and clean. With a helper connect your trailer have them pull the break away pin and see if the brakes lockup you will know. Here is where the helper comes in you do not want to leave the pin pulled for much more than than several seconds because it should apply the trailer brakes full force as long pins pulled and it will most likely cook the brake away switch if it is left out. That will test the trailer brakes.

**JohnB** · 09-25-2021, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnybgood

Hi
My tow vehicle brake pedal no longer engages my trailer brakes. Controller works fine using it manually.

Hi John,

What brand and model brake controller do you have? We need to look it up and see how it interfaces with the truck

If the manual button applies the brakes on the camper, that helps tell the trailer brakes have some level of working, the wire out the back of the truck has some level of working and the controller has some level of working.

Pending what type and brand/model controller you have, some use the brake pedal switch on the truck to send a signal to the controller to start timing and when to send more power to the brakes. Other controllers do not use that signal they use an internal inertia system that senses the truck movement when braking. We really need to know what brake controller you have and how it interfaces with the truck.

You may have a wiring issue off the truck brake pedal switch not sending a signal (assuming your controller even uses it. ) to the brake controller. While the truck and camper brake lights work, that does not always mean the controller got the signal. And it may be the controller is having issues.

Ideally link us the controller brand and the manual. Does you manual have any fault codes as indicated by blinking or lack of blinking lights?

Hope this helps

John

PS. Caution when pulling the emergency breakaway switch with the 7 wire cable still plugged into the truck. Some brake controllers do not like power coming in the 7 wire cord from brake wire from other systems. It can back feed the controller. Just unplug the 7 wire cable and then do the emergency brake away test.

mainah · 09-27-2021, 11:40 AM

Because you can manually operate the brakes with the controller it really does kind of point to the brake light circuit. Another factor being the non factory the brake switch has to be hand wired by the controller installer. The brake lights working does not mean the circuit is complete because the wire to the controller from the brake light switch is what the controller needs to see to apply the brakes.

johnnybgood · 10-04-2021, 06:39 AM

I feel like an idiot.
My controller is a proportional Tekonsha Voyager and i couldn’t find my original manual. Found this online…….

IMG_5304.jpg

Turns out my level adjustment was way far off causing my problem. Not sure how that happened. Simple fix.

Thank you all for your help!!

**JohnB** · 10-07-2021, 08:29 PM

John, do not feel like an Idiot. We are all human and do bone head things all the time. Me included.

Glad you have it all fixed up. Thanks for reporting back.

John

Ilean826 · 06-17-2022, 08:22 AM

Having same issue with post factory installed brake controller on our Ford Ranger. Not sure how this was resolved? Did he mean his level was off calibration? We are only getting green color meaning it’s in manual mode. It does not change to red when braking.
Can someone explain how he resolved this?

johnnybgood · 06-18-2022, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ilean826

Having same issue with post factory installed brake controller on our Ford Ranger. Not sure how this was resolved? Did he mean his level was off calibration? We are only getting green color meaning it’s in manual mode. It does not change to red when braking.
Can someone explain how he resolved this?

Yes, my level adjustment was way off.

image-2022-06-18-07:28:45-674.jpg