Brake Controller Will Not Fully Activate Trailer Brakes On a 2014 Ford F-250

Question:

My trailer brakes have been examined by mechanics and are in working order. At 10 miles an hour, the trailer barely slows when engaging the controller manually. No error codes. All the truck settings are correct. Online information suggests that if it is the controller, it may be solved by a Ford dealer reflashing the system. I decided to look at the 5 amp fuse to the controller, pulled it, then thought I would start the truck to see what would happen. With the fuse pulled, it still showed that trailer connect and I was able to adjust the gain. Help

asked by: Patrick R

Expert Reply:

The 5 amp fuse that you pulled is the fuse that is the brake signal that goes to the brake controller. This would only remove the brake signal of you pushing on the brake pedal and telling the controller to activate. There is a 30 amp fuse under in the engine fuse compartment that would deactivate the controller.

It does sound as if there is something possibly wrong with the controller or the truck wiring. You can test the voltage and amperage output of the brake controller to the trailer. For this you will need a Multimeter # PT89ZR. You may want to contact a dealership for testing on a factory trailer brake controller but I have linked an article below on testing the brake controller output. Voltage output should be at least 11V with full gain on the brake controller.

I recommend installing a Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Trailer Brake Controller # 90195 in place of the factory controller. This brake controller has built in diagnosing and troubleshooting capabilities that will help you fix issues that you may encounter. You will also enjoy better braking as this is a proportional brake controller that will adapt to light and severe braking automatically. To complete the installation you will need Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter # 3034-P.

expert reply by: Bud M