Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) BrakeSmart cooked

[OTRPU]

Hi all, I'm considering retracting my endorsement of the BrakeSmart controller. Ran the first one 2,400 miles, some reason it fried. I contacted the company the required me to return the controller which I did. Still had my Prodigy and harness connector with me so just swapped them out and kept running. Three weeks or so I get by my residence and pickup the replacement BrakeSmart controller and installed it. Ran another 3 trailers, doubt it was 5,000 miles, now the second unit just fried itself while I'm sitting on the internet in the Des Moines, IA Flying J. Glad I decided to carry the Prodigy with me for a spare "just in case". I'm not certain the unit isn't still operational. But I smelled burning wireing and the unit display is saying I am braking all the time. That's the same thing that I saw last time, so if it walks like a duck. . . I'm just going to swap to the Tekonsha controller and continue my journey to Oregon. Lotta hills tween here and there, wouldn't want to be hauling trailers without a working brake controller. Will let you know if they can get me a unit that doesn't burn up. Admittedly I'm a stringent test bed for a brake controller, running loaded about 75% of the time. Not real heavy most of the time, but have slips for 22,300 gross.

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Cheers,

Steve J.

 

[BPINE]

I have had mine for at least 2 years ( I got one of the first made ) and no troubles at all. Did they tell you what happened or caused the first one to fail?

 

[ChrisTucker]

This is intresting, I was thinking of getting one. I am loaded 10k 100% of time on my chevy and want to hear what the problems and solutions are. Please keep us informed---chris

 

[Chipstien]

Bummer. Any chance it is your trucks wiring. I mean like too much or too little voltage at the controller. Or corroded terminals *in* the fuse box. Maybe where the harness plugs into the fuse box has a bad conection. Not making excuses... just suggestions. Multi-tester don't always tell the truth. I have seen many times where a multi-tester says (for instance) 14. 4 volts but as current draw goes up the voltage will drop due to corrosion somewhere. That is the only downfall to microproccesor controlled devices. They are very susceptible to voltage and amperage variances. Mine is still going strong.

 

[OTRPU]

I'm taking the Ram to my Denver DOC, Reliance Truck & Auto to have my wiring checked out. Will certainly return and post results. Right now it has everyone baffled and saga continues. . .



Cheers,

Steve J