Troubleshooting Curt Venturer Brake Controller Causing Brakes to Lock Up

Question

Question:

Curt venturer brake controller. Have had the unit for a year has worked well. Now I hook up my trailer and it wont adjust it feels stuck the slide works. When you press on the brake it goes from one green light gradually to all lights and locks the trailer up.

asked by: John U

0

Expert Reply:

There are a number of issues that could be causing the Curt Venturer # C74VV brake controller to lock up your trailer's brakes so you will need to take a number of troubleshooting steps.

To test the brake controller, sever the blue wire a couple inches from the back of your controller. Then use a circuit tester such as # PTW2979 to test the end of the blue wire coming out of the controller. It should only have power when you apply the manual override; if it shows power at idle then there is an issue with the controller and it will need to be replaced.

If the controller tests fine, reconnect the blue wire and move on to the truck side trailer connector. Often, corrosion or dirt may be the cause of a short in a trailer connector. Check the plug to see if there is any type of corrosion built up that may be hampering its functionality, causing your brakes to lock up.

You will also want to test the brake output pin on the 7-way socket; it should only show power with the manual override. If it shows power any other time then there is a short somewhere between the connector and the brake controller you will need to find.

If the truck side checks out then it could be the wiring to the brake magnets or possibly the magnets themselves. Inspect the power wires to the magnets and look for wires that may be pinched or otherwise damaged and fix as necessary. You'll also need to make sure the ground wires are attached to bare metal surfaces and free of any paint, dirt or corrosion.

You'll want to visually inspect the magnets; if you can see the copper windings coming through the magnets will need to be replaced. To test the magnets use Multimeter # PT89ZR and follow the help article I have linked to guide you.

I have also attached some help articles on testing and troubleshooting brake controllers for you to check out.

expert reply by: Kyle S

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Answer 1

We have actually run into this issue quite a few times in the past, and there is a simple fix. The reason the Curt Echo Wireless #C51180 locks up the brakes on your camper only at low speeds is due to it being paired incorrectly, usually plugging…

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Answer 2

First, you will want to figure out where the problem is occurring. Test the voltage from the brake controller at the vehicle end trailer connector. What you have your brake controller set at is what the voltage should read at the connector. If you…

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Answer 3

Curt brake controllers like the Venturer part #C74VV that you have are known to have odd issues like you mentioned which is frustrating. What you can do is try unplugging the brake controller for a few seconds and then plugging it back in to see if…

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Answer 4

Sounds like your Curt Venture brake controller part #C74VV is applying your trailer brakes too hard. What you would need to do is lower the sync setting which will allow the brakes to apply less aggressively. The sync setting is the black…

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Answer 5

I would be happy to help you fix your Curt Echo item #C51180. First you will need to completely unplug the Echo from both trailer and truck, delete the app from your phone, reinstall the app, and then plug the Echo into the vehicle 7-way (by itself)…

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Answer 6

Yes, per the installation instructions, your 2014 Nissan Pathfinder with the Controller Area Network, or CAN Bus system, it is recommended by the manufacturer that you use the 30-amp circuit breaker kit #331-CBK30-EB. This, along with your Redarc…

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Answer 7

Although we have not yet had the opportunity to install the #C56225 trailer wiring harness on a 2012 Pathfinder, my contact at Curt tells me that the only difference in the installation between the Pathfinder, Xterra and Frontier is the location of…

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Answer 8

You don't need to upgrade to a new kit. Looks like you purchased 7-Way #118267. It does not use different relays. It sounds like me the trailer connector is pinned out differently than the vehicle side connector. What is likely happening is the…

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Answer 9

It sounds like the red wire in the wiring harness #C51352 was not in the correct place. Take a look at the picture I have included and make sure that the wires in your harness are in the same places. This is the end that plugs into the truck. It…

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Answer 10

The Curt Venturer Electric Brake Controller #C74VV shows just the green light when you press on the brake pedal and there is no trailer connected. So, it sounds like the controller is recognizing the trailer. Start by inspecting both the truck and…

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Answer 11

I have attached a photo of how a breakaway system should be wired. If you would please, check the brake output wire on the trailer where the breakaway switch is spliced in. This is shown as the letter A in the attached photo. If something were to…

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Answer 12

That's not a good sign if it starting smoking, as it's most likely damaged beyond repair and won't be effective anymore. If you have your Hopkins Force hard-wired, the 12 volt wire and ground wire could be switched. It could have been the…

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Troubleshooting Curt Venturer Brake Controller Causing Brakes to Lock Up

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