Dodge Ram w/ factory wiring, brake controller no working

[bigdaddy]

i have an 06 Ram with factory/ dealer installed hitch wiring. I installed a plug and play Prodogy brake controller which powered up just fine. I traved 75 miles to get my camper out of winter storage only to learn that when the 7 pole was connected the controled did not recognise the connection. After a call to Prodogy it was determined that the problem is with the truck wiring. From what i have read this is not an uncommon problem with Dodge trucks. If anyone can shed some light on this issue I would appreciate it.

PS I brought my unit home anyway!

[bigdaddy]

OK... I figured it out. this is interesting! After an extensive online search I found a tread that said to look near the battery and fuse panel for the blue trailer brake wire coiled up and not attached to anything... I located it along with the positive feed wire and it was not connected! I checked the connector block under the dash and there were 4 wires running in. The second one was supposed to be the blue wire that was in the engine compartment...????? I had a green wire.

I ran the blue wire through the firewall and connected it to the blue wire form the brake controller and re connected the harness to the factory plug and PRESTO!!! I now have trailer brakes!!! WTF Dodge??

[08flagvlite]

Intrresting. My 06 Ram I was told when I purchased my camper had to be wired front to back the dealer claimed- AND they charged me 300.00, as well to do that. Now bear in mind my truck came equipped with the towing package- reese receiver, 4 pin and 7 pin on the bumper built in, trans. cooler, PS cooler, etc. BUT they claimed the 12v charging wires weren't there, or the blue brake sensor wire, either, so..... Now, I also have an 04 Durango, and since my truck was recently in the shop being repaired from an accident, My neighbor wanted us to go camp, and reserved 2 sites, not aware I didn't have my truck. So, he had an extra brake controller, 4 labeled wires, and I remembered when I bought the durango a zip lock bag that said for electric brakes on a sticker. it had the 4 wires, labeled as well, and it said there is a blue blastic 4 pin plug to the left side under the dash to locate that and plug this into it-I did that, and everything works great! I'm wondering if the Ram is the same way. I haven't checked, but I'll bet it's there! Randy

[backin15]

Thats a wierd one - didn't have a problem with my '04 Dodge. Just soldered up the supplied pigtail and plugged it in under the dash. I never heard of the wire not being connected.

[bigdaddy]

Let me know what you find Randy. I located the wire loom running along the left frame rail, from front to rear. it had a white wire with red trace and the blue wire only in it. The white/red terminated with an in-line 20a fuse and became straight red and went directly to the fuse box for power, the blue was coiled and tied to the loom.

Good luck

[Bama Rambler]

ON the Dodge 1500's, there are 2 versions. The version with the factory tow package has all the wiring ran, but the charge and brake wires aren't hooked to anything. The charge wire is also missing a mini-fuse. The version without the factory tow package doesn't have either of those wires ran.

[Chris777]

Hi, If anyone can help me on this. Recently We change our 06' Suburban for a 09' Suburban, but at the time we change the brake controller to the new car (following all the instructions from dealer, and from etrailer web site), we have found that we don't have brakes on the trailer. Stop, run, and turn lights are working fine. Also I noticed that I don,t have the red led light on the controller at the time I depressed the brake pedal. On the 06'Suburban the brake controller was working very well.
I have checked everything from fuses to wiring, even we took the truck and connected to a new trailer with the same result (no red light on controller at time of pressing brake pedal, and no brakes on the trailer).
I will be really apreciate very much if some one can give me some ideas to solve this problem.
Chris.

[VTX Al]

Just for info... my '07 Ram 1500 with factory tow package came ready to go (Including flip-up tow mirrors). Simply plug n play !!!

...VTX-AL

[SaskCampers]

Our 04 1500 Laramie quadcab 4x4 just plugged the P3 controller intol the harness and off we went, same on the 08 wunder truck.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Chris777

Hi, If anyone can help me on this. Recently We change our 06' Suburban for a 09' Suburban, but at the time we change the brake controller to the new car (following all the instructions from dealer, and from etrailer web site), we have found that we don't have brakes on the trailer. Stop, run, and turn lights are working fine. Also I noticed that I don,t have the red led light on the controller at the time I depressed the brake pedal. On the 06'Suburban the brake controller was working very well.
I have checked everything from fuses to wiring, even we took the truck and connected to a new trailer with the same result (no red light on controller at time of pressing brake pedal, and no brakes on the trailer).
I will be really apreciate very much if some one can give me some ideas to solve this problem.
Chris.

On some vehicles there is an extra relay and/or fuse that needs to be installed. My F150 had an extra relay that needed to be added to make things work.

[Jas]

On some of those vehicles cursed with the pentagram of chrysler, you have to have the dealer enable the computer to power the extra curcits in addition to finding the loose wire and hooking it up. My 06 cherokee was one of those vehicles. I employed creative wiring techniques to skirt the $300 penalty. I also had to install a diode on the brake controller trip wire as the controller was casuing the ABS to freak out when connected prior to the diode.

[Chris777]

I want to thank everyone; finally, the problem was found. I called Tekonsha 1-800 number and they told me to check if there was enough power on the red batt. wire from the truck which was connected to the brake controller, the problem was there (weak connection). Now I used a much better quality connector and everything is working very well.
Chris.