Tekonsha P3 Trailer Brake Controller Shows Intermittent Overload Error Message

Question:

You address this question for electric brakes and their magnets but you never have addressed this issues with a electric over hydraulic disc brakes. I am getting this at the higher power levels. Does mean a short in the blue output line somewhere between the brake controller to the hydraulic actuator? Tekonsha seems to imply this short can also be caused by moisture. That could be in the actuator connects? Any help on how to debug this kind of brake system would be appreciated.

asked by: Doug W

Helpful Expert Reply:

An intermittent OL code with a P3 brake controller part # 90195 typically is caused by exposed wire on the brake output circuit that on bumps touches a metal surface and shorts out. It's one of the harder things to troubleshoot but if you wanted to bypass either the truck or trailer wiring to rule out either you can run a length of 10 gauge wire like part # 10-1-1 (sold by foot) either from the back of the brake controller to the back of the 7-way to determine if it's the truck wiring, from the trailer wiring to the actuator to rule out the trailer wiring, or from the brake controller directly to the actuator to determine if it's the actuator.

Basically you have to use process of elimination to rule out where the problem "isn't" so that you can find where it is.

expert reply by: Jameson C