Troubleshooting Factory Brake Controller on 2012 Ford F-150

Question

Question:

MY truck when bought new in 2012 was dealer installed with OEM in-dash brake control module. Our first trip planned one-year later and first use of the controller proved a faulty module thus scrubbing our trip plans. Fast forward to 2014 with a new controller and the module and brake system performed as intended. Fast forward to September 2018 and the on-board system states no-trailer connected however all brake and running lights are active, but no brake gain or trailer connected confirmation. Should this OEM system be scrubbed due to factory aftermarket issues for the second time and a quality under dash system be employed?

asked by: David L

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

You might try inspecting the 7-Way connector on both your truck and the trailer first for any debris or corrosion built-up inside the pins, cleaning out as needed. Sometimes corrosion inside the connectors can prevent a solid connection, which might be causing the OEM brake controller not to detect a trailer connection. Otherwise it does sound like you would benefit from upgrading to an aftermarket brake controller. The issues you are experiencing are not uncommon at all with a lot of the factory controllers. A lot of customers will go with an aftermarket unit even when the OEM unit is working correctly as they tend to provide much better performance.

For your 2012 Ford F-150 I highly recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195. This is an excellent proportional controller that will activate the trailer brakes at the same time and with the same intensity that you apply to them in your truck. It features an easy to read LCD display, storable settings, and continuous diagnostics that will alert you to any potential issues. To install the controller on your F-150 you just need the Plug-In Adapter # 22292.

I have attached a short video demonstration on this brake controller that you can also check out.

expert reply by: Chris R

1

Answer 1

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Answer 2

If your current springs have 5 leaves then going to a 7 leaf spring will increase the height of the trailer a little and make the trailer more susceptible to sway. Regarding capacity if you go with springs rated higher than what is required it will…

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Answer 3

I did some checking and the hub/drum we offer that will work for you is the part #8-430-5UC3. This uses the same bearings as the 8-415 and will be an exact fit aside from the fact this is a non-ABS setup and the 8-415 came in an ABS setup and non-ABS…

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Answer 4

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 5

The old version of the #HBA-CAM used 4 wires, but the product was updated awhile back and now uses only two wires as shown in the photo on the product description page. The white wire from the HBA-CAM would tap into the white ground wire and the blue…

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Answer 6

Seal 171255UC has an inner diameter of 1.719 inches and outer diameter of 2.565 inches. A seal that has those dimensions would actually be #58846. I've added a link to a video review of this seal for you to take a look at.

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Answer 7

From what I could find it looks like your 122R (red) and 122Y (amber) lights measure 3.75" x 1.70" x .81". We don't have any replacement lense directly for the GLO-BRITE lights but we do have some similar lights that you could use…

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Answer 8

The manual lockout on your Atwood 85778 surge brake coupler is there so that you can back up the trailer without the brakes locking up on you. Yes you can safely tow your trailer with the broken manual lockout, you just have to make sure you…

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Answer 9

The 7290 that you see is a casting number. It is found on AL-KO hubs that fit #99 spindles. I found that the bearings used are #28580 which would be the inner bearing and #25580 which would be the outer bearing. For the seal use #91030.

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Answer 10

I would be happy to help you set up your 2022 Toyota Highlander to haul your new travel trailer. The wiring harness you currently have controls your trailer's lighting functions only. You do not need to rewire your Toyota you just need another…

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Answer 11

The correct replacement master cylinder kit we have for your Demco setup is the part #DM5918 which comes with the lock out replacement.

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Answer 12

If you are installing just the Firestone Ride-Rite kit, #F2400, and not also adding an on-board air compressor such as #F2158, then I would estimate that it should take about 2 hours to install the kit. That is for someone with some mechanical…

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Troubleshooting Factory Brake Controller on 2012 Ford F-150

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