I have a F - 350, king ranch, 6.0, 4x4, 8'bed, etc.: When I first took delivery the brake controller did not work. Previously I had my trailer hooked to a 2003 6.0 Excursion with prodigy brake control setup. I never had a problem.

I am ready to leave on a trip with trailer and the brakes don't work again. Last time I took the truck to Alan Vigil in Atlanta, and they didn't do anything, but after 14 hours in shop, the trailer brakes work.

I don't have the time to waste another 14 hours. Can anyone give me a fix. It has to be a recurring problem. I checked fuses and obvious, light goes red to green, tried from 1 up thru 10, NO BRAKES in Macon, GA.

Any help, please send me an email at rmosso1@bellsouth.net. Thanks much to all.

 

I'm sure some others will jump in on here, but having read through dozens of these types of threads, almost all of them were related to wiring issues on the trailer side.

To that end, pull out a multimeter & check the trailer cabling for continuity or lack thereof between the various wire runs. This could very well help you track down a short, dead ground, or broken run.

And, out of curiousity, how are the brakes setup on the trailer? Are they straight electric or electric over hydraulic?

 

2005 truck, 12,000 miles, straight electric. Two Ford garages tell me the Ford controller is self diagnostic, in that if it goes red to green, all is ok. All is ok, but no brakes. Pulling the actuator shows all ok, as does depressing brake pedal. Trailer bot new 19 months ago, with 13,000 miles total on trailer by "I count 'em" odo.

 

The controller in your 03 and the 05 are basically the same. Does your trailer have a break-away switch? Disconnect from your truck, and pull the break-away switch. Do the brakes come on? Do the lights come on the trailer when you hit the brakes?

The controller turns green, if it gets a feedback from the trailer. It doesn't really test anything.

The random problems I had led to a bad connection at the battery for the break-away switch.

You can google Marks RV, for pinouts and wire diagrams, and trouble-shooting tips.

 

check the ground wire in the female connector sounds like you have a short somewhere
does the fuse pop when the trailer is connectd to the truck ?

if not sounds like a bad controller

 

The last time this same thing happened Allan Vigil Ford in Atlanta said they did nothing after 14 hours in the shop. However, the brakes then worked. From what I understand, if the built in controller goes from red to green, and the numbers adjust from 1 to 10, the controller is communicating with the trailer. Checked both fuses that refer to "trailer brakes" and they are ok. I did note that it appears someone had the entire fuse panel out as one of the bottom retainer bolts of fuse box is replaced on a skew and not in a detent position. I will wait till I get up to PA, hopefully, and then try another FORD garage. I called the Macon Ford service manager., and the Vigil Ford service manager, neither one called me back.

 

First, I just had the wife push the brake pedal, and yes, the brake lights come on, with or without the parking lights. I do have a break away switch. A little too dark outside to work on further tonight. I checked the battery connectors on the break away battery earlier today, and no corrosion, however I will follow that lead tomorrow. Seems somewhat incredulous that the break away battery would cause the breaks to trailer not to work. There is only about two feet from the break away battery to break away switch so that is an easy one to check out. Everything is right in front of you, but the trailer is loaded and I'll use chock blocks or my problem might end up in Warner Robbins, from my home in north Bibb County! Thanks for your input.

 

I have electric/hydraulic disc brakes on my flatbed gooseneck. Somehow the controller on the trailer tests to see if the battery is there, and is charged. If not, my brakes don't work. I complained about it, to the guy who built the trailer, seems to me, it shouldn't stop the brakes from working, but at the same time, it makes sure your break-away system is functioning.

I have a 6-pin in the bed for the gooseneck, and have a separate controller for it. The 7-pin at the receiver, is wired to the built in Ford controller. I have yet to even use it.

On mine, you have to disconnect from the truck, before pulling the break-away, or it will fry the in-cab controller. Texas DOT cost me a controller, when he pulled it during a road side inspection. There is a warning sticker on the battery, but the DOT officer didn't see it, and I was putting my papers back in the truck when he did it. I was almost home, and empty. The shop where the trailer was built replaced it under warranty.

Most RV shops will have the small tester that is really just the magnet unit off of a trailer. (Some may have a fancy electronic tester with leds) You could just plug into it, to see if the problem is on the truck side, or trailer. They have never charged me just for checking the truck.

 

In my case, if the truck was not moving, it would not actuate the trailer brakes. I found this out after jacking up the trailer, spinning the wheels and pressing the brake...nothing. If I pulled the breakaway switch or used the manual slider in the cab, it would lock them up. However, once you're over a certain speed, seems like 5-10mph, then the Towcommand kicks in and sends full voltage to the trailer via the pedal, working perfectly.

I guess it has something to do with the ABS system on the truck and how they are tied into each other.

The best way to test it would be to go down the street with an empty trailer, get to about 20mph and hit the brakes, they should lock up with the proper gain setting.

I was truly baffled when I was trying to figure it out as well.

 

2DLAKE: Thanks for your input. I spent about five hours this morning. Took off all the grounds, connectors, cleaned and replaced. SAME. Again, as if by DIVINE intervention, yep, mine started to work. You must be right, but it seems they work at about 20 mph. I have a custom made tandem box, with heavy specs, 16" rubber, etc. Originally I was going to pull my T-180 Bob cat, but too tough as in is enclosed. I am going to order a new trailer with same specs. But, here is my solution. I will pay someone to reconnect my "PRODIGY" BRAKE CONTTROLLER. Here is my gripe. I go from south to north. One of the reasons you have a brake applicator in the cab is for wet or icy weather. Am I to suppose that my trailer will not try to pass me at 10 mph, or 15 mph going down a hill, on ice, when braking? Is it really at 18 mph or 20 mph. Now it's a safety issue. I am too old to fight that battle. Ford should "GET OUT" of the brake controller business. And if they stay in, is it too much to ask a service bulletin to consumers? Or to garages? No one ever told me about the sporadic operation of this brake system. I am not going to rag on Ford. They have enough problems. Thanks again. I will have brakes, for sure brakes, when I put on the prodigy controller. The Ford controller was a worthless $225. option.

 

The lack of brake application under a certain speed was addressed by a TSB, and updated versions of the controller functioned appropriately at all speeds. The TBC on my '05 F350 works fine, even at low speed.

 

Good for you. Mine doesn't. Truck been in garage five times. No one ever updated. Irks me to no end. They have my address. Bull. Now I am even madder, if there is a fix, I called, went to garage, and NOT FIXED. BULL.

 

Gee, and here I thought you might appreciate some help. Go track the TSB down (it's been posted here) and take it with you and demand they follow what it says.

Sounds like you're the type that would rather sit around crying than actually do something about your problem.

 

Yes, Ford has re-designed the TBC to work all the time now.

My 2006 is great...my 2005 was the same as yours...didn't work under 10 mph..

 

All I want are safe brakes. I already spoke to a neighbor here in PA at our summer/winter home. He works at a Ford garage and I will try to get an appointment for next week. I, too, believe in self help! While born a screamer, I am trying to adapt before my time here ends! At 63, I doubt I can adapt! Take a look at William Shatner on Boston Legal. He is trying to adapt!!!!

But honest, I went to the garage, a minimum of four times. Two in Macon, GA and two in Atlanta. I wanted to wring the little dude's neck when he showed me in Atlanta that my brakes worked as he smoked my trailer tires.

Final question. Prior to latest 6.0 reset, my brakes worked. Will resetting the shifting points, etc. change the brakes? If that is a positive answer, then probably what happened was they fixed the "turbo chatter" etc., and screwed up the brakes, because when I left Atlanta, months ago, the brakes worked. When I left Macon, GA garage, weeks ago, after hooking up, old brake problem.

And, I placed four telephone calls. One to each service writer at Riverside Ford in Macon, and one to service writer at Allan Vigil in Atlanta, where I bot the truck. Also, called and left a message, separate call to the Service Manager at each dealership.

Trust me, in my hay day, I ran five shops with KW, and BULL like this, would get a quick boot to the door for the BAD guys. Why not just tell me there is a fix??? Why make me go thru all the BULL like I did, as everyone reading this knows, most problems are with the trailer.

I DO NOT read all service bulletins for my F - 350. I bot a new T - 180 about the same time as the F - 350 for about the same amount of money. Guess what. Same hours on both pieces. NEVER a problem with the KUBOTA diesel.

Thanks all for your help. Without your help, I would have been cutting wires.