No Trailer Brakes After Replacing Trailer Socket  

Question:

Expert Reply:

If you replaced your trailer socket and are still having brake problems with multiple trailers, then that narrows our problem down to either the brake controller or the wire that connects the brake controller to the trailer socket.

To start, take a circuit tester, like part # 40376, and test the 5 o'clock pin (see photo) while pressing the manual override on your brake controller. If you have power there, then we know power is making its way back to the trailer connector and there is something weird going on. My guess is you won't have power on this pin after everything you described, but if you do, please let me know.

If you don't have power on the 5 o'clock pin, then let's move up to the brake controller. Find the blue wire coming out of your brake controller and cut the wire about 6 inches or so away from the controller and test again with the circuit tester. If you have power, then the problem is the wire between your brake controller and trailer socket. You can either trace the wire as far as you can looking for any damaged sections or just run a new 12-gauge wire back to the trailer socket using # 12-1-1.

If you don't have power where you cut the wire, then the problem has something to do with your brake controller. Let's start by testing the black wire going to the brake controller for power. The black wire carries 12v power to the brake controller, so if you don't have power on the black wire, then you either have a blown fuse if it is a factory connection or a bad wire. You can also just run a new wire straight to your battery's positive post through a 30-amp circuit breaker with # 12-1-1 and # PK54530.

If you have power on the black wire, then the brake controller is bad and would need to be replaced. Brake controllers are not internally serviceable. If you'd like a recommendation on a good brake controller at a good value, I'd take a look at the Tekonsha Primus IQ # TK90160.

expert reply by: John H

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