Troubleshooting Trailer Brakes Not Working

Question:

I have a double axle 24’ car trailer I put new brake assembly’s on and all new wire from pigtail back they activate n if jacked up wheels lock up but if on ground pulling it it won’t stop And when power is connected with my battery box they stay activated couple min then kick off but will stay on if pull the break away cable

asked by: Lee

Expert Reply:

Based on how you are describing the situation it sounds like you have a wiring issue on your trailer that is hampering the functionality of the brakes. There are two places I recommend starting to check, Start off by checking both your vehicle and trailer connectors for corrosion, which can be green or white in color. A build-up of corrosion can interfere with the signals getting through the connectors so if it is present you are going to need to either replace the plug or clean the corrosion.

You'll also need to make sure your grounds are attached to bare metal surfaces and free of any paint, dirt or corrosion. A poor or weak ground is also something that can cause the trailer brakes to act up so definitely take a look and I would be willing to be the issue is going to be with the connector or your ground.

expert reply by: Kyle S