Question about Ford integrated brake controller

LJS1211 · 02-23-2016, 02:29 PM

I have a 2013 Ford F150 with the integrated brake controller and I don't think it's working right. I can't get the trailer brakes to “lock up” according to Ford’s owner’s manual. I tried at low speeds (under 10mph) as well as a little faster (above 25mph). I initially thought it was an issue with my new travel trailer so I took it back to the trailer dealership and they said everything was fine so they suggested it was an issue with the truck. I took my truck into the Ford dealer yesterday and they said everything checked out just fine. No codes are showing up indicating a brake controller problem and they showed me it's getting full volts when applying the brake at the pedal and the manual pull. I even tested it on a friend's cattle trailer and couldn't get his brakes to lock up either with my truck but he is able to with an aftermarket controller. Both the trailer and truck dealerships are saying their equipment is fine so I'm at a loss at this point. All I can do is set my controller all the way up to 10 and hope for the best. I'm even considering pulling the factory controller and installing an aftermarket one just to see if that makes a difference which would stink since I like the way the factory one integrates with the truck. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this with their trucks?

Justice12t · 02-23-2016, 03:23 PM

If the dealer is saying you have full voltage at the truck...and the RV dealer is saying everything is fine on their end I can think of a few things...

If it was me IMO...I would jack up one side of the trailer just enough so the tire(s) are off the ground. Plug your truck in and have someone spin the wheel on the trailer and then apply the manual pull and see if the tire locks up or not?...if it does, can it be turned fairly easy?...
Depending on how your tests go there you could always energize the trailer plug(Break circuit...Search Google it is fairly easy) from a different source and see if there are any differences...or hook your buddies truck up and do the same test and see what happens...
This could start you in the right direction...the trailer breaks might look fine but need to be adjusted...or maybe you have a flaky connector at the back of your truck that sometimes does not work correctly...
Again just MO and ideas...good luck!

Scubanut · 02-23-2016, 04:04 PM

X2 on justice suggestions. You need those brakes working or your going to get into trouble. I have a 2012 F150 with the integrated controller and I occasional spray electrical cleaner on contacts of both the truck and the trailer end.

2012 F150 FX4 Crew 5.0 3.73

2012Coachman Freedom Express 292BHDS (outdoor Kitchen)

Major · 02-23-2016, 06:09 PM

Also keep in mind it may not be an electrical problem at all but a mechanical problem with the brakes themselves. If the brakes were excessively overheated it could have damaged them.

Flaky brake operation both electrical and mechanical are the reasons why people change over to the newer disc brakes with the electrical to hydraulic units.

Can't say for sure but just a thought.

Canadiancrew · 02-23-2016, 07:37 PM

I assume you are trying to lock the brakes by using the override lever on the controller and not just hitting the truck brakes which will be affected by the gain adjustment you have set.

fx2 · 02-23-2016, 08:26 PM

What is your gain set at?

LJS1211 · 02-23-2016, 11:09 PM

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to jack it up this weekend and try Justice12t's suggestions. And yes I'm trying to lock them using the override lever simce that is what the instructions were to try and set the gain. Dealer suggested the gain be at 6 which I did at first however I've tested from 2 all the way to 10 and haven't seen a difference.

bob dirt · 02-24-2016, 12:12 AM

I have the same truck. I have several trailers and the only one that locks up is my new dump trailer. The others just need to be adjusted. Probably what yours needs also...

emtp82 · 02-24-2016, 01:40 AM

Funny you brought this up. I was worried about the same thing with my setup. I came across an article from ford, but can't seem to find it at the moment, that said the factory installed controller will only apply the amount of brake needed to stop the trailer based off of the speed of the truck.

Telstar · 02-24-2016, 12:24 PM

Could be burnt magnets. I had to replace all four of mine.

CWSWine · 02-24-2016, 12:37 PM

I don't know about the F150 but my F350 has three different settings in the DIC that allows for light, medium and heavy trailers. Mine was on light and after moving to heavy I can lock up the wheels on 7 setting.

Semperfi24 · 02-24-2016, 12:50 PM

I posed a question several months ago about my 2015 F-150, and never seemed to get any replies. So this might be a good start to seek some help, not to steal the thunder from OP.

My issue is regardless of what the gain is set to, the "output" to the trailer, is never more than 1 bar (Occasionally when I am stopped, and I press the pedal hard I can get a second bar to illuminate).

So the problem is, when I am trying to slow down, particularly if I am going down a hill, the truck will shift down dramatically. For example, I was going 45 mph toward a traffic signal, down hill (not steep, but it was down), and the truck went from 5th gear to 2nd gear. It is alarming when the truck drops to 2nd at that speed, and the rpm jumps up. Not to mention it is a little embarrassing when the engine is screaming down the hill.

Additionally, I have reached the point where every time I have to slow/stop I have to use the lever on the controller. If I don't, the truck down shifts and I go through the same thing. What is the point if I have to manually apply the trailer brakes with the lever, every single time? If I'm slowing to make a turn, I would kind of like to have 2 hands available to work the steering wheel and turn signal and all of that.

I never had anything like that happen in my 2013 F-150. It never down shifted, and I never had to apply the brakes with the lever. Same trailer, only difference is with the truck. We traded trucks mid season, so it wasn't a situation where it worked with the '13, and then over the winter we made the trade, and then it "didn't work" with the '15. The change from "working" to "not working" happened over a period of about 3 weeks mid season.

My personal opinion, and I am not a mechanic in any way, is that the truck is sensing the trailer brakes are not being applied (or atleast not applied enough, which goes back to my previous statement about the "output" lights not being more than 1 and occasionally 2 out, if I remember correctly, 6), and it over compensates with engine brake by down shifting. As I said, it is startling when it dramatically downshifts. It has even down shifted to 1st from 4th. I am under the impression down shifting to first is never a good thing. I remember when I drove a manual transmission, the only time I put it in first was if I was standing still.

Apologies for hijacking this thread, just curious if anyone has any suggestions. I will be having the trailer brakes and the wheel bearings serviced in the next month or so, so any suggestions are appreciated

MN John · 02-24-2016, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWSWine

I don't know about the F150 but my F350 has three different settings in the DIC that allows for light, medium and heavy trailers. Mine was on light and after moving to heavy I can lock up the wheels on 7 setting.

X2

ksmith954 · 02-24-2016, 01:07 PM

I also have a 2015 F150 and the factory controller will not lock up the trailer, although I can feel the the trailer brakes working.

Baldicon · 02-24-2016, 01:19 PM

X2 with ksmith954, my 2012 would not lock the wheels but brakes seem to work as needed. Are they definitely supposed to lock up?

j free · 02-24-2016, 01:44 PM

My F350 also will not lock up the brakes but will stop the trailer and truck very quickly just as if they were anti lock. Works quite well for my big 5er.

CWSWine · 02-24-2016, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldicon

X2 with ksmith954, my 2012 would not lock the wheels but brakes seem to work as needed. Are they definitely supposed to lock up?

My truck manual says to set them to lock then back off the setting. Depends if going to be a problem and how much braking the RV is really doing. Using the example of wet pavement and panic stop the truck will slow down faster than the RV and the RV will tend to come around and fish tail causing you to lose control. There really no way to know unless you can proper setup your controller.

furtrader · 02-24-2016, 01:46 PM

When you plug your RV into a Ford truck equipped with the intergraded brake controller it turns the trailer brakes into an anti lock system like your truck has. If I am not mistaken all
the domestic trucks (Ford, GM and FCA Ram) do the same. These intergraded systems are
also proportional to the amount of braking force applied to the truck.

UltraV · 02-24-2016, 01:49 PM

X3 I have a 2013 f150. The gain is set at 10 and I can definitely feel the trailer brakes engage but they don't lock up. I think that the truck manual said that this sometimes will happen. The question is if it is braking enough and how do you know?
I assume that "lock up" means that the trailer tires actually stop rotating.

CWSWine · 02-24-2016, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by furtrader

When you plug your RV into a Ford truck equipped with the intergraded brake controller it turns the trailer brakes into an anti lock system like your truck has. If I am not mistaken all
the domestic trucks (Ford, GM and FCA Ram) do the same. These intergraded systems are
also proportional to the amount of braking force applied to the truck.

The way it was explained to me was what you are saying is true when you press on the brake peddle but if you activate the brakes using the brake controller they are not anti lock and should lockup the wheels.

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