Troubleshooting OEM Brake Controller on a 2011 Ram 3500

Question:

Hi, towing a 34ft fifth wheel but when I step on the pedal, no discernible braking occurs even with the brake controller set at maximum 10, but when I use the manual slider, I get good brake response...any ideas?

asked by: Gregg S

Expert Reply:

Yes, there are a few things you can look at to troubleshoot what is going on.

First off if your brake controller is proportional like the Prodigy P3 # 90195 and you are testing your brakes while sitting still then that is the problem. Proportional brake controllers use inertia sensing to help determine how much power to send back to the brakes. If you are sitting still then the controller senses this and won't send very much power back at all.

If this is not the case or you get poor braking with your brake pedal while driving then the next thing to test is the stop light switch. I'm not quite sure how your OEM brake controller is installed but for aftermarket applications there is typically a red wire connected to the back of the brake controller that receives a signal from the cold side of the stop light switch and it only gets powered when your brake pedal is pressed. It is very possible that for some reason that for some reason power isn't going out through this wire. Try testing that wire with a circuit tester like part # PTW2979 to see if there is a signal when you press your brake pedal. If this is an issue then you can either replace your OEM controller with an aftermarket controller or take your pickup in to your nearest dealer and have them help you resolve the issue.

expert reply by: Jon G