Why Would Trailer Brakes Only Work With Manual Override Lever and Not Brake Pedal

Question

Question:

Brakes work manually but not with pedal. It is a brake force control and a 2009 chevy silverado 1500 4x4

asked by: Carl

0

Expert Reply:

Sounds like your brake controller will apply your trailer brakes if you apply the manual override lever but not when you press the brake pedal. This is a fairly common problem and the solution is the red wire of the brake controller.

Make sure it is connected to a circuit that only sees voltage when the brakes are applied and none when released. Most likely the connection is the issue and just reconnecting the circuit will cause the controller to work again.

It also is very likely it's the CHMSL fuse being blown on your truck. Check fuse location 12 in the fusebox in the side of the dashboard to see if the fuse is blown.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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Richard S.

9/6/2020

I have a 2014 f150 with the same problem, the brake pedal wont apply the trailer brakes but the manual control will work with the dash mounted brake controler

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Jon G.

9/9/2020

If you're sitting still when you test with the pedal then that is likely your problem. Have you tried towing and stopping with your brake pedal? If that doesn't work then you'll want to look for the fuse for the brake pedal in your owner's manual like what Jameson mentioned.

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Richard S.

9/9/2020

I have been towing my travel trailer and only the manual lever will apply the trailer brakes when attempting to slow down or come to a stop. Ive checked all fuses that have to do with brakes and towing. The brake lights and turn signals are working on trailer just no response from brake pedal to brakes on trailer. Thank you

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Jon G.

9/14/2020

@RichardS Try checking the red wire going into your brake controller. Make sure that when you press down on your brake pedal that wire is getting hot. If it doesn't get hot and your controller is spliced in with the wiring you might have connected to the wrong wire. If that wire is getting hot then your controller is in need of replacement.

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See All (5) Replies to Richard S. ∨

Mike G.

5/29/2020

Ok I have similar trouble with my trailer Brakes only working in the manual mode. I have a 2004 Chevy 1500 Z71 4X4 - Brand new RV with Factor Brakes. Our reputable? RV dealership tried for hours testing the system and could not come up with why the trailer brakes will not work when the Brake pedal is depressed. I have checked the CHMSL 10 amp fuse in the side dash fuse box and it is good. I have unplugged the control box connectors and tested the red blue and black wires and all seem to get 22- 25 volts. Could it be related to the Brake pedal switch? Or other system. All l;ights and turn signals work fine on the RV

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Zeb R.

5/23/2020

I have a 2015 Chevy Silverado with built in brake control. When I use brake pedal the camper brakes don’t work. But they work with manual control on the dash

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Chris R.

5/26/2020

Just to be sure, are you testing this while driving or just with the truck and trailer parked? The factory unit is proportional, meaning it will send back power based on deceleration (when hitting the brake pedal) - so if you're just testing the controller while parked, it's not going to send anything back when stepping on the pedal. If it's during travel, then there's an issue with the brake input circuit (red wire) like Jameson mentioned above. Since it's a factory unit I would bring the truck up to a local Chevy dealer to have them take a look.

Reply

Darcy

9/26/2021

@ChrisR I did the same thing with a 2015 3500. Lifted the trailer and spun the tires on the trailer and they locked up with the foot brake

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Les D.

10/20/2021

But they may not brake on acceleration or deceleration.

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See All (5) Replies to Zeb R. ∨

Answer 1

This sounds like the trailer brakes are not receiving the signal from the brake controller when you apply the brakes. I believe what is happening is that you may have a loose, broken, or inaccurate connection on the red wire from the brake…

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Answer 2

The controller is only putting out voltage when the manual switch is applied on the brake controller, but not when the vehicle brakes are applied, is that correct? The most likely problem is that the controller is not getting the input that the…

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Answer 3

If your trailer brakes activate when using the manual override but not when pushing on the brake pedal you may have a bad connection or a faulty brake switch. I have also linked below our article on Brake Controller Troubleshooting. Also if you…

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Answer 4

I spoke to the manufacturer and he said that assuming the unit is getting a full 12 volts, the best thing to do would be to bench test it. A 12V power source will be needed to do so. Isolate the wires of the Hydrastar (black, blue, white, yellow)…

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Answer 5

The click you are hearing is likely not an indication of a problem. With electric over hydraulic actuators you have to use a brake controller that is compatible with and EOH system such as the P2, #90885 or the P3, #90195. Otherwise the actuator will…

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Answer 6

What is the year, make, and model of the vehicle? The red brake controller wire should only be getting power when you step on the brake pedal. If you are not getting any power on that wire with the brake pedal depressed then you may have it attached…

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Answer 7

Since the controller is activating the trailer brakes when you use the manual override that means that the trailer battery not being connected is not the problem. Both the brake pedal and the manual override will tell the controller to send back…

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Answer 8

You are correct, you should only be getting output when the brake is applied, or the override switch is activated. It sounds like the controller might be bad, but to make sure, you should probably bench test it before tossing it. Use a circuit…

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Answer 9

Since the trailer was off of the ground it would not take much voltage to stop the wheels from spinning so they may be getting power but they may not be getting enough power due to a short or wiring issue. But 9 times out of 10 weak trailer brakes…

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Answer 10

If the brakes on your trailer are only engaging when using the manual override on your brake controller, the most likely cause is on the red wire/stoplight circuit. I recommend testing the controller to see if you can find exactly where the issue is.…

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Answer 11

On your 2002 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, you will need to look above the spare tire for a round plug with a cap on it. I have included a picture below that shows what the plug looks like. If your truck has this plug, then it has the wiring for a 7-Way.…

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Answer 12

Actually that is a possibility. Proportional brake controllers will not engage the brakes with the pedal unless the tow vehicle is in motion. Another possibility is the red wire from the brake controller isn't connected correctly. It needs to be…

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Why Would Trailer Brakes Only Work With Manual Override Lever and Not Brake Pedal

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