Archived Electric Brake Controller

[reese]

I just tried to wire up a Tekonsha Voyager brake controller using the factory wiring harness in my 2000 3/4 ton. The problem is when I hook my trailer up the brakes automaticly lock up. I am not even touching the brake. I checked the voltage on the harness from the brake switch and it turns to 12v when I press the brake and 0v when I let off. I tried to adjust the controller all of the way both ways and nothing. I wired the controller just like the instructions. Blue to Blue. Black to Black. White to White. and Red to Red.

Someone help!!!!!!!! I need to use my trailer tommorrow!!!!:{

 

[Berrigan]

Sounds like you did it right. Did you check the break away switch on the trailer. The plastic tounge thould be al the way in. Also I dont know if its true but I heard that if the break away closes the circuit to the trailer brake when the tailer is plugged into the truck it can damage the brake controler

 

[TPCDrafting]

Make sure you have a good ground. One way to check is use your set of jumper cables and clamp on a steel non-heavily painted surface on both truck and trailer. See if they work properly then. Do all the lights work properly, but the brakes are locked? You may have to swap some wires around either on the trailer or the truck. Try another trailer first. I tow many trailers, some mine, some not. I run into this occasionaly. There seems to be a double standard for wiring a trailer. It helps to have a voltmeter as well. Check every terminal at the back of the truck and that it's working correctly with the action in the cab. Then, verify each terminal on the trailer connector and it's purpose, then verify they correspond exactly to the truck wiring. Hope this helps.

 

[Goddard]

all the above... when i bought my 5ver had the same thing, had to switch 2 wires on the trailer because they were wrong. the plug on your truck could be the problem also. most likely that is where your problem is. keep us posted.

 

[PHaller]

Uhh... when I hooked up my sentenal controller, they were NOT color to color. Check your wireing!

-Paul R. Haller-

 

[Bob Horrell]

This is a very common problem. There is a 12V connection in the trailer plug that is hot all the time. It is very common to have this wire switched with the brake wire, causing the brakes to be activated all the time. At this point I don't know whether the wire is switched in the truck or the trailer. My bet it is in the trailer wiring. If you don't have a diagram of the wiring the easiest way to find which wires to switch is as follows:

First find the 12V hot connector on your truck with a meter - that is one of the wires to be switched.

Second have someone put on the brakes and look for another connector with 12V on it. That is the other wire to switch with the first one.

Third, switch the two wires you just found. I would probably switch the ones on the trailer instead of the truck.

Hopes this makes sense and is helpful.

 

[illflem]

I second what Paul said. When I went to hook up my Tekonsha I had the same problem Check the wiring diagram, on mine absolutely none of the colors matched up.

 

[Casey Balvert]

Yes, the colors DO NOT match. I made the same mistake. The wires on the dodge harness should be marked as to function. Match that to the same function on the brake controller harness. I don't think even one of the colors matched on my 97. Good luck



Casey

 

[C. Harlan]

I had to run a total seperate wire back to the junction box... . all my wire colors were whacked, and it p*ssed me off, pulling 4 horses from Ft. Worth to San Antonio with no brakes, idiots everywhere, and a hot temper to begin with! Needless to say, I got under there with a mulitmeter, and I recommend you do the same. If need be, run a seperate wire back to the junction box... That's my $. 02 worth



-Chris-

 

[reese]

Thanks for the info guys. I have noticed that the terminal on the back of the truck that is marked "brakes" is always hot. I don't want to go rewireing my trailer cause it works with all of the other trucks I (and Pop) use to pull it. All of the lights work fine. I cut the wire on the trailer side of the brakes just so I can use it. I just don't have brakes now.

The wires on the brake controller and on the factory wire harness are labeled and the colors match the labels (blue says "brake" on both) I will just have to find the one that is hot when I push the brake and rewire it at the back of the truck.

Thanks for all of the input.

 

[JBlock]

Wired color to color and it wrong

I did the same think the sale person said save $75 and just match color on the control. It did work, took the trailer back to have a different plug on the truck as it friend truck and they rewired the control ground ground etc. not following the colors and the problems when away.

 

[wtrenholm]

The wire colors mean nothing on the truck pigtail and the Voyager brake control. As others have said match by function not color. Mine works fine with no extra wires running to the rear.



Wayne

 

[Smoakb]

We had a Tekonsha Brake Controller on our 98 2500 4x2 and had the same problem when we connected a friends horse trailer and they had a similar problem with our horse trailer behind their 2001.



For this, I assume that your truck has a trailer towing package form the factory or has been wired to RV specifications.



After looking through the documentation and checking the wiring, we found that the stock dodge wiring with the trailer towing package is wired correctly to RV code.



Since we need to connect a 6 way horse trailer plug into the truck, we have to use a 7 way RV to 6 way horse/stock trailer connector. After looking on the Internet, we found that horse/stock trailers can be wired for either center = hot or center = brakes.



Easiest remedy - Carry both a Center Hot and Center Brakes 7 way RV to 6 way horse/stock trailer adapter.



$15. 00 each



Problem Solved.