Brake Controller Intermittently Reads 'Trailer Disconnected' After Brake Job

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Question:

Hello I have a problem. Intermittently my truck will display a check trailer brake wiring or trailer brake disconnected message. I have replaced the receptacle on my truck and the 7 pin plug from the trailer. Funny thing is it never did this until I had a brake job done on the trailer. Could be coincidence I guess. Truck is 2018 ram 2500 and trailer is 2018 genesis toy hauler. Going to crawl underneath and check some wires and other stuff but I would appreciate any help or pointers I could get

asked by: Josh

0

Expert Reply:

A trailer brake controller sends a small amount of voltage back to the trailer brakes to check for resistance, to confirm that the trailer brakes are present and the trailer is connected. If something interrupts the connection between the brake contorller and the trailer brake magnets, you'll get a 'trailer disconnected' or 'check trailer brake wiring' message.

Start with the trailer connector on the vehicle, ensure it's not damaged or corroded which would prevent or reduce voltage from reaching the trailer brake magnets. You'll want to check the connector on the trailer for the same thing as well. If the trailer connectors check out okay, then trace the trailer brake output circuit from the trailer connector back to the trailer brakes. Look for loose connections or broken wires. Check the connections where the brake magnets attach to the brake output circuit. One lead from each magnet should have a secure connection to the trailer frame that is not corroded. The other brake magnet lead should attach to the brake output circuit. Make sure that connection is secure as well as the connection to the jumper running to the other brake assembly or assemblies.

Since you recently had brake work done, I'd guess that the connection at the brake magnets is your most likely issue. If you click the provided links, you can see some trailer braking and wiring troubleshooting articles that you might find helpful.

expert reply by: Mike L

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Answer 1

For the drum what you are going to want to look at is discoloration where the pads make contact with the drum and the armature surface which is where the magnet makes contact with the inside of the drum. Discoloration means that the metal is damaged…

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Answer 2

Assuming that when you tested the resistance of the brakes you were testing the two wires on each magnet and getting 2.0 and 2.8 ohms the magnets on your trailer are not working correctly and will need to be replaced. For 7" brakes you should…

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Answer 3

I may have a solution for you, but currently there has not been a plug and play harness available to install a brake controller in a 2021 Honda Ridgeline RTL; I do know that the 2021 Pilot and Passport are still using the same brake controller plug…

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Answer 4

It sounds like you're not getting a signal on the blue brake control wire at the vehicle 7 way connector. The blue brake control wire seems to be the most likely issue, but it could also be an issue with the ground wire as well. Let's start…

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Answer 5

The etrailer Electric Trailer Brake Kit item #AKEBRK-35-SA, you were looking at, are the correct replacement brake assemblies for your 2012 Forest River R-Pod 177. These brakes are 10" x 2-1/4" and are made for 3,500 lbs axles. They are…

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Answer 6

Trailer brakes use a magnet for activation that is not polarity sensitive. That means that either wire can be used as the power or the ground as long as the other is the opposite. I'd check to see where all three of your wires run on your trailer…

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Answer 7

Most likely you just need to clean the pins of your 7-ways and the error message will go away. It's very common for a bit of corrosion on the connectors to cause an intermittent trailer connection which is what is causing the error message you…

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Answer 8

The "Trailer Disconnected" error message on the dash with a factory brake controller is usually related to an issue with the blue brake output wire that runs from the brake controller to the 7-Way connector. The fact that the issue remains…

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Answer 9

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 10

To determine the size of the brake assemblies you need you have to measure the depth and width of the hub drum on the axle like what you see in the picture I attached. The most common size is 2-1/4 inch wide like the #T4071600-500 that you…

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Answer 11

To determine the size of the hub assembly you need to purchase you have to determine which bearings are in the old assembly. If the old assembly has L44649 inner bearings, you would use the hub you chose #8-258-5UC1. If the inner bearings are marked…

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Answer 12

Even though I cannot comment specifically on the grease you used because I am not familiar with it, I can tell you the best grease for trailer bearings is a a grease with a rating of GC-LB, which just means it is made to withstand very high…

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Brake Controller Intermittently Reads 'Trailer Disconnected' After Brake Job

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