Trailer Disconnected Message
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Trailer Disconnected Message
I have had my 2017 F150 4x4 5.0 for 7 months now and I was towing my flatbed utility trailer with a UTV tied down on the trailer. I received the 'TRAILER DISCONNECTED" message litterally about 100 times going 70 miles each way. I stopped and checked all the connections and the brake controler each way.
Anyone else had this problem and what did you do to resolve it?
Any help will be appreciated.
Anyone else had this problem and what did you do to resolve it?
Any help will be appreciated.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 65,938
Likes: 1,432
From: Millersville, MD
Most have found that the ground lead wasn't wired through to the trailer. DO NOT DEPEND on the electrical ground via the trailer ball onto your truck. To check, raise the trailer with the plug in and see if you have the trailer disconnected lite. Then drop the trailer back onto the ball and see if it goes out. If it does, you do NOT have a wired ground thru the plug.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
The disconnect message is very common. Bad ground is the most common, but also anything that breaks the connection to the trailer brakes as that is the circuit the controller is looking for. Checking the grounding issue is very easy to do with a jumper cable making good contact on the trailer and the truck frame.
On trucks with some miles on them, the back side of the seven pin on the truck gets corroded and will literally rust off inside and that is another common issue. The ground pin is in a vulnerable position on the seven pin. You can separate the back of the seven pin to check that issue.
On trucks with some miles on them, the back side of the seven pin on the truck gets corroded and will literally rust off inside and that is another common issue. The ground pin is in a vulnerable position on the seven pin. You can separate the back of the seven pin to check that issue.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 466
Likes: 5
I had the very same issue on my 2011 F250 Diesel when I owned it. It's a long story, but I'll make it short. The brand of receptacle on the Ford truck is a different brand than most of the trailer plugs. And even though they are supposed to be made to have a "universal fit" capability, it seems that some brands of of plugs that are on the trailer do not fit as tightly as they should to keep a good connection. So here is what I did and it fixed the problem....YMMV.
I bought a Velcro strap about 3/4" wide and about a foot long. After I plugged in the trailer to the truck, I wrapped the Velcro as tight as I could around the plug and the cover door for the receptacle. The cover door has a little tab on it that is supposed to help hold the plug firmly in place. The Velcro strap helps assure that the cover door stays firm against the trailer plug. After doing this, I never had another issue of getting the trailer disconnected warning light......in like 4 years of using it. You might want to try it, its a cheap fix if it works for yours.
I bought a Velcro strap about 3/4" wide and about a foot long. After I plugged in the trailer to the truck, I wrapped the Velcro as tight as I could around the plug and the cover door for the receptacle. The cover door has a little tab on it that is supposed to help hold the plug firmly in place. The Velcro strap helps assure that the cover door stays firm against the trailer plug. After doing this, I never had another issue of getting the trailer disconnected warning light......in like 4 years of using it. You might want to try it, its a cheap fix if it works for yours.
Thread Starter
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
At this point I am so disappointed and pissed at my new Ford truck I would be willing to trade it on on a new Chevy just because of the stupid "TRAILER DISCONNEDED" message. Did a 130 mile trip with my trailer yesterday and the message would pop up about every two minutes. Anybody got a can of gas and book of matches! I think it is also a software issue.
I have a 10 gage wire grounded to the frame and the other end is on the trailer ground. Still get the message.
I have a 10 gage wire grounded to the frame and the other end is on the trailer ground. Still get the message.
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 41
Likes: 8
From: Ontario
We change alot of the trailer plug in the bumper. They look ok but internally they are shorting. Part number is Fu5z 14489 a
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542
Likes: 22
From: Murphysboro, IL
The truck is looking for a battery being charged for the break away system, if you take the battery out, unhook it or have some other issue with it you will get that message. If you don't have a battery the brakes will not work via the manual slide lever and it will show no trailer connected.
This message will also come up with a poor ground.
This message will also come up with a poor ground.
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Mine did that with a bad connection for the right rear brake light. Fixed connection for the light and haven't had trailer disconnect message since. Drove me nuts because light would work when stopped but hit a bump and the connection light would go on and off
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
Likes: 12,822
From: Wyoming
These new trucks are smart. I think the truck knows about a problem that you don't.
My brake away cable became disconnected while on the road and the truck realized that and displayed a warning/error.
My brake away cable became disconnected while on the road and the truck realized that and displayed a warning/error.
Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 76
Likes: 3
From: Gallatin, Tn.
I have this problem as well, but I’ve isolated it to my 20’ trailer. Constantly displaying the trailer connected then trailer disconnected messages while towing it.
All the lights seem to be working, but manually applying brakes does nothing.
I guess that I need to look for an intermittent ground on the brakes first?
All the lights seem to be working, but manually applying brakes does nothing.
I guess that I need to look for an intermittent ground on the brakes first?
Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 90
Likes: 4
For those of you that are conventional towing check out TSB 18-2106, it refers to the plug cover in the bumper. Another try that works with some is to wrap the plug and cover with a velcro strap to secure the plug. My 2017 F-450 faults on both bumper and 5er. Good Luck.
Thread Starter
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
May have finally resolved the trailer disconnect issue. Talked to a trailer technician at Big Tex. He told me crawl under the trailer where the electronic brakes. On my trailer it is the rear wheels only. He told me to put a splice in from the ground wire on the electronic brake to the frame. Easy way to determine which wire is with a test light rather than an ohmmeter.
I put a splice into the ground wire and connected it to the trailer frame. Then I took a 25 to 30-mile drive not one Ding-A-Ling not one trailer brake disconnect message. I will have to do a longer drive to be sure, but I think I may hit the magic formula.
He mentioned the ground on the electronic brake is not always the best.
I put a splice into the ground wire and connected it to the trailer frame. Then I took a 25 to 30-mile drive not one Ding-A-Ling not one trailer brake disconnect message. I will have to do a longer drive to be sure, but I think I may hit the magic formula.
He mentioned the ground on the electronic brake is not always the best.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,465
Likes: 725
From: Calgary Canada
May have finally resolved the trailer disconnect issue. Talked to a trailer technician at Big Tex. He told me crawl under the trailer where the electronic brakes. On my trailer it is the rear wheels only. He told me to put a splice in from the ground wire on the electronic brake to the frame. Easy way to determine which wire is with a test light rather than an ohmmeter.
I put a splice into the ground wire and connected it to the trailer frame. Then I took a 25 to 30-mile drive not one Ding-A-Ling not one trailer brake disconnect message. I will have to do a longer drive to be sure, but I think I may hit the magic formula.
He mentioned the ground on the electronic brake is not always the best.
I put a splice into the ground wire and connected it to the trailer frame. Then I took a 25 to 30-mile drive not one Ding-A-Ling not one trailer brake disconnect message. I will have to do a longer drive to be sure, but I think I may hit the magic formula.
He mentioned the ground on the electronic brake is not always the best.
New User
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
I have an issue with my 2017 f350, I plug in my goose neck trailer and I have lights, turn signals, but when I go to use my trailer breaks the display shows not trailer connected??? I know it is not my trailer due to my buddy has the same truck, and he plugs my trailer in and he does not have the same problem. I have also plugged into the bumper receptacle and get the same results..