Should Tekonsha Trailer Brake Controller Send Low Voltage to 7-Way with Vehicle Off

Question:

I have a tekosha powertrac brake controller connected to a 1997 dodge ram with factory towing package plugged into factory connector under dash. When I test for voltage at the vehicle side 7 way plug, I get 1.6volts present at the brake blade when the ignition is off. Is this normal? I get 12 volts at the charging/interior lights blade with ignition off, which I understand is normal and 0 volts at all other blades. Thank you

asked by: Tom W

Expert Reply:

Many trailer brake controllers like your Tekonsha PowerTrac # 39523 will actually send short pulses of power back to the brake output pin on the 7-Way even when the vehicle is off. This is essentially the controller's way of checking for a connection with a trailer. These pulses should stop after about 15 minutes of the vehicle being off (at which time the controller will go into a kind of sleep mode).

With this in mind it sounds like your PowerTrac is functioning normally. If you notice any other issues during normal operation please let me know and I will be happy to look into it further.

expert reply by: Chris R