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I admit these controllers and trailer wiring are a mystery to me. No, I didn't get the problem resolved I just got used to the "alarms". I checked many times when the alarm was sounding and everything was working, brakes, lights. Never had time it seemed to take it to a trailer expert.

Losing your trailer brakes is a little different. Seems to me it would be easier to solve. As the wire controlling the brakes must have a fault.
I won't be doing much towing at least for awhile but I'd still like to know the solution. The alarms tend to drive you crazy til you get used to it !
Good luck and let everyone know when you find the solution.

 

Mox575

This article might help you with your brake problem, found on another web site a while back.

This fault popped up once on the road... but could not duplicate. It went into the dealer for some minor issues and popped up for them. Here is what the Invoice says:

TRAILER BRAKE WARNING IS COMING ON DISPLAY IN CLUSTER TEST DROVE AND VARIFIED TRAILER BRAKE COMING ON WHILE DRIVING. CHECKED CODES. FOUND CODE C2803 BRAKE PRESSURE TRANSDUCER SENSOR CIRCUIT FAILURE. PERFORMED PINPOINT TEST AS PER MANUAL. MONITERED BOO PID. FOUND CHANGING WITH BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION. CHECKED BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH. FOUND OK. CHECKED CKTS 3600.3601.3602 FOR SHORTS AND FOR OPEN. FOUND OK. CHECKED CKT 3602 DOE VOLTAGE. FOUND IN SPECS. NECESSARY TO REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER AS PER PINPOINT TEST. REPLACED MASTER. CLEARED CODES. TEST DROVE. RECHECKED. NO CODES PRESENT. ALL OK AT THIS TIME. USED MTIME TO R+1 INSTURMENT PANEL CENTER FINISH PANEL TO ACCESS CONNECTOR C1445.

Parts - 1 5C3Z-2140-HA Cylinder Asy

I have the same issues as the others on here, controler works with two older trailers but acts up with my new flat bed trailer. I have soldered all the connection where they used the little quick connectors at and have installed an extra ground on the truck from the battery to the connection point on the frame rail above the spare tire hopeing this would help.
The ground on the trailer is wired directly to each light and brake so there should not be any problem there, the only thing left is to pull each wheel and check wires there. On other trailer forums I have read of wires being pinched or areas worn down inside the brake hubs, so thats my next spot to look when I get time. I have had the trailer sitting there to look at for a while now but havent had the time to continue looking. Others have used a dielectric greese on the plug with good results, also in looking at how the controler works it see any trailer light malfunction as a fault,
I have a longer article on the controler at home and will try to get it posted here tomorrow
Hope this helps anyony
Jimmy

 

Mox575, thanks for post. My contoller has never "alarmed" without a triler hooked up. Did the dealer get an alarm with no trailer?

I was irriitated with my dealer when he disconnected the behind cab light because he said with my topper on, it may have caused a problem because of th extra brake lights. AND they took for "test drive" which I also thought was dumb because what are they going to find? They could test drive with no trailer forever and not get an alarm. Whatever the problem it only does it when connected to the trailer.

Anyway I kind of hate to rewire my new trailer unless I'm pretty sure that is the cause.

 

On this job they did get an alarm with no trailer hooked up. Dought that your third brake light was the culprit on your problem.
So far everyones post from the different forums I have read, has had a problem with the trailer, most all have indicated that there Dealerships have little or no knowledge as to how to work on the controler and the RV dealers don't either.
I have talked with Tekonsha about the problems as they are the manufacture of this unit, but all they will do is refer you back to Ford for answers.
Still looking for a post I saw by a Ford tech who had worked on a customers truck because of the warning problems, but in short form they changed out the controler and did not solve the problem so tech had customer bring in his new trailer and trouble shot the rig hooked together. What was found on this new trailer was a pinched wire going to one of the brakes and as the brakes were activated it would sometimes cause a fault while moving across the wire. Problem was corrected and to my knowledge it has not come back.

My trailer went all the way to Indiana without a problem, but after it rained I have had a problem ever since. This has to be a coincidence since it has'nt rained any other time I have gotten the alarms.

 

Weevil,

Found a copy of the article I mentioned earlier, it might help you in trouble shooting the problem. Don't remember which site it came from but the info is good to have.

Here you go. Enjoy

THE ITBC ONLY MONITORS THE BRAKE CIRCUIT TO GROUND AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE. NOT LIGHTS, NOT B+, NOT BRAKE AWAY WIRING.

There should be no connection from the brake circuit to the brake away battery, unless the trailer is wired wrong or the switch is tripped. The 12V 'B+' circuit charges the brake away, then if activated, sends its current to the brakes, to stop the trailer.

Replacing the late model for the early model ITBC will do NOTHING to stop trailer disconnect/fault message problems. The only difference between the two is the voltage/amperage allowed when going slow. They both check the trailer in exactly the same manner; their programming is all the same, except for the lower slow speed output by the early controller.

Here is how the controller checks the trailer:
After the truck is moving, it sends a small voltage into the brake circuit. (were talking milliamps here) In sending the voltage, it induces a magnetic field in the brakes' coils, much like the charge period of an ignition coil. It watches that. Then when it turns off voltage, it watches for the collapse of the magnetic field and the induced return voltage, EXACTLY the way an ignition coil reacts. It does this over and over and over, hundreds of times a second. Same thing when applying the brakes. It looks for the charge of the coils, or current ramp up. It also watches the coils' fields discharge when letting off the brakes. In addition it watches for a certain maximum amp draw, which is why it is limited in the number of axles it can be used with. If any of these parameters change while moving or the amps are over max load, it senses a fault.

Several truck/trailers I have serviced have simply needed more robust grounds in the trailer's wiring to its connector and to the frame of the trailer. Many trailers (especially aluminum) gang the lights and brake return grounds together on small, insufficient wiring. Definite no no... Feedback from the brake lights can and will set an intermittent disconnect/fault.

Lets give you an example of one of my customers...
Nearly every time he hit the brakes he got the disconnect warning. Took the trailer to the trailer shop. They checked it over with the same old antiquated tester they always use. Trailer tested normal the old fashioned way, so they said that his truck was at fault. HE brought it to me and demanded the newer controller. We installed it to make him happy... Trailer disconnect showed on controller the first time he hooked up. Had him bring the trailer to the shop with the truck. Found that there was feedback from the brake lamps on the trailer making the signal back to the ITBC dirty. Added an additional trailer frame ground to the circuit. Problem solved. No more dirty signal, no more disconnect warning.

I understand the frustration. Both service departments pointing fingers. This is new technology and few Ford techs understand the monitor portion of the ITBC as there is very little info in the workshop manuals, and almost none of the trailer guys know about it.

I have a Tekonshea (sp?) trailer emulator. It is a cheap and effective tool for diagnosing these problems. (A lab scope doesn't hurt either) Plug the simulator in and it simulates the loads a trailer would put on the truck's wiring. IF the truck doesn't have problems with the emulator installed, it has to be in the trailer. The larger emulator is ok, but cost prohibitive and it can be set wrong, which gives the wrong results. The small one is the best way to go.

As far as one trailer working correctly and the other not, it has to be the trailer that is not working correctly in accordance with the way that the ITBC monitors the trailer. The ITBC is absolutely intolerant of substandard wiring and/or brakes, and quite frankly that makes me feel a lot better about being on the road with them. REMEMBER THIS SYSTEM IS THE "INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER" AND THE SYSTEM MUST BE DIAGNOSED AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST THE TRUCK OR JUST THE TRAILER.

 

loadmax, thanks. My alarms have never been related to applying brakes but after reading that I kinda think it's some weak ground in the trailer somewhere.
Even though the trailer (flat bed car hauler) is new, it could be the ground is not good enough for this controller. Maybe some older controllers or some other make and there would be no problem. So when I get some time I'm going to try to checkout the ground connections on the trailer and wire size and see if I can find something.
thanks again

 

Weevil,
your welcome

Hope you find the problem it is dificult to chase down an electrical problem when it is not always constant, just when you think you have found the problem it reapears. I thought I had when I replaced the quick splices they had used, the trailer and controler worked fine for two days and then started acting up again. This problem is on a new trailer too, my 5th wheel works just fine on the ITBC and both trailers work fine with the Tekonsha Prodigy controler I have in another truck. Guess I will be pulling all four wheels off and looking there sometime soon. This trailer does not have a ground to the frame, each light and brake are all wired into a harness, I may add a ground to the frame first to see if this cleares it up.

 

The quick splices do look suspicious and I thought too it might be a good place to start. Maybe not ! Well keep us posted. I have too many projects so won't get to trailer for quite awhile.