Troubleshooting for Tekonsha PRODIGY Brake Controller # 90185 on Nissan Pathfinder

Question:

I had this brake controller fitted to another vehicle then swapped it to my Nissan Pathfinder. Everything seems OK with the controller, C indicates OK, but when I drive with the headlights on the C disappears and the numerical value on the controller varies wihout touching the brakes. I suspect the controller may have been incorrectly wired. What are your thoughts.

asked by: Bill B

Expert Reply:

The issue you may have with your Tekonsha PRODIGY Brake Controller may be a result of the brake controller being wired wrong as you mentioned. There are 2 ways to wire a brake controller on a Nissan Pathfinder. You can hardwire the brake controller or use a plug-in style connector if your vehicle came with a 7-way connector and tow package. If you can tell me the year of your vehicle and if it came with a 7-way trailer connector and the tow package, then we can narrow down some possibilities.

If the brake controller was hardwired, you may have the red wire from the brake controller wired to the wrong circuit. You can use a circuit tester, such as # PTW2993, to test the red wire coming from the brake controller with the headlights on. If that wire shows a signal, then the red wire is connected to the wrong circuit.

The red wire should be connected to the cold side of the stop light switch located just behind the brake pedal. This will be the wire that only has a signal when the brake pedal is pressed. You will need to use the circuit tester to find this wire. If that does not resolve your issue, let me know what you come up with and we can do further troubleshooting.

Also, I have included a link to our FAQ page on the installation of brake controllers.

expert reply by: Brandon M