Troubleshooting Hopkins Agility Reads 10 Followed by 0 When Brakes Applied

Question:

Ive got a Hopkins 47297 brake controller on my Colorado and its not sending brake signal when I use the brake pedal except fo a brief burst. If I depress the manual brake lever on its remote it does activate the trailer brakes. I used a Curt 7 pin tester to confirm its sending power to the brakes when I use the lever but only that same brief burst when I use the brake pedal. I tested voltage and power is getting to the harness that plugs into the controller on the battery and also on the red brake wire when I press the brake. I bought a replacement and am still having the same problem. Seems like the controller just wont activate the brakes when I press on the pedal no matter what sensitivity setting its on, except for that brief amount and the remote display says 10 and then goes blank again.

asked by: Dan

Expert Reply:

If the power display on your Hopkins Agility brake controller drops from 10 to 0 when you apply the brakes this could mean that you are losing your trailer connection at the 7-way or that your controller is not correctly installed, meaning level and oriented in the direction of travel. Also, this is a proportional controller. If you are attempting to test the brakes with the pedal while stationary it will not work.

Check your vehicle socket and trailer plug for any signs of corrosion or debris. It would be a good idea to clean the connections regardless. I would also check the ground connections. Make sure they are secure on a clean, bare-metal surface.

Proportional controllers like the Agility must be mounted so that it is between negative 20 degrees nose down to positive 70 degrees nose up. It also needs to be mounted in the direction of travel meaning that it can not be turned or tilted to one side.

In addition to the orientation, you should also make sure the wires/connections on the brake controller are secure and properly wired if hard-wired in. If that doesn't solve the problem then I would be looking for a short somewhere in the wiring.

expert reply by: Robin H