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Topic ClosedTrailer Brake Controller Issue
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PodWa View Drop Down
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Location: Cheney, WA
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Trailer Brake Controller Issue
    Posted: 01 May 2018 at 8:50pm
So, here is  the story.  We have a 2017 RP-179 HRE.  Our TV is a 2017 Ram 1500 pickup equipped with a built-in trailer brake controller from the factory.  Everything worked great until our last trip.  We hooked up the trailer as usual and checked the trailer brakes before departing and all was well.  We stopped at a rest area about 70 miles down the road.  As I reentered the Interstate, I noticed a message on the dash display stating the trailer was disconnected.  I stopped at the next safe place and found all physical connections were good, trailer lights worked properly, but the trailer brake controller would not sense the presence of the trailer.  After fooling around for about 20 minutes connecting and disconnecting the cable to the trailer and turning the vehicle on and off the trailer brake controller indicated that the trailer was connected.  The trailer brakes worked properly.  All was well until we stopped again and turned off the vehicle.  When we restarted, the dash display again indicated that the trailer was disconnected.  We repeated the cable connect/disconnect procedure until the display indicated the trailer was connected. 

Without turning off the vehicle again we proceeded to a branch of the dealership that sold us the trailer.  The service manager was quite helpful.  He placed a tester on the trailer connection and confirmed that the trailer brakes and lights worked properly.  He connected my TV to another trailer on the lot and the trailer brake connection worked properly.  He then connected my R-Pod to his personal vehicle and his trailer brake controller worked properly.  So everything works OK except my TV and RP-179 won't work with each other. Confused  Since it was almost close of business, we made an appointment to return after the weekend and have further troubleshooting accomplished on the way home.

On Monday morning we hitched up the R-Pod.  The trailer brake controller worked perfectly.  I tried everything I could think of to make the connection fail, but after about 15 tries shutting the vehicle off, disconnecting and reconnecting the cable connection I could not recreate the problem.  Considering that it would be tough for the dealer to troubleshoot a working system, we decided to proceed home and I cancelled the appointment.  Everything worked well until we stopped for gas.  When we restarted, you guessed it, the "trailer disconnected" message appeared again.  Nothing we tried could convince my TV that a trailer was connected.  Since we were very close to home, we moved on.  Just as I pulled into my driveway, the message "trailer connected" appeared.

So, today I took my TV to the Ram dealership.  The service manager said that no codes showed in the computer.  They hooked their special tester to the system and drove around for about 17 miles without a problem.  They tried everthing to make the system fail, but could not.  I drove my TV back to our house and connected my R-Pod..."trailer disconnected!"  The next trip will be to my RV dealer to have the trailer electrics gone through.

Additional info...during the first week of March, we had the wheel bearings packed and seals replaced.  Since the old seals were leaking, the dealer replaced both backing plates.  I am wondering if there is some difference with the trailer brake magnets or backing plate wiring that might cause my TV to no longer recognize my trailer.  Any of you experienced RV honchos have experience with this?
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john in idaho View Drop Down
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Posts: 610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 9:14am
Is there any damage to the wiring insulation? Are the connectors in the plug tight?  Any spider webs in the plug on both the trailer and truck?
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2627 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 9:35am
I would think that the problem is not with the trailer or necessarily the wiring. It seems the issue is that whatever your TV uses to "sense"the existence of the trailer is at fault. If there is any way to adjust the sensitivity, or maybe just flip a switch to tell your Ram that the trailer is connected, that could be an approach.
bp
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2586 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 10:14am
I agree with GlueGuy, the problem is more likely in the truck.  There is probably a small circuit board in the brake controller that has a crack or something in a solder trace/line or some other conductor/connection that opens and closed, thus, having intermittent continuity.  For you, it is a safety issue b/c if the trailer is not sensed by the controller while driving, you are going to find yourself with much less braking capacity.  

It would behoove the Dodge dealer to replace the controller and check all the wiring for a faulty connection.  Turning the motor off/on, thus energizing the truck's brake controller, seems, from what you describe, to be related to the failure.  That sure points to the truck.  That they can't duplicate the problem is normal with intermittent problems, but if their is a fault and something awful happens, they're on the hook for a defective system.  It's cheaper to replace it than defend the resulting lawsuit.  It sounds like you've already checked the trailer system and it's working fine.  
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2627 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 4:07pm
Originally posted by lostagain

I agree with GlueGuy, the problem is more likely in the truck.  There is probably a small circuit board in the brake controller that has a crack or something in a solder trace/line or some other conductor/connection that opens and closed, thus, having intermittent continuity.  For you, it is a safety issue b/c if the trailer is not sensed by the controller while driving, you are going to find yourself with much less braking capacity. 
The trailer sense on our F-150 doesn't care if the TBC is connected or not. Even if I connect a trailer via the 4-pin connector, the truck "knows" that a trailer is connected. So the truck can sense the additional load of the lights, and lets me know via the dashboard display. Whatever that sensor is seems to be at fault (especially if all the lights work correctly).
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 4:49pm
I think the issue is in the trailer. Especially in light of work done to hubs. Brake controllers send a small amount of voltage along the brake output wire (blue wire), if a trailer is connected, the magnets in the brake assemblies will create a power draw. This power draw tells the controller that a trailer is connected. Aftermarket and OEM are the same in function. I think you are right to take to RV dealer. Let us know, PLZ.
Mike Carter
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 7:22pm
A likely cause is corrosion.  Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of green patina on the contacts in the Bargman and/or the trailer connector.  Scraping with a thin knife blade or maybe just a squirt or two of dielectric grease or WD-40 and working the plug int and out of the socket a few times.

It good be any of the things others have mentioned, but I'd sure start with the simple stuff first.

If it's working now I think you should check/clean/grease the contacts and wait to see if this happens again before doing anything else.

TT
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Posts: 592 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 7:32pm
Originally posted by mcarter

I think the issue is in the trailer. Especially in light of work done to hubs. Brake controllers send a small amount of voltage along the brake output wire (blue wire), if a trailer is connected, the magnets in the brake assemblies will create a power draw. This power draw tells the controller that a trailer is connected. Aftermarket and OEM are the same in function. I think you are right to take to RV dealer. Let us know, PLZ.


+1 I agree with Mike. Think, what was the last thing done to the trailer before this problem developed. Don't reinvent the wheel but take the camper to where you had the hub seals replaced and re-greased and check them out because something is not right in the brake assembly as Mike suggested. If you want to double up, then go ahead and see if you can get your truck dealer service department to order you a new control board to replace your present one under warranty but I have my doubts on that causing your problem. Let us know how it goes?
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2627 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 8:11pm
Here's a concept. Put an adapter on the trailer and plug it into the 4-pin on your truck. If I did that, the truck would announce "Trailer Connected". Nothing to do with the brakes.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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Leo B View Drop Down
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Posts: 4508 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2018 at 8:12pm
We had this happen with our new F-150. It ended up not being the break controller or any of the TV part.
It ended up being a partially broke brake wire on the pod. It either caught a rock or something and didn't totally break but at different times it would cut out and show that the brake controller would not recognize the camper breaks.
After several visits, two new break controllers and a couple other parts one of the mechanics had me bring the trailer in, he checked the wire by the pods rear tires and found one was cracked/partially broken, fixed that and voila, worked perfect.
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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