Hopkins Agility Brake Controller Surges After Hitting Brake Pedal

Question:

Curious why my electric trailer brakes seem to surge as soon as I touch the brake pedal. It seems as if it gives an extra boost of electricity as soon as I touch the pedal without actually applying any pressure to the pedal. This ultimately jerks the vehicle and is quite noticeable especially at low speeds. This has happened with the same brake controller on both a 2010 Ford Flex and a 2019 Ford Flex pulling both a pop-up camper and a travel trailer. I’m wondering if there is an adjustment for this or if it is indeed a defect. As soon as I touch the brake pedal the number 10 appears and then reverts back to whatever number based on the inertia of my break force. Settings are currently set at 75 power and 3 sensitivity. After the initial surge, the brakes seem to work adequately and effectively.

asked by: Scott B

Expert Reply:

The Hopkins Agility Trailer Brake Controller part # HM47294 should only apply voltage to the trailer brakes equal to the inertia of the tow vehicle while decelerating. There should not be any sort of spike in power upon the initial activation so long as you were not slamming on the brakes which you said you were not. Therefore, it would indeed seem as if there was a defect with the brake controller and the inertia sensor.

If you are in the market for a new brake controller, the Curt Echo Wireless Trailer Brake Controller part # C51180 is what I recommend because you won't have to worry about it taking up space inside the vehicle since it installs on the outside and it would not require anymore drilling into the dash. The Curt Echo uses your phone for manual activation so you don't have to familiarize yourself with a new device either.

expert reply by: Conner L