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Integrated Brake Controller

I have a troubleshooting question for the factory equipped brake controller on a 2008 F-250 Super Duty 6.4L

Pulling a 36' 5th wheel RV 2000 miles w/ nothing but trailer braking consistency problems. When working the brakes are smooth and nice. Might go a few hours at a time ok. Would throw a Trailer Wiring Fault error at random. 75% of the time the brakes did NOT work when manually applied then out of the blue would start working with no consistency as to when.
It would also throw the Trailer Disconnected error, red light and all, 50% of the time the brakes were working fine the other 50% not at all.
Noticed there was no consistency when the errors would occur. Might run a few hours good then act up repeatedly over a short time then be on good behavior for a while before acting up again.
Dealt with this the whole time.
Have had the wheels off the trailer, wiring and function works ok on all fours.
Replaced the male end of the trailer cord...no change.

Could the controller be faulty?
Thanks
Keith
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
Check that you have a ground between the trailer and the truck. You may need to run a seperate ground
 
Ya know sumpin...I believe your right.
Have pulled this RV for 3 years puttin up with this headache. Finally got brave enough to say somethin. Went through this grounding problem years ago with a semi. This RV has somethin the old one didn't have which is a plastic disc between the trailer hitch and 5th wheel frame with allot of grease on the king pin. Keeps the hitch nice and clean and squeak free....BUT! Suppose I'll attach a quick disconnect wire between the trailer and hitch and see what happens.
Thanks for jogging my memory.
 
Hey...just thinnkin out loud. The trailer lights were never affected and there was allot of miles traveled at night. That was the problem with the semi before. Could that mean something or are the lights grounded through the truck electrical system?
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
Lights don't draw like the brakes.
You'll find that the ball grounds well at certain positions even without a ground wire. Just a little bump, or turn changes things dramatically tho.

I chased this with an old "D" ring equipment trailer, like you, I fought it and fought it.
one day was fussing and an old timer said " yer white wire needs to be hooked up. See it hangin loose there?"
I hooked it up, and never had another problem
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
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Norlina NC
if its not a ground issue id be checking the signal wire too.. had an aftermarket one once that had a bad signal (positive) wire short out in the truck sides harness.. would hit a bump sometimes the brakes worked next bump they might not. i thought it was the connector till the socket tester didnt light for the brakes signal..
 

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