How Do I Troubleshoot My Hopkins Agility Brake Controller for a Short Circuit Code?

Question:

I recently installed a Hopkins agility controller on my 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 per the instructions and your help videos very helpful!. Without a trailer connected, it shows that a trailer is connected. Then, still with no trailer, when I press on the brake, it shows the short circuit code. What would cause this? Nothing changes when I connect a trailer and the brakes don’t engage. Just wondering what troubleshooting I should do. I’ve redone all the connections too and all other trailer connections are great turn signals, brakes, lights

asked by: Zachary M

Expert Reply:

If you are getting the short circuit code on the Hopkins Agility Trailer Brake Controller - Plug In - 1 to 4 Axles
HM47294, that means there is a short somewhere in the blue brake wire. The best way to determine the location of the short is to look for signs of fraying. Also, I recommend testing the blue wire at different locations using a circuit tester like the Probe Circuit Tester # PTW2993.

Also, my tech at Hopkins confirmed that when the controller shows that a trailer is connected even when the trailer is disconnected, this is often due to the blue brake wire interfering somewhere with the white ground wire. With this possibility, I recommend tracing the line of blue and white wires to make sure that they are not connected anywhere along the setup.

expert reply by: Bob C