Properly Wiring the Tekonsha Prodigy Brake Controller on a 2004 Dodge Durango With Tow Pkg
Question:
I have a Tekonsha Prodigy with the factory electric brake kit on a 2004 Dodge Durango with towing package. I hard wired it with the following connections white w/red tracer to black controller wire, blue w/white tracer to red controller wire, green w/black tracer to white controller wire, and blue to blue controller wire. All the lights worked like they were supposed to when connected to the seven pin trailer harness on a new trailer but the brakes were engaged all the time. I figured maybe they wired the trailer wrong - switching the brake wire and battery wire so I opened up the trailer connector and switched the red battery wire and the blue brake wire. Now the trailer brakes make a loud humming/buzzing sound when the manual override is engaged at 6.0 volts. The voltage also starts at .07 volts on the vehicle receptacle before the manual override is engaged without the trailer harness connected. Does this sound normal or like something is still not wired correctly or the controller is not functioning right?
asked by: Randy
Expert Reply:
It sounds to me as if you may have a couple of issues with the brake controller wiring. If your vehicle has the factory 7-Way at the rear of the vehicle and your trailer has original wiring, you should not need to switch the blue brake feed wire and the black 12-volt power wire on the trailer. I would make sure those wires are in the correct locations inside the trailer connector before proceeding to correct the wiring of the brake controller.
Use the diagram of the 7-Way trailer connector on our wiring page (see link) about halfway down to wire the trailer connector correctly. If you moved the wires to the correct connection points, then leave them in the correct position.
Now under the dash of the Durango use a circuit tester, item # PTW2993 if needed, to do some testing. First, make sure the white wire is grounded properly. Then, sever the blue wire from its connection. Ground the circuit tester and check the black wire going into the brake controller, it should have 12-volt power at all times. Next, check the red wire going into the brake controller, you should get 12-volt power when the brake pedal is pressed and no power at all when the brake pedal is released. If there is power, even a small amount, on the wire attached to the red brake controller wire when the brake pedal is released you have it attached to the wrong circuit. You will need to find the circuit that has power only when the brake pedal is pressed. Finally, test the blue output wire from the brake controller that you severed earlier. This wire should have power when the brake pedal is pressed and when the manual override is activated. If all of the circuits going into the brake controller are correct and the severed wire does not have the correct output or it has power at all times, then there is a problem inside the brake controller.
If the brake controller is functioning properly with the blue wire severed, then you will need to go back to the vehicle side trailer connector and check to be sure there are no issues there. Corrosion inside the connector can cause a weak short that will wreak havoc with the trailer braking system. If corrosion is found clean it out thoroughly or replace the 7-Way connector at the rear of the vehicle with a 7-Way & 4-Way Replacement Connector for Dodge OEM Style Plugs, item # 42145. Reattach the Blue wire at the brake controller to the brake feed circuit that goes to the vehicle trailer connector.
The last thing to check out is the trailer. Once you are sure the vehicle is functioning properly from the brake controller to the vehicle side connector you will need to make sure the wiring to the trailer brakes is done correctly and that the connector does not have corrosion inside it causing problems. Make sure the ground wires are properly connected to the trailer coupler and trailer brakes.
Products Referenced in This Question
7-Way & 4-Way Replacement Connector for Dodge OEM Style Plugs
- Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
- Trailer Hitch Wiring
- No Converter
- Custom Fit
- 4 Flat
- 7 Round - Blade
- Hopkins
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