Troubleshooting No Green Light on Tekonsha Voyager Brake Controller with Trailer Connected

Question:

Hi, I have a 2003 F-350. I installed the voyageur xp controller got from you guys - thanks, and it worked great for a year. the electric braked trailer sat for a few months and then I hooked it up and no more green light showing on the controller. A friend borrowed the trailer a month prior to this and said the elec brakes seemed to work fine for him - he may not have needed/used them.. All the trailer lights work when plugged in, but no light on the controller.. local garage said that the control unit was defective, so I got another voyageur and plugged it in, but still no light, and all the trailer lights still worked. I can hear an audible click when I slide the manual brake lever - feels/sounds like something is happening.. I am wondering if the little light on the controller does not come on if your trailer brake away battery is dead/down? or bad ground on the trailer - but wold the lights work if this was the case? Any suggestions would be appreciated and a little hint on how to do it... thanks,

asked by: Steve

Expert Reply:

The green light on the Tekonsha Voyager Brake Controller # 39510 indicates a connected trailer. This means for some reason the Voyager is not detecting any kind of connection when hooking the trailer up to your Ford F-350.

Since you know the controller itself isn't the issue, there are a couple of areas you can turn your attention to that are the most common culprits for this problem.

First take a look at the trailer side 7-Way connector. Visually inspect it for any debris or corrosion built up inside and around the pins, cleaning out as needed. Pay special attention to the pin at the 7 o'clock location, as this is what carries the brake output circuit. Considering the trailer had been sitting out in storage for a period of time before this issue began, it's very possible that some corrosion could have developed, preventing a solid connection when plugging into the truck's 7-Way.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, there's most likely a weak ground connection somewhere on the trailer. Check the harness main ground point to make sure its still securely attached to a clean, bare metal surface. Also do this with the individual ground wires coming from each of the trailer's brake assemblies.

If the problem persists after these steps please let me know and we can continue troubleshooting.

expert reply by: Chris R