Factory Brake Controller Question/Issue

[Tom Schindler]

I recently picked up a 23 foot expandable trailer to take my family to Florida this winter. The cost savings alone with a camp site vs. a hotel will pay for the trailer and fuel since we are going to end up in the Florida Keys.

I have a 16' flat bed trailer that doesn't have this issue, so I am pretty sire it isn't the truck itself but something in the trailer.

The system keeps connecting and then disconnecting the trailer while driving. Says "Trailer disconnected" and a short time later "Trailer Connected". When "Disconnected", the lights and brakes work as normal.

The camping trailer has 6 of the wires used (Ground, Aux, Brake, running, left, right) while the flatbed is only 5 (Brake, ground, left, right, running).

I replaced the plug on the trailer since the old plug was in pretty bad shape and was doing the same thing as the new plug is.

How does the system know if a trailer is or is not connected?

 

[Tom Schindler]

I think I found an answer. Will let you all know if it works.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Back to the drawing board. Still doing it. All connections, to the best of my knowledge, are good. Still getting connect and then disconnect. Everything works including brakes. The ding ding ding drives me nuts.

Anyone willing to offer any assistance?

 

[shane_th_ee]

If you haven’t already, check the trailer’s battery connections, the wiring from the trailer’s negative battery terminal and the connection from the “ground” wire on the trailer harness to the trailer frame/trailer’s negative battery terminal...

 

[Tom Schindler]

Shane,

Thanks for the reply!

Connections look solid. I am going to reconnect each connection and see if it works.

The part that drives me nuts is when it says “trailer disconnected” everything works. Brakes, lights, etc.

Going to keep digging.

Thanks again!

 

[brhulen]

It does the exact same thing on my King Ranch F350. And it does it on all three trailers that I pull so it's definitely not your trailer. Although you say everything still works when it chimes I think you'll find out your electric brakes do not. So I suspect it has something to do with the electric brake wire in the outlet. Mine is going in to the local Ford dealership for that and other issues and I'll let you know what the result was. In the meantime check the outlet.

 

[rollinstone]

Possible your electric brakes won't work, but double check by using the manual finger brake control. If the brakes don't work, there's a problem.

 

[brhulen]

My brakes will not work when the "trailer disconnected" messages appears, even though the lights still work. I did try the manual controller and they still won't work.

 

[rollinstone]

My brakes will not work when the "trailer disconnected" messages appears, even though the lights still work. I did try the manual controller and they still won't work.

Unless you have the electrical systems skills, I'd have that looked at.

 

[Cyclone]

I also had a issue where I was getting trailer disconnected when it was connected and the lights were fully functional. I disconnected and reconnected the plug and it started to work.