No Trailer Brakes and Single Dot On Pilot Brake Controller Display

Question:

Problem: no trailer brakes and only red dot on display with pedal or controller application. Using a wire piercing test light, I contact the blue wire without severing it and a cinch is displayed. I then move the manual controller brake lever and the test light illuminates in proportion to degree of travel of the switch and receive the normal display numbers that change with degree of brake lever travel and setting. The same test results occur with pressing the brake pedal. When I test the blue wire the only reaction I receive is when depressing the brake pedal or brake controller, a red dot is displayed. Thank you,

asked by: Chad L

Expert Reply:

If you have a red dot when you test the brakes on the towed vehicle or activate the manual override on the Pilot 2-6 Brake Electronic Brake Controller part # 80550 then it does not sense that the trailer is connected. Most of the time that means the trailer connector on the towed vehicle has bent or corroded pins and is not getting a proper connection with the connector on the trailer. I recommend to inspect the 7-way on the vehicle for bent pins and sand any corrosion away with a fine grit sand paper. You may also have a bad ground on the 7-way to the vehicle. You want to make sure the ground is attached to a clean bare metal surface of the vehicle's frame. It sounds like the brake controller is functioning properly but it just does not recognize the trailer.

You may also want to check the grounds on the trailer brakes and the trailer connector as well to make sure they are properly grounded.

expert reply by: Heather A