Troubleshooting Brake Controller that Only Works After Hitting Brakes the Three Times

Question:

I recently installed the prodigy p2 brake controller w/quick connect plug in my 2005 chevy Silverado 2500 hd . it isnt operating correctly . all the codes come on and can be seen as suppose to but the trailer brakes dont come on until the 3rd pump of the brakes . while driving down the road and sliding manual brake slide the brakes dont work until the 3rd time the slide knob is slid over to the left . as I said all the display readings seem to be correct but the brakes are not working until the 3rd pump of the pedal or 3rd slide of the manual knob . any ideas what could be the problem ? thanks

asked by: Bruce Z

Expert Reply:

That is a very odd problem you are experiencing with your Prodigy P2 Brake Controller part # 90885. We need to test your controller though so that we can determine if the problem is internal of the brake controller first.

Testing the brake controller is fairly easy. Sever the blue brake output wire near the brake controller leaving enough room to reconnect it and then apply the manual slide. Using a circuit tester like part # PTW2993, you should get output to the controller side of the wire you severed. If the manual slide activates the trailer brake output wire properly, try the brake pedal. If the brake pedal activates the brake output properly also then the problem is farther back either in the vehicle wiring or on the trailer.

If either the brake pedal or the manual slide are not functioning properly you will need to test the wires going into the brake controller. Make sure you have power entering the brake controller on the black wire. On the red wire you will only want power when the brake pedal is pressed.

If there is power on the red wire before the brake pedal is pressed you have connected the red wire from the brake controller to the wrong circuit. You would then need to find the brake switch wire that has power ONLY when the brake pedal is activated.

If these connections check out and the brake controller is properly grounded then there is possibly a problem inside the brake controller.

I am including a link to a video that will show you how to test the wiring on a brake controller.