Brake controller suddenly not recognizing trailer connection

[zippityz]

I'm new to the trailer game. I bought a 2011 Ram 2500 (factory brake controller) and a 2004 Forest River Wildcat 5th wheel this summer. So far everything's been awesome.

Our last trip was 4 weeks ago. No issues. I went to hook-up the 5th wheel today and the controller wasn't registering that the trailer was connected. The turn signals and brake lights worked, but nothing from the controller. If I activate the slide adjuster on the controller it lights up for ten seconds, which the Dodge manual said is what should happen if the controller doesn't register a connection. I tried both the outlet in the bed of the truck and on the bumper, same result. I crawled under the trailer and saw no obvious signs that there was a short in the wires going to the brakes. Despite being a 2004, this trailer is in really good shape.

I've been doing some reading online about trailer brake systems, and I'll try and pinpoint the problem tomorrow, but I was wondering if anyone has had this happen to them and could offer some pointers. Thanks!

[rsdata]

sounds like maybe you have a bad electrical connection somewhere... possibly in the 7 pin connector... these connections oxidize and lose electrical connection especially as they age...

I have a can of DeOxit... that I use at least once a year that keeps my connections clean. Hard to find in a retail store...

restoring the electrical conductivity of the contacts is the first and easiest thing to do to try to rectify this situation...

[rockfordroo]

I use dielectric grease on my 7-pin.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...tic/11755.html

[rsdata]

rockfordroo,

I use dielectric grease on my 7-pin.

Using electrical contact grease increases reliability and the life of the connection by preventing corrosion and sealing the connection.

problem is the contacts are probably already corroded, and unless that corrosion can be removed either mechanically using sandpaper, or using a chemical like DeOxit, the grease won't help... as they say on the etrailer site in the second quote

[mwdilday]

like rsdata said check the 7 pin connection contacts. There is info on ETrailer that may help. https://www.etrailer.com/question-36310.html

[zippityz]

I'm going to pick-up a can of this tomorrow at Home Depot and give it a shot. I would order the Hosa on Amazon but we're trying to hit the road tomorrow.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/CRC-QD-1...30-6/202262505

[Platokidd]

I Deoxit my 7pin today and that stuff works great!

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by zippityz

I'm going to pick-up a can of this tomorrow at Home Depot and give it a shot. I would order the Hosa on Amazon but we're trying to hit the road tomorrow.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/CRC-QD-1...30-6/202262505

FWIW-I tried that stuff and I can say DeOxit works way better hands down.

[pismolocal]

I have a dodge mega cab and my break controller wasn't reading the trailer either. I have a prodigy P2 and wasn't getting anything after years of faithful service. I pulled it out and replaced it with the one in my RV it worked again in the RV but the one that was in the RV didn't work in the truck now. After going crazy trying to figure it out I finally found out it was a break switch under my break pedal that was sticking and needed to be replaced. It was stuck in the down position and wasn't retracting out like it needeed too. Not saying that's your issue...but just a thought to check on.

[dwa1000]

I had a similar problem on my unit. Turned out the battery was going on my rig. Changed the battery everything was fine. Something to look at.

[tonyocky50]

I had a similar problem. One RV dealer replaced the main cable that connects to the truck. That did not solve the problem. It turns out the wiring harness in my truck was faulty and had to be replaced for about $150.00. I now have a tester that will test the truck cabling. Costs about $35.00. If you know anyone with a camper that has one, maybe you can borrow it. I also use electrical gel on my contacts.

[zippityz]

Used the CRC, and it immediately worked. However, I got about 5 miles down the road and the trailer brake repeatedly disconnected and reconnected, until about 5 miles later and it just disconnected.

I got a small drill bit and ran it along the inside of the connectors, sprayed some more CRC, and now it appears to be fine. But I'm going to order a bottle of the DeOxit, too.

[PenJoe]

While checking the plug blades/pins for corrosion may solve your problem, the corrosion may be at the wire terminals connecting to the plug.

[DustyRoads]

Teconsha sells a trailer connection tester/simulator. You can plug into your 7pin TV connection and run through your light tests. It can also let's you simulate a connection for testing your brake controller. They only guarantee it works with their controllers. It work in my factory Chevy controller.

[zippityz]

Well, thought it was working, but it keeps connecting/disconnecting. Weekend plans are cancelled. I'll keep running through these solutions to try and locate the problem. Thanks again for your help, everyone.

[divers6926]

I recently bought a trailer and it was connecting and disconnecting found out that the wires in the hubs on the were shorting.. check that out also

[thebrakeman]

OP said they get the same negative result with either of the 2 connectors (in the bed, or at the bumper). The chances of having the same problem at both connectors is very, very low, especially when you consider the connector in the bed does not see nearly as much of the elements as at the bumper. So, I'm thinking the problem is up-stream.


I also do not think it has anything to do with the brake-light switch (or it's wiring). If that were the problem, the manual-apply lever would actual the brakes properly.


If all of the lights are working properly, then I would suspect the actual brake-signal wire, somewhere ahead of where the 2 rear connectors split.

[zippityz]

I'm thinking it has to do with the plug coming from the trailer. It's just way too coincidental that I can spray some of that cleaner in there and it usually works for a while, and then it ends up jockeying back and forth between connected and disconnected while I'm driving. Seems like just a bad connection at that one particular female connector. A corroded connection could be causing that jockeying, right??

I'll get some of that deoxit cleaner and dielectric grease, and if that doesn't solve the problem then it's either that one particular wire running into the plug, or it's the wire running from the controller before it splits to the bed/bumper connections.

[clr]

On the vehicle bumper 7 pin connector there is a plug where the vehicle wiring plugs into the back of the 7 pin connector. I would remove this plug and spray and clean this also.
If that does not fix the problem I would next look within the box where the trailer cable wiring connector is connected to the trailer this is normally an electrical box with the connections inside.

[PenJoe]

Originally Posted by zippityz

I'm thinking it has to do with the plug coming from the trailer. It's just way too coincidental that I can spray some of that cleaner in there and it usually works for a while, and then it ends up jockeying back and forth between connected and disconnected while I'm driving. Seems like just a bad connection at that one particular female connector. A corroded connection could be causing that jockeying, right??

I'll get some of that deoxit cleaner and dielectric grease, and if that doesn't solve the problem then it's either that one particular wire running into the plug, or it's the wire running from the controller before it splits to the bed/bumper connections.

Corrosion has been my enemy on two different projects this past week. One was the wiring on a tractor and had to replace the wiring harness. The second was corroded terminals on trail cams. Both were sporadic until they just quit working. Different applications, but the culprit was the same.