What does the display read when you press the pedal? Does the same problem occur when you use the manual brake lever on the unit?
My contact at Draw-Tite recommends disconnecting the blue wire from the brake controller. If the display reads correctly when you disconnect the blue wire, then the issue might be that this wire is shorted, which should give the brake controller a read out of O L.
The other issue may be that the black power wire to the controller might not be connected firmly... view full answer...
From what you described, it sounds like you may have something wired incorrectly, or a bad ground somewhere.
First you will want to use something like the Draw-Tite Circuit Tester Kit # 40376 to double check the black wire you grounded. Typically the black wire will be the 12 volt power wire, so I highly suggest double checking it. Flipping the 12 volt wire with the ground wire, which is usually the white wire, may be causing the brakes to act weird.
This will also lead me to the next... view full answer...
I would start by using a circuit tester, item # PTW2993 if needed, to check the wiring going to and coming from the brake controller. There are 4 wires that will need to be checked.
White - Ground
Red - Stoplight Switch
Black - 12 Volt Constant Power
Blue - Brake Feed to Trailer Brakes
First, make sure the ground wire is attached to a clean, paint and rust-free chassis ground. Next, connect the circuit testers alligator clip to the ground and check the black 12-volt wire going into the... view full answer...
It sounds to me like there is either a wiring issue between the brake controller and the trailer connector on the truck or the brake controller is bad. Since your trailer brakes lock up when you are connected to the truck, that would indicate that there is constant power on the brake output circuit.
The first step that I would take is to use a circuit tester with an incandescent bulb like our # PTW2993 to test the pin in the 5 o'clock position if you have a 7-way trailer connector. If... view full answer...
Check the pin for electric brakes on the 7-Way, vehicle side connector with no trailer attached, using a circuit tester like # PTW2993, to make sure a signal is getting sent to the plug. If you are looking at the plug, it should be the bottom right pin. Test it with someone pressing the brake pedal, and then when using the manual override.
If it is not showing a signal at the plug, then something is amiss between the brake controller and the plug, most likely a short or broken wire. You... view full answer...
Yes. Check Fuse #90 in your fuse block. It is a 25 Amp cartridge fuse for trailer tow battery charge located in the engine compartment. You can find the location in your owners manual if you need further location help. I've also attached a help article on wiring to help with further troubleshooting if needed.
If the fuse isn't blown, you will need to use a circuit tester like # PTW2993 to check for a short in the wire and replace the wire as needed with # 10-1-1 sold by the foot. view full answer...
If I understand things correctly the indicator light on your Draw-Tite Activator # 5504 is now coming on, even with the trailer disconnected, when you have your flasher/hazard lights on. If this is the case then I would suspect that there is a corrosion issue in the truck's 7-way or within the wiring/plug leading to it. This could also explain why the trailer brakes engaged without you applying the brakes since corrosion can cause adjacent circuits to become bridged together; what happens... view full answer...
The four wires coming from your Tekonsha Envoy trailer brake controller will be for the following functions:
White for ground.
Black for 12V power.
Blue for brake output.
Red for stop light switch.
I was not able to confirm the wire colors and their function for the built-in harness in your 1993 Ford F-250. The only way to verify that you have made the correct connections is to simply test them for their function with a circuit tester like # PTW2993.
The fact that the controller is... view full answer...
I spoke with my contact at Diversi-Tech regarding the problem you are having with the Self-Locking Adjustable Aluminum Ball Mount, # DTALBM7000. There are a couple of things that may be causing the slop you are experiencing in the ball mount.
First, if any sand or other find debris finds its way under those ball bearings on the top of the shank, that could cause them to not pop up all the way. What you can do is push them in and clean them with a small fine bristle brush to remove the... view full answer...
What you're describing is the classic symptom of a poor ground connection somewhere in your trailer lighting system. When all the functions are being used, you're drawing maximum amperage through the system, which is when a ground problem will manifest itself.
Trace the white ground wire back from the trailer connector. The wire will usually ground to the trailer frame somewhere on the trailer tongue. Make sure this connection is secure and not corroded. Each trailer lamp will also have... view full answer...
I can help you troubleshoot your brake controller issue.
Sounds like water is getting into the 7-way connector between your connection. You will want to find a way to seal that off better, I have heard of people using electrical tape to wrap the connection to prevent water from getting in during wet weather. You may also consider replacing the connector with one like the Hopkins # HM48480, this connector has a foam seal that will help with weather seeping in.
Another thing that may... view full answer...
If you have no power coming out of the blue wire from the brake controller, then you have a short on the blue wire somewhere or it may have been wired incorrectly. The blue wire on the Tekonsha Voyager # 39510 is the wire that carries the signal from your brake controller to the 7-Way on your 1996 Ford truck to activate your trailer brakes.
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... view full answer...
If it is really a 6-Way and not a 7-Way blade style trailer connector then the center pin being hot would indicate that particular pin is the 12 volt power circuit. But the other functions not working could mean that tow package wiring fuses and/or relays are missing or need to be replaced. Check the truck owners manual to find the locations of any and all fuses related to the tow package wiring.
If the wiring was added and is not factory then you will need to check the wiring connections... view full answer...
A brake controller will send our a small amount of test voltage that can sense the resistance from the brake magnets and determine if a trailer is plugged in. When the brake controller fails to 'read' the trailer, it's typically caused by one of three things:
• A damaged or corroded trailer connector on the truck can prevent the signal described above from
reaching the trailer brake magnets. If you see any green or white corrosion on the pins of the connector,
there's a good possibility... view full answer...
The OL or Overload error code is displayed when the brake circuit is drawing too much current, possibly caused by a short on the brake wire or a poor ground connection at the brake magnets.
I would recommend examining the brake output wire on your trailer. Look for a pinched brake output wire, or any worn or cracked insulation that would allow the copper conductor to short to the trailer frame or other metal. Also check the grounding points for the brake magnets to ensure that one lead... view full answer...
The black wire to your Draw-Tite Activator II Trailer Brake Controller 5500 carries +12V power to operate the controller and connects to the battery positive terminal through a circuit breaker. This wire should carry 12V at all times.
The red wire carries the brake light switch signal that tells the controller to generate an output signal for the trailer brakes. This red wire should carry a signal only when you press the brake pedal on the truck. It connects to the COLD side of the brake... view full answer...
If you are using a trailer connector that hardwires to a set of blunt cut wires like the Pollak Metal 7-Pole, RV-Style Trailer Socket part # PK12703 then I recommend checking the ground terminal screw on the connector but if this is tight then I recommend just running a new ground wire to a bare metal surface on the frame to see if that fixes your issue. These trailer connectors don't ground though the mounting hardware if that is what you are asking. view full answer...
There were a few bugs with the 2005-2006 factory brake controllers on Ford trucks. GM experienced the same situation when they introduced OEM controllers for the 2006 model year. A lot of those folks ended up replacing the problematic OEM units with aftermarket controllers. If you want to get the factory controller working, your best bet is to search the web and online forums or contact your dealer or Ford. We do not know much about those OEM units would not be able provide good trouble... view full answer...
The E1 error code on the 47284 brake controller - which is the Hopkins Reliance - indicates a trailer not connected. So getting this error when you are hooked up means there is an issue either with your trailer connectors or possibly a short on the blue brake wire.
Many times that can be attributed to one of your connectors having corrosion or possibly some type of debris interfering with the signal so start by taking a look at your connectors and clean the corrosion if necessary. This... view full answer...
I would proceed by checking the trailer connections on the vehicle and trailer side for corrosion, which could be blocking the signal from the brake controller. The decimal lighting without a reading indicates no conntection to trailer brakes. When using the test light the bulb is supplying a complete circuit and load that the brake controller is recognizing and allowing power to be sent to the test light bulb.
Another good idea is to go over the brake controller instructions, see link,... view full answer...
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