Worn brake magnets, corroded or damaged trailer connectors and a short in the brake wire on the trailer are the most common causes of the OL (overload) error message on your brake controller.
Examine the trailer connector on the vehicle and the trailer. Look for damage or green/white corrosion on the pins or in the sockets. Clean or replace as necessary. Trace the brake output circuit on the trailer from the trailer connector rearward to the brake assemblies. Look for pinched wires or... view full answer...
For your 2004 Ford Excursion the Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter # 3035-P is the correct wiring harness adapter to use with the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195 for a plug-n-play installation. If you have your trailer connected and it isn't reading it's possible you need to check some fuses or relays in your Excursion. Also, check the pins on the # 3035-P to make sure none are bent and the connections are being made. Another thing to check is that the 7-way trailer connector on both the Excursion... view full answer...
If your trailer has a more narrow frame than a typical A-frame trailer, that can cause the problem with contact. Either way, what you can do is to make sure that the spring bars are positioned in such a way as to allow them to pass beneath the frame instead of making contact with it.
This could involve letting out a few of the chain links. If you are still having a problem, using the Bolt-on Chain Hangers, # RP58305, might be what you need. These hangers bolt to the outside of the frame... view full answer...
Ford sourced the OEM hitches used on the early 2000's Excursions from overseas, they're notorious for rusting out. Installing a new hitch would be highly recommended, because there's no way to determine to what degree the capabilities of your current hitch have been compromised.
The Curt Class IV hitch you referenced, part # C14011 uses M18-2.5 x 2 Grade 10.9 bolts to attach to the vehicle frame members. The hitch has a 12,000 Trailer Weight/1,200 lb Tongue Weight capacity, which could... view full answer...
Your dual air leveling kit will be very similar to the Firestone Air Command II # F2178. Since this is a universal kit there is no one certain place that you can look to find the fuse and relay for the compressor, but you will be able to trace the wiring from either the compressor itself or the switches inside your 2004 Ford Excursion. I have included a picture of how the wiring should be ran to both the fuse and relay so that you can trace your wiring.
A Test Light # PTW2993 can also... view full answer...
The "Open Ground" warning message for the Prodigy P3 Brake Controller # 90195 does typically indicate a weak ground connection with the brake controller itself, but it sounds like you've pretty much ruled this out as a possibility. Since this particular error should technically only display when a trailer is actually connected, I wonder if there might be some debris/corrosion built up inside or around the brake output pin on the 7-Way connector.
Especially since you're dealing with an... view full answer...
You may need to adjust the boost level on the Prodigy controller so that it starts out at a higher voltage output when you step on the brakes. If you believe that the controller is not putting out enough voltage you can test the output at the trailer connector with the trailer disconnected.
What you will do is first set the controller to the maximum output. Then use a meter such as # PT89ZR to test the brake output pin while someone sits in the vehicle and fully applies the manual override.... view full answer...
There are a number of different issues that may be occuring with your 2000 Ford Excursion if there is no power getting to the fuses; what is likely is that the relays in the fuse box are damaged or missing so you will need to first replace them to see if that clears the issue. We do not carry those relays so you are going to need to get those from your local Ford dealer. If that does not clear the issue you may need to have your vehicle serviced as there could be an issue if power is not... view full answer...
It does sound like the display on your Draw-Tite Activator II has gone bad and the unit will need to be replaced. We do not carry the Activator II and I highly recommend upgrading to a proportional brake controller, which is going to give you more efficient braking that decreases the wear on both your trailer and Excursion's brakes.
If you have been happy with the Tekonsha brand, they offer a proportional controller, the Brake EVN # TK63VR would be a good option. view full answer...
Based on your photo, the system was not setup correctly so the bars that should be applying friction to the brackets evenly is only hitting on that inside edge of the bar. That will not carry the weight correctly and definitely can cause scary sway. The head of the system needs to be positioned correctly and so do the brackets for proper function. I highly recommend you correct the alignment of the system and replace the brackets with the Replacement Frame Brackets for Curt TruTrack... view full answer...
An air bag or helper spring set-up is more effective for dealing with weight carried in or on the vehicle itself. A properly sized and adjusted weight distribution system will preform several tasks. It will eliminate the sag experienced when a trailer is hitched up, it can reduce or eliminate trailer sway and it can also improve braking performance and and steering response. A weight distribution system accomplishes this by using leverage to transfer a portion of the trailer tongue weight... view full answer...
It is possible that on your 2002 Ford Excursion the output wire (blue on the controller) is not connected to the trailer connector at the back. You can test this by testing the 7-Way pin in the 5 o'clock position with a circuit tester such as # PTW2993 or a meter while someone sits in the vehicle and fully applies the manual override.
If no power shows on that brake output pin, then the likely cause is that the connection is not complete from the controller to trailer connector. This could... view full answer...
Since everything worked when you hooked up your trailer to another vehicle we know the issue is with your 2000 Ford Excursion. The most likely issue is that you have a blown or missing fuse so check Fuse Location 13 in the Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel and replace as needed. I do recommend checking your owner's manual to confirm this is the location.
You will also want to check your Excursion's plug for corrosion, which can be green or white in color. A build-up of corrosion can interfere... view full answer...
There is a loose wire or an intermittent connection somewhere on the brake output circuit of your tow vehicle/trailer. That is what is causing the controller to periodically display that it is not connected to a trailer.
If a wire once vibrated loose I would first inspect the condition of the wiring of both connectors and clean of any corrosion you find as that is the usual problem. Most likely the actual problem is not the connectors and is just the wiring/corrosion.
I also attached... view full answer...
Not really, normally this happens when the boost is set too high. However, seeing as yours is not even set to 2 I'd recommend lowering the power/gain setting down one level and see if that fixes it.
You'll want to adjust this in small increments so you're not shoring yourself on braking power. view full answer...
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