Trailer disconnected message
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 391
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From: Frisco, TX
Trailer disconnected message
Hey guys,
2012 F250 Lariat with 18k on the clock. FOr the past two months I've had a temporary side job on weekends and had to haul some trailers. I noticed my trailer gain operates sporadically and if I try and adjust it she tells me there's no trailer connected. I've edited the settings and reset all the settings also. I find this particularly annoying when towing the 4,000 lb trailer but I'm also hauling single axle trailers and it hasn't registered that I'm towing once. Any ideas of previous happenings amongst you?
Thanks.
2012 F250 Lariat with 18k on the clock. FOr the past two months I've had a temporary side job on weekends and had to haul some trailers. I noticed my trailer gain operates sporadically and if I try and adjust it she tells me there's no trailer connected. I've edited the settings and reset all the settings also. I find this particularly annoying when towing the 4,000 lb trailer but I'm also hauling single axle trailers and it hasn't registered that I'm towing once. Any ideas of previous happenings amongst you?
Thanks.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 176
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From: Schaefferstown, PA
I had something like that happen a couple years ago with my old 2010 F-250. It turned out to be just a dirty connector in the trailer plug. IIRC, the system is looking for the resistance of the trailer break magnets to determine if a trailer is connected. A poor connection between the truck and trailer can cause all sorts of squirrelly stuff!
We also had a 2006 F-250 that had water get into the back of the connector and corroded the wires. That caused all kinds of goofy things.
We also had a 2006 F-250 that had water get into the back of the connector and corroded the wires. That caused all kinds of goofy things.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 5
From: Maryland
Most single axle trailers don't have brakes. Are you sure that these trailers do? I get the trailer disconnected message occasionally with my fifth wheel. It is always the connection at the plug. I have found if I wiggle the plug in really tight when I hook up, I don't have the problem.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2012
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From: Frisco, TX
No brakes on the single axle, just aggravating backup sensors and although you can turn them off its a pain. Just want everything to work right on a 60k truck. I will check plugs and connector again. Thanks
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,598
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From: Maryland
If the trailer doesn't have brakes, the truck is not going to recognize the trailer. There has been a lot of discussion about this and I don't think anybody has come up with a solution. The way I understand it, the brake controller sends a pulse signal to the brakes and if it does not sense a ground it assumes that there is no trailer. There has been talk of sticking a brake magnet in the bed of the truck and wiring it into the plug, but I haven't seen anybody report that they have done it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,314
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Obviously it's a 7 pin connector correct ? a 4 pin connector will not register that a trailer is there...
but even my 5th wheels 7 pin will give me that if I don't take the time to seat it well and make sure the "catch" on the plug cover has captured the plug so it won't vibrate back out...
(with 15k behind you, you KNOW when the rv's brakes aren't working !!!!)
but even my 5th wheels 7 pin will give me that if I don't take the time to seat it well and make sure the "catch" on the plug cover has captured the plug so it won't vibrate back out...
(with 15k behind you, you KNOW when the rv's brakes aren't working !!!!)
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Senior User
Joined: May 2012
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From: Frisco, TX
It recognizes the trailer sometimes using the 7 pin adapter but not the 4 pin plugged straight in
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 306
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From: FLG AZ
Montey, on the 4 pin, there are not brakes so the truck won't recognize there is a trailer there. When you get the intermittent "Trailer Not Connected" msg when using the 7 pin, it means you've got a problem with the brake circuit somewhere. Could be the truck (less likely) or the trailer (more likely). Does it happen with all 7 pin brake equipped trailers or only one or two? All of them would suggest the truck, one or two, the trailer. May want to ensure that the 7 pin plug on the trailers is clean and making good contact. A little di-electric grease never hurts to keep those contacts from corroding.
I had an intermittent just like you describe with my 14K GN and didn't need the truck to tell me the trailer brakes were not working. Turns out there were a number of problems with the wiring on the trailer. Replaced it all and have not seen that message since.
I had an intermittent just like you describe with my 14K GN and didn't need the truck to tell me the trailer brakes were not working. Turns out there were a number of problems with the wiring on the trailer. Replaced it all and have not seen that message since.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2012
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From: Frisco, TX
When you say brake circuit are you referring to the entire circuit or maybe the fuses? I have a very clean 4 pin and the trailer was re-wired recently. I did haul a 7 pin trailer with brakes and it recognized the trailer but then starting acting up again when I adjusted the gain.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,598
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From: Maryland
You need to understand that the brake controller is not wired to the 4 pin connector therefore it will never recognize a trailer connected via the 4 pin. The only time the truck is going to recognize and trailer being connected is through the 7 pin and only if the trailer has working brakes.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,598
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From: Maryland
You either have a trailer with brake wiring issues or it is a connection issue with the plug. I used to get the message randomly but ever since I started wiggling the plug and making sure it is pushed in as far as it can go, no more message. The earlier suggestion of dielectric grease is a good one. Make sure all the connections are clean and apply some dielectric grease especially on the trailer plug. Trailer plugs are usually the culprit because they sit out in the weather and sometimes people aren't careful to position them so water doesn't get into them when they park the trailer.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2004
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From: Melbourne, Aus
You either have a trailer with brake wiring issues or it is a connection issue with the plug. I used to get the message randomly but ever since I started wiggling the plug and making sure it is pushed in as far as it can go, no more message. The earlier suggestion of dielectric grease is a good one. Make sure all the connections are clean and apply some dielectric grease especially on the trailer plug. Trailer plugs are usually the culprit because they sit out in the weather and sometimes people aren't careful to position them so water doesn't get into them when they park the trailer.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2012
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From: Frisco, TX
ok I've had it. This weekend while pulling the trailer with a 7 pin connector it started telling me i had a trailer connected and moments later it was disconnected. This charade went on for 45 minutes (on/off/on/off) with a nuisance tone. Would this be in the computer system that's tripping the sensor or wiring