Intergrated trailer brake controller fault
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Southwest Desert, AZ
Intergrated trailer brake controller fault
Finally had enough of the trailer fault warning message and trailer brakes not working.
Used an older model battery charger (these do not sense a battery and will put out enough amperage for troubleshooting purposes), and a friend and here's what we found.
While putting power on the trailer connector at the trailer brake blade(while looking at trailer side connecter, it's at the 7oclock position with the keyway up) using a multimeter, we checked for 12 VDC at each trailer brake assembly. Found them to be good on all axles.
Prior to this test I hooked up a pair of jumper cables from the truck frame and the trailer frame and the fault had gone away.
So suspecting the ground we went to the trailer junction box (under the 2nd trailer frame crossmember) and removed the ground wire and reterminated it to a freshly cleaned of paint and rust, bare steel spot.
Trailer brakes now work as advertised. No more "TRAILER FAULTS" when appling brakes.
FYI I had just finished installing brake hubs on my 16' utility trailer and they worked first time so I knew the truck was fine.
Hope this helps somebody else.
Used an older model battery charger (these do not sense a battery and will put out enough amperage for troubleshooting purposes), and a friend and here's what we found.
While putting power on the trailer connector at the trailer brake blade(while looking at trailer side connecter, it's at the 7oclock position with the keyway up) using a multimeter, we checked for 12 VDC at each trailer brake assembly. Found them to be good on all axles.
Prior to this test I hooked up a pair of jumper cables from the truck frame and the trailer frame and the fault had gone away.
So suspecting the ground we went to the trailer junction box (under the 2nd trailer frame crossmember) and removed the ground wire and reterminated it to a freshly cleaned of paint and rust, bare steel spot.
Trailer brakes now work as advertised. No more "TRAILER FAULTS" when appling brakes.
FYI I had just finished installing brake hubs on my 16' utility trailer and they worked first time so I knew the truck was fine.
Hope this helps somebody else.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Martinsburg, WV
Glad you figured it out. A bad ground is always a troublesome culprit, be it brakes, lights or whatever. It's amazing the number of people that think the trailer is supposed to ground via the hitch...
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Home Base Nebraska
Your trailer brakes shouldn't need a ground to the frame. The two lead wire that goes to the brakes gets its ground from the trailer plug, the trailer does get its ground from the brake leads for the lights. I think you have a ground problem at the trailer plug on the truck or you don't have a good ground connection in the plug going to the trailer. The ground should be hardwired all the way from the truck to the brakes.
Denny
Denny
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From: Southwest Desert, AZ
Trailer fault again...again,.. and again. Still getting trailer fault and trailer disconnected. Will be pulling wheels asap. Insp each brake assmbly.
Did have 12 volts at each brake when checked 2 weeks ago, using a battery and jumper wires. You can hear them work.
Checked truck side for corrosion and dirt. Clean as a whistle.
As I posted earlier, wired up new brakes on utility trailer. They work fine and no faults on truck display.
Any ideas would be appreciated. thanx in advance.
Did have 12 volts at each brake when checked 2 weeks ago, using a battery and jumper wires. You can hear them work.
Checked truck side for corrosion and dirt. Clean as a whistle.
As I posted earlier, wired up new brakes on utility trailer. They work fine and no faults on truck display.
Any ideas would be appreciated. thanx in advance.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,533
Likes: 929
From: Home Base Nebraska
I still think you have a ground wire problem from the trailer plug (white wire) to the brakes. You CAN NOT rely one the frame ground for the brakes because the hitch is not a good enough ground path to the truck it has to have the ground wire all the way to the truck. It will work most the times for the lights but with the new controllers that check for the brakes there has to be a continuous circuit all the time and you can not get that with grounding through the hitch, the resistance is to high and if you are using a receiver any little rust will cause a open circuit.
If you have a plug that looks like the one on the left go buy one that looks like one on the right, the one on the left drove me nuts because of problems like you are describing.
Denny
If you have a plug that looks like the one on the left go buy one that looks like one on the right, the one on the left drove me nuts because of problems like you are describing.
Denny
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
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From: Bristol, TN.
Trailer fault again...again,.. and again. Still getting trailer fault and trailer disconnected. Will be pulling wheels asap. Insp each brake assmbly.
Did have 12 volts at each brake when checked 2 weeks ago, using a battery and jumper wires. You can hear them work.
Checked truck side for corrosion and dirt. Clean as a whistle.
As I posted earlier, wired up new brakes on utility trailer. They work fine and no faults on truck display.
Any ideas would be appreciated. thanx in advance.
Did have 12 volts at each brake when checked 2 weeks ago, using a battery and jumper wires. You can hear them work.
Checked truck side for corrosion and dirt. Clean as a whistle.
As I posted earlier, wired up new brakes on utility trailer. They work fine and no faults on truck display.
Any ideas would be appreciated. thanx in advance.
Steve
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 306
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From: Southwest Desert, AZ
That's correct RV Tech. Installed a new trailer cable to the trailer junction box this past summer. No joy. Works fine with my utility trailer. Brakes on front hubs of utility trailer. Starting to suspect low amperage with 4 brakes on toy hauler.
Will pickup new style trailer connector tomorrow per rvpuller
Will pickup new style trailer connector tomorrow per rvpuller
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
That's correct RV Tech. Installed a new trailer cable to the trailer junction box this past summer. No joy. Works fine with my utility trailer. Brakes on front hubs of utility trailer. Starting to suspect low amperage with 4 brakes on toy hauler.
Will pickup new style trailer connector tomorrow per rvpuller
Will pickup new style trailer connector tomorrow per rvpuller
That leaves the connection between the seven pin cord on the trailer to the seven pin receptacle on your truck. Although many folks focus on the face of the plug they can see, Ford seven pin receptacles are extremely susceptible to water penetration at the back of receptacle where the pigtail plugs in. It is not unusual to find the ground pin almost completely rusted off on the back side.
I agree with Denny as to the most likely cause of your trouble. Anytime there is a problem with a 12-volt circuit, there is at least an 80% probability it is a grounding issue.
Good luck,
Steve
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Southwest Desert, AZ
OK so I fought the good fight this weekend. Put in 8 hours of trouble shooting on trailer brakes.
Grounds are good. jacked up trailer, spun wheels and applied 12 vdc to brake pin. Stopped instantly. Towed my singel axle trailer again. They work just fine.
Cut wires going to each brake-one at a time. Even with all trailer brake wires cut I still get trailer disconnect and trailer faults in my odometer window.
Brakes seem to work intermittantly, like it resets in the logic of the Integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC) then they go back to fault/disconnect.
Pulling my hair out. Next it'll be rewire of the whole trailer harness.
Also tried jumper cables from the truck to the trailer--no joy.
Need to find a close to year of my truck and have someelse tow it for a test.
Please help or send the guys in the white coats to my place. hahahahahahaha thats lunatic laughter.
Grounds are good. jacked up trailer, spun wheels and applied 12 vdc to brake pin. Stopped instantly. Towed my singel axle trailer again. They work just fine.
Cut wires going to each brake-one at a time. Even with all trailer brake wires cut I still get trailer disconnect and trailer faults in my odometer window.
Brakes seem to work intermittantly, like it resets in the logic of the Integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC) then they go back to fault/disconnect.
Pulling my hair out. Next it'll be rewire of the whole trailer harness.
Also tried jumper cables from the truck to the trailer--no joy.
Need to find a close to year of my truck and have someelse tow it for a test.
Please help or send the guys in the white coats to my place. hahahahahahaha thats lunatic laughter.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Steve
Last edited by RV_Tech; Jan 2, 2013 at 01:58 PM. Reason: added
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Martinsburg, WV
Wait a minute, you say integrated as in Factory? If so it will not actuate sitting still if I remember correctly. Doesn't do much for the trailer fault though... Also verify the wiring on the trailer to make sure they are going to the correct pins, If it does not match the truck, It could be throwing the controller off.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,533
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From: Home Base Nebraska
I would put 12 volts directly to the blue (+) and white (-) wire at the plug without being hitched to the truck and see if the brakes work, if they do it's not in the trailer. If they don't work you have a wiring problem in the trailer not the truck. If they don't work the first thing I would do is take a continuity check on the cord itself and see if it has a broken wire.
Denny
Denny
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Wait a minute, you say integrated as in Factory? If so it will not actuate sitting still if I remember correctly. Doesn't do much for the trailer fault though... Also verify the wiring on the trailer to make sure they are going to the correct pins, If it does not match the truck, It could be throwing the controller off.
Basically his controller monitor is telling him he has an open circuit as I understand it.
Steve
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From: Southwest Desert, AZ
As I understand it the ITBC puts out 0 voltage unless moving at 5 mph+. Next test is to see if I'm getting any voltage on the plug while moving, even if I gotta hang off the back of the truck. Does anyone know for a fact that you can move the ITBC lever and get voltage, even standing still? I put 12 volts from the onboard rv battery to the blue wire pin and with the trailer wheels jacked off (pardon the pun) the ground and spun by hand they stop almost instantly. I suspect the wiring on the trailer so after the above test I will remove and reroute 10 gauge wire to all four brakes. I do not suspect the ITBC due to the fact that it works on my newly rewired utility trailer. As I stated before everything else works except the brakes. Does Ford have a tech assist phone #?