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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419
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Topic: Trailer Brake Controller Issue Posted: 03 May 2018 at 3:54pm |
LEO,
You are spot on, your truck has a light circuit that assists with light issues. Has nothing to do with your TBC and your brake problem, two different issues. The TBC operates independently from lights, has to. Each TBC is set up by vehicle, same with aftermarket TBCs not embedded like yours. The OP of this message has a TBC issue and the most likely culprit is wiring in or around one or both TT hubs.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 3:47pm |
That's good my friend but has nothing to do with the TBC. The TBC has one wire control. My Chevy will not tell me when a 4 pole trailer is connected but will show in the turn signals if a trailer tail light is not functioning. Sure new trucks have better light technology, granted. The TBC looks for a load on the one wire associated with brakes and uses that load sense to determine a trailer connection - ONLY FOR THE TBC. It is designed to NOT be associated with lights and is a safety factor. I can send you pics of how your Pod is wired and connected or you can do it yourself, just find a 7 pin flat standard RV connection diagram, you will see one wire is used from the TBC to the wheel backing plate. It doesn't matter about light technology the vehicle system has to work with the existing RV technology, end of the day the RV brakes have nothing to do with lights and the RV lights have nothing to do with brakes. I can have a disconnected TT plug and energize the brakes with a jumper and not have a single lit light.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4508
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 3:39pm |
Then it automatically applies the setting for that particular trailer.
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4508
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 3:38pm |
My F-150 is like that, I also have a utility trailer that has no brakes and a 4 pin plug. Last time I plugged it in to use it, it told me I had a tail light out, checked and it was right. Changed the bulb and all was set. The Ford mechanic was talking about the wire being broke and the truck realizing when I applied the breaks that it was saying it was disconnected because of the break in the pods break wire breaking some circuit. But when he fixed the wire it worked perfect. When we got the truck, we did have to go through a couple of thing where we programed in and named each trailer. When we plug in the trailer the truck know which one it is.
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2630
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 3:31pm |
The newer F-150s may have another wrinkle. Was just talking to someone with another fairly new F-150. He has a utility trailer without brakes. It not only could tell a trailer was connected, but it also knew it had a bad tail light AND which one. So even though a light was burned out, AND there was not trailer brakes, it still knew there was a trailer there.
Maybe the Ram is just simpler?
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 2:35pm |
Quote from OP: 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.
So bottom line is he has no light problem, he has a TBC issue. And the TBC uses the blue Brake Control signal right to the trailer magnetic brakes to see if there is a power draw, which indicates the brakes are at least receiving a control signal. The blue wire into the brake backing plates. Some trucks know when the lights are connected but they also know when the electronic brake is too, they have too when a braked trailer is being pulled. Two different circuits.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2630
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 11:02am |
Originally posted by Keith-N-Dar
Why would a four pin connector need to interact with the TV. I have never noticed my F150 indicate anything when I pull my boat. When I have the Pod behind if not connected it tells me if I manually try to apply the trailer brakes. unless I initiate an action there is no response from the truck. |
Ours is a 2015. It just seems to know when a trailer is connected regardless of the trailer brake controller. It did it before we even had a TBC. That's why I believe the TBC and trailer sensing are two different things. I am, of course, assuming that the system on a 2017 Ram would be similar.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Location: Mayville, WI
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 10:37am |
Why would a four pin connector need to interact with the TV. I have never noticed my F150 indicate anything when I pull my boat. When I have the Pod behind if not connected it tells me if I manually try to apply the trailer brakes. unless I initiate an action there is no response from the truck.
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers)
2011 R-Pod 177
2010 Ford F-150
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2630
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 9:24am |
Originally posted by mcarter
We'll see when he finishes with trailer check. I can't imagine what a brake controller circuit would use if it didn't monitor brakes. |
We bought our truck without a TBC. When we pulled a trailer using the 4-pin connector, the truck would sense whether a trailer was connected (or not). It didn't have a TBC at all, so I believe that the TBC is not (necessarily) part of the equation. When we added the TBC, in addition to sensing the existence of a trailer, it also knew there was a brake circuit.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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PodWa
Newbie
Joined: 11 Oct 2016
Location: Cheney, WA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 36
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Posted: 03 May 2018 at 9:21am |
Thanks for all the helpful information. I needed some ideas to point me in the right direction. We are working on this and will have the trailer checked out at the dealer's service center next week. I have heard of others with similar problems, and there does not seem to be a common cause. I'm betting that this has something to do with the backing plates that were replaced earlier. I will keep you all informed of what we find.
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