Brakes on Utility Trailer Work Fine w/ 2002 Silverado, Not w/ 1994 Ford F250

Question:

I have a utility trailer with 4 electric brakes. They work fine one truck, 2002 Silverado with a Tekonsha Envoy wired in. They do not work at all on another truck, 1994 F250 with the same controller wired in. Ive checked all my connections three times on the Ford. Im stumped, the controller sends out power with the manual override and a test light. Any ideas would be great. The controller only lights up in the Ford truck when I test the blue wire and it sees ground. Do you think its as simple as the ground at the 7 way on the truck. The lights all work great even with the trailer unhooked. Thank you

asked by: Scott F

Expert Reply:

You've definitely on the right track... When you use a tester and complete the ground circuit, the controller works correctly. Check the grounding point for the 7-way. The grounding point can indeed become loose or corroded over time. Relocate the ground or clean the metal it's attached to. Also, check the ground point on the trailer. Although they shouldn't be, some vehicles are more picky about a good ground connection than others. Check the ground connection on the trailer as well, make sure it's tight and securely grounded to clean metal.

For future reference, I'll link you to our Brake Controller Troubleshooting article. Please check those grounds, and get back with me and let me know how it works out.

expert reply by: Mike L