Brake errors on brake controller

[jwill18]

I started getting error messages to my prodigy brake controller (ol and sh) on my recent trip and the brakes would stop working. Sometimes the messages would go away and the brakes begin working again. I'm thinking there is a loose wire (perhaps ground?). Any suggestions on where to start first? I have a 2013 Sabre 34tbok.

Thanks.
Jason

[Broadway Joe]

sh indicates a short in the brake wires, check the wiring along and near the axles for rubbing. ol indicates an overload, same fault the brake wire is shorting out.

[jwill18]

Originally Posted by joenic53

sh indicates a short in the brake wires, check the wiring along and near the axles for rubbing. ol indicates an overload, same fault the brake wire is shorting out.

I've looked and don't see anything that looks like a wire rubbing. Only a small portion is exposed as most of it runs through the axle. Would a bad connection with the plastic connectors cause any of those codes? Otherwise, I'm thinking it might be the wiring near the brake magnet. Thoughts?

[Broadway Joe]

Could be near the magnets, bad connection would not give short.

[jwill18]

Originally Posted by joenic53

Could be near the magnets, bad connection would not give short.

Thanks. I'll check there (really don't want to pull the hubs off).

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by jwill18

Thanks. I'll check there (really don't want to pull the hubs off).

You really don't have much choice but to pull all the hubs and start looking.

[puff]

I would pull the 7 pin at the bump on the truck and check the wires inside before jumping to the brakes on the trailer.

[Red Wolf]

I had this happen twice in the past five years. Poked and prodded, and it was a short in the break wiring the the axle. I found it pulled of some back woods Missouri road. While I was fiddling with the wires, DW comes running back to tell me whatever I had done fixed it...the short had cleared from the display. What I had done was tug the wires a bit going from one break unit, through the axle to the other.

Sure enough, it wasn't shorted any more. Drove off, expecting it to re-short. It eventually did, 10,000 miles and five years later. A few tugs on the same wires 'fixed' it again.

[BombDoc]

I went through this and to tell you the truth is almost drove me crazy. I replaced the factory controller with a brand new one. Same issue. I did pull one hub and found some excessive grease but it wasn't on the brake pads or the drums. Cleaned it up, reassembled and checked about 25 and 50 miles later. Everything looked good. Still had intermittent SC code on the controller. I began to notice that when the trailer shift either left or right like when you change lanes and the road surface was uneven it would cause the controller to flash the SC code and immediately reset. I think the issue is at the junction box under the pin. I made a loop near the junction box and secured it so that there was no possible tension on it while plugged into the bed outlet. I drove 60 miles today up to Charleston SC with the 5'er, didn't lose connection once and I went camping last weekend as well about 20 miles from the house. Never lost connection. So it appears to be where the cable is wired to the box. I am going to open it up next week and do a deeper check and maybe rewire it. Something is loose in there, I just can't see it. Hope this helps.

[jwill18]

Originally Posted by Red Wolf

I had this happen twice in the past five years. Poked and prodded, and it was a short in the break wiring the the axle. I found it pulled of some back woods Missouri road. While I was fiddling with the wires, DW comes running back to tell me whatever I had done fixed it...the short had cleared from the display. What I had done was tug the wires a bit going from one break unit, through the axle to the other.

Sure enough, it wasn't shorted any more. Drove off, expecting it to re-short. It eventually did, 10,000 miles and five years later. A few tugs on the same wires 'fixed' it again.

Only to be that lucky!

[jwill18]

I repaired the short this weekend. The wiring on one of the brake magnets had snapped and the loose wire was making contact with metal inside the hub. Luckily, it was the first tire/hub I removed!

[Broadway Joe]

Glad it all worked out for you,