Troubleshooting Brake Controller on 2012 Ram 1500

Question:

Hi, I purchased a 2012 RAM 1500 used with the integrated brake controller. when I first hooked my camper up it seemed fine then 10 15 miles down the road it said light trailer break disconnected then it reconnects. so it was time to replace the break assemblies that I bought from you etrailer. I used a grinder to get down to bare metal for the ground, breaks work fine no issues but I kept getting the message so I though it may be a bad wire from the plug to the breaks so I re wired that from the plug to the electric breaks. and Im still getting the message so I said maybe the plugs bad well I replaced that with a new one and its still giving me the message so please help me figure out what the heck is going on thanks

asked by: John K

Expert Reply:

You did well with your initial troubleshooting, and though we don't have any experience with OEM brake controllers I can still give you some tips on steps you can take to try and remedy the situation. We know it's not going to be the brakes and it is unlikely to be the wiring on the trailer, so we can narrow it down some.

You will need to find out if the issue is on the brake controller or elsewhere, such as the connector. To test the brake controller, sever the blue wire a couple inches from the back of your controller. Then use a circuit tester like # PTW2979 to test the end of the blue wire coming out of the controller. It should only have power when you apply the manual override; if it shows power at idle then there is an issue with the controller and it will need to be replaced.

If the controller tests fine, reconnect the blue wire and move on to the truck side trailer connector. Often, corrosion or dirt may be the cause of a short in a trailer connector. Check the plug to see if there is any type of corrosion built up that may be hampering its functionality. You will also want to test the brake output pin on the 7-way socket; it should only show power with the manual override. If it shows power any other time then there is a short somewhere between the connector and the brake controller you will need to find.

If it does turn out you need a new 7-way you can use the T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness for Factory Tow Package - 7-Way and 4-Pole Flat Connectors # C55774.

I have linked a help article for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Kyle S