Troubleshooting the Installation of a Tekonsha Primus on a 2012 Ford F-150 After a Rear Collision

Question

Question:

2012 ford f-150 My truck was involved in a rear end collision and bent the bumper also cracked the 7 way plug. Had it repaired and a new 7 way put on now sometimes when I press the brake or the manual override button it shows 0.0 and sometimes just a red dot. Also it sometimes flashes 0.0 when I have my turn signal to the right I checked all the connections and they seem to be good Should I have a 0.0 or just a red dot without a trailer plugged in?

asked by: Shawn W

0

Expert Reply:

With the trailer connected the display on the brake controller should be read .c. This indicates that the trailer is connected. If the reading is 0.0 then that indicates that there is no braking conducted by the brake controller.
Without a trailer connected the display should be n.c. then changes to . . after 15 seconds.

I suggest adjusting the boost level, as well as make sure that the brake controller is mounted in the correct positioning. For the Tekonsha Primus # TK90160 the correct mounting position is between 0 to 70 degrees. Since you were involved in a collision it is possible that the mounting of the brake controller may have been jarred, and this may be causing the issue.

It is also possible that during the collision, there could have been damage to the vehicle connection plug and that could have produced a back feed situation or shorted out the brake controller. You can test to see if the brake controller is functioning properly by using a circuit tester like the Performance tool # PTW2993 and test the output signal from the brake controller. You will want to test the following wires at the back of the braked controller for the corresponding signal:

Red - stoplight switch: Should be activated with the brake activated on your F-150
White - Ground for the controller
Blue - Electric Brakes: Sends the brake signal through the 7-way connection and to the trailer, must have either the boost or brake pedal activated for signal.
Black - 12V power supply to the Brake controller: Should be active with the key in the on position.

I have included a FAQ that demonstrates these steps for your and has several videos included for your reference.

If the brake controller test out ok, it is also possible that there may have been some damage to the wiring, but not at the vehilce connection point. I recommend tracing the wiring to see if there is any additional damage resulting from the collision, especially look for any breaks in the insulation, corrosion, or fraying wires.

Since you are seeing a 0.0 flash when the right turn signal is activated, I would start by checking that wire first. On a 7-way vehicle connection, the brake signal and right turn signals are combined at the 3 o'clock blade on the vehicle connection point and it is typically a green wire.

Depending on how your truck was wired, replacing the 7-way may have been a direct plug-in application. The 7-way at your bumper may plug into a quick connection harness. Please also check this harness to make sure there is no damage at the harness connection points, or the harness itself from the collision. It is possible if there is damage at this quick connection harness, it could also be causing issues with your newly installed 7-way.

I have included links to the products referenced, and several helpful articles for your reference.