2008 Wiring for Brake Controler question

[FATCAT]

I'm tire of searching with no results, so here is the question.



I have the Trailer Tow package on my new truck.

The trailer brake controler plug Dodge give you is supper simple (it seems).

I have connected the wires of the harness CORRECTLY to the wires from my brake controler, but when connecting the trailer (or a special plug in to simulate a trailer connection), the "light" on the brake controler does not come on (indicating a connection is made to the trailer).



I rechecked the connections like 5 times! And everything is OK. My upfitter (who actually installed the brake controler), said that the dealer has to reset some computer thing with these new trucks when a brake controler is installed. He said he sees it all the time when plows are installed on the new trucks. The dealer has to reset the computer somehow.



Is this true!!!



Do I have to make a trip to the dealer for them to activate my brake controler? Or is there somthing I can do?



Help!!

 

[Bob4x4]

I'm tire of searching with no results, so here is the question.



I have the Trailer Tow package on my new truck.

The trailer brake controler plug Dodge give you is supper simple (it seems).

I have connected the wires of the harness CORRECTLY to the wires from my brake controler, but when connecting the trailer (or a special plug in to simulate a trailer connection), the "light" on the brake controler does not come on (indicating a connection is made to the trailer).



I rechecked the connections like 5 times! And everything is OK. My upfitter (who actually installed the brake controler), said that the dealer has to reset some computer thing with these new trucks when a brake controler is installed. He said he sees it all the time when plows are installed on the new trucks. The dealer has to reset the computer somehow.



Is this true!!!



Do I have to make a trip to the dealer for them to activate my brake controler? Or is there somthing I can do?



Help!!

I have not run into that yet,but if the upfitter made any mistakes during the install he could have overloaded the circuit in the tipm and in that case you may need to take it in.



Bob

 

[RVTRKN]

I did not have any program to turn mine on and it worked fine. What controller did you buy and have you checked to see if the polarity is correct or do the brakes actually engage with all your lites functioning? My Brakesmart controller works great and never heard about the computer reset thing.



Steve...

 

[FATCAT]

I did not have any program to turn mine on and it worked fine. What controller did you buy and have you checked to see if the polarity is correct or do the brakes actually engage with all your lites functioning? My Brakesmart controller works great and never heard about the computer reset thing.



Steve...

I haven't had a chance to hook it up to any of my trailers yet. I was installed on Saturday and I was called away on a family medical emergency the last two days.

The upfitter used some type of special plug in the 7 pin connector with a series of lights on it and everything worked fine except that the little green light that says the trailer is connected did not come on, on the controler.

The controler is a Rabestos Inertia/electronic type.



I hope I can test it out tomorrow if I can get home from work before it is dark. But like I said wiring the thing was stupid simple and I can't believe the guy messed it up since he does this all the time for trucks at the place.

 

[DKupec]

I didn't have to do anything at all to mine when I got it. I pulled the controller out of my old truck plugged it in under the dash and everything worked fine.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I have connected the wires of the harness CORRECTLY to the wires from my brake controler,

I hate to be the one to ask, but did you hook them up by matching colors or did you go according to the directions?

 

[Jim W]

I can not help you with the brake controller that you are using but I do know the Prodigy will not work until the trailer is attached. I did not use the wiring harness from Dodge, I purchased the wiring harness with the controller that was designed for the Dodge and the Prodigy Brake Controller from Tekonsha. When I hooked up to my 5er the brake control indicated that the unit was working. I tested the the brake controller as instructed and drag the 5er wheels first. Then reset the gain and the brakes on my truck applied first then the 5er bakes applied. Drove the 5er home 20 miles and I would not give up the truck nor the brake controller now that I have them. Just my $0. 02

Hope this helps a little.

 

[FATCAT]

I hate to be the one to ask, but did you hook them up by matching colors or did you go according to the directions?

The guy at the upfitters installed the brake controler and went by the directions. He check the instructions twice, his boss doubled checked them, and I double checked them.



My only other thing to think about is that when the upfitter installed the 7-pin connector into the rear pintal plate he may have mixed up the wires. But I did connect up my flat bed trailer last week (before the brake controler was installed) and all the lights, turn signals, and brake lights worked fine.

I guess there could be a problem with the ground and power wires.



I won't be able to check till Friday when I take some time off from work.

 

[Loren]

FATCAT,



Like Steve, I had absolutely no problem installing my BrakeSmart controller. I plugged it in and everything worked. Nothing had to be set up or intitialized.



I suspect that your brake controller may be smarter than your installer. It probably knows that there wasn't a real trailer hooked up. I suspect that these newer, sophisticated controllers look for a certain resistance through the brake wiring to recognize that a trailer is hooked up. A simulator plug-in tester may not create the right situation to satisfy the brake controller.



My guess is that you don't have a problem with your controller. You won't know for sure until you plug it into an actual trailer. Don't get too upset until you know for sure.



Good luck,

Loren

 

[FATCAT]

FATCAT,



Like Steve, I had absolutely no problem installing my BrakeSmart controller. I plugged it in and everything worked. Nothing had to be set up or intitialized.



I suspect that your brake controller may be smarter than your installer. It probably knows that there wasn't a real trailer hooked up. I suspect that these newer, sophisticated controllers look for a certain resistance through the brake wiring to recognize that a trailer is hooked up. A simulator plug-in tester may not create the right situation to satisfy the brake controller.



My guess is that you don't have a problem with your controller. You won't know for sure until you plug it into an actual trailer. Don't get too upset until you know for sure.



Good luck,

Loren

Hummmmm ... the trailer simulator. Yeah maybe that is the weak point.

Well, if it stops raining long enough and I can get home from work before 8:30, I will back up the truck to one of my trailers and plug it in. Time is my biggest problem. Just to find a half hour in the sunlight to do something non-work related is almost impossible M-F.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I have a trailer "emulator" it's called. They work flawlessly. A prodigy or any other controller will function normally as long as the hot line is working too. That's most likely not the problem.

Check to see if you have backup lights to the center pin. For some reason a lot of guys like to wire brakes to the center pin.

 

[RGrizzle]

i had no problems installing my prodigy . i unplugged it from my 04 and pluged it into my 07 . i would suspect the trailer simulater might be the problem . try a real trailer and the go from there if it doesn't work .

 

[FATCAT]

i had no problems installing my prodigy . i unplugged it from my 04 and pluged it into my 07 . i would suspect the trailer simulater might be the problem . try a real trailer and the go from there if it doesn't work .

Thats the plan when the sun comes up tomorrow. First I'll hook up my old truck (which I know works fine, just to make sure the trailer is not having any problems), then I'll hook up the new truck and see what is what.



WHY CAN'T THINGS GO EASY WITH A NEW TRUCK!

 

[Loren]

Thats the plan when the sun comes up tomorrow. First I'll hook up my old truck (which I know works fine, just to make sure the trailer is not having any problems), then I'll hook up the new truck and see what is what.



WHY CAN'T THINGS GO EASY WITH A NEW TRUCK!

FATCAT,



Don't keep us in suspense. Did it work when you hooked up to a real trailer?



Loren

 

[SierraRam]

I gotta say that installing the Prodigy brake controller has got to be onr of the simplest installs. I agree must have the brake resistance circuit to establish the connection for the electronic controller to operate.



Hope it is something simple, could be a bad controller.



SR

 

[Grizzly]

FATCAT,

Like Steve, I had absolutely no problem installing my BrakeSmart controller. I plugged it in and everything worked. Nothing had to be set up or intitialized.

I suspect that your brake controller may be smarter than your installer. It probably knows that there wasn't a real trailer hooked up. I suspect that these newer, sophisticated controllers look for a certain resistance through the brake wiring to recognize that a trailer is hooked up. A simulator plug-in tester may not create the right situation to satisfy the brake controller.

My guess is that you don't have a problem with your controller. You won't know for sure until you plug it into an actual trailer. Don't get too upset until you know for sure.

Good luck,

Loren

I also had no problem installing my BrakeSmart two weeks ago. No adjustments needed.