Lost my trailer brakes tonight

[chrismoore701]

So I put my trailer back in storage tonight and I did not have any brakes. My controller when nothing is plugged in is blank until I hit the brakes then it has a little red dot that lights up when I hit the brakes. This works. When It works I hook up the trailer the screen is blank until I hit the brakes and then it counts up to the setting I have it at.

It works with trailer disconnected but when I hook trailer up the screan just stays blank and no brakes

Any thoughts. Could it be my controller? Is there any way to measure the Voltage of the brakes at the plug?

Thoughts?

[Rustysocket]

I would start by cleaning the connections.

[64osby]

Should be able to measure voltage at the TV plug with the vehicle on and brake pedal depressed.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

What brake controller is it? The Tekonsha Prodigy P2 will show a little red dot but when you try to activate manually with no trailer connected, it shows n.c on the display. Find an owner's manual for your controller for troubleshooting.

Best bet is to check the plug at the truck and make sure it isn't corroded. Check the trailer plug as well. Next, I would crawl under the trailer at the axles and find the power wires going to the brakes. Make sure they are not broken. After that,

[chrismoore701]

Thanks guys. Will check the plug and the trailer wires. The controller is a draw tite activator lll controller. Thanks

[LiftedAWDAstro]

That is a timed controller. Not sure if it will give output with no trailer connected.

One thing you can check quickly is to pull the emergency brake cable on the trailer. This should put full battery voltage to all the brakes. You will be able to hear them. If you have a helper, have one person at the tires and the other pull the cable out. The switch will just push back into the emergency break-away plug.

[chrismoore701]

Originally Posted by LiftedAWDAstro

That is a timed controller. Not sure if it will give output with no trailer connected.

One thing you can check quickly is to pull the emergency brake cable on the trailer. This should put full battery voltage to all the brakes. You will be able to hear them. If you have a helper, have one person at the tires and the other pull the cable out. The switch will just push back into the emergency break-away plug.

Sounds like an easy check. Do I need the truck hooked for this test? Is this wired in the same circuit?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

No need for the truck to test the breakaway switch. You just need a fully charged battery on the camper.

[chrismoore701]

So I went over to the trailer this morning and hooked my truck up, I hooked the light cable to my truck, and disconnected the break away switch and the brakes did not drag. There is power inside the trailer, but not sure if there is a true 12 volts. The lights work, but did not measure the voltage at the battery. It is old. Do I need a good battery in order for my brakes to work? I have a 2010 Autumn Ridge. Is there a schematic in the manual for the brakes? Could someone send me something?

Thanks

[JHerzog]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

So I went over to the trailer this morning and hooked my truck up, I hooked the light cable to my truck, and disconnected the break away switch and the brakes did not drag. There is power inside the trailer, but not sure if there is a true 12 volts. The lights work, but did not measure the voltage at the battery. It is old. Do I need a good battery in order for my brakes to work? I have a 2010 Autumn Ridge. Is there a schematic in the manual for the brakes? Could someone send me something?

Thanks

Mine is at the dealers having this recall repaired - I did not get the notice, I found this online myself. You may want to see if yours is part of a recall - see below:

Jayco is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Jay Feather, Jay Flight, Jay Flight SLX, Eagle, White Hawk, and Octane travel trailers manufactured January 5, 2016, to July 18, 2016, equipped with a Sway Command anti-sway system. When connected to certain tow vehicles that have an integrated brake controller, and after the anti-sway system has applied the trailer brakes in response to a sway event, the trailer brakes may no longer function to slow or stop the trailer.
A loss of trailer brakes may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Jayco will notify owners, and dealers will remove the Sway Command system from the affected travel trailers, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Jayco customer service at 1-800-283-8267. Jayco’s number for this recall is 9901308.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

See if your vehicle is effected by searching with its VIN.

[RVhiker]

This is NHTSA recall campaign number 16V560000.

A needed recall. First the anti sway activates, then you lose your brakes. Wow.

The campaign dates to July 27, 2016. It sure seems like all affected should have been notified by now. Jayco or NHTSA really dropped the ball here.

[sennister]

Originally Posted by RVhiker

This is NHTSA recall campaign number 16V560000.

A needed recall. First the anti sway activates, then you lose your brakes. Wow.

The campaign dates to July 27, 2016. It sure seems like all affected should have been notified by now. Jayco or NHTSA really dropped the ball here.

That recall is for the optional electronic anti-sway that LCI came out with. I want to say only 2016 campers and some early model year 2017s made it out the door before the recall was issued. The fix is to remove it.

I looked into it even though it doesn't matter in my case. My 2017 was made after the recall was issued so it isn't an option anymore. The issue really was only with certain brake controllers. If I remember correctly they were all the OEM brake controllers. For instance my Yukon has an integrated brake controller that was installed in the truck at the factory. These were the ones that more of an issue because they are much better integrated into the truck's ECU. They would sense that the brakes on the trailer were activating even though you were not on the brakes trying to stop the truck. They would assume there is an issue and would then disable the controller. Some of these trucks also have some "intelligence" to them in that the stability control systems might react to the fact that you have a trailer with brakes and activate trailer brake and the systems would fight each other. Aftermarket systems normally don't do any of this. So the system worked well with those boxes. However since more and more manufacturers are integrating trailer braking systems into the trucks it was going to be a growing problem. So they discontinued the product and the recall is to cut the wires to it disabling the system.

[bdreinv]

Sometimes if my trailer plug is not just right in in the truck bed plug. I wont have any breaks either. Happy Trails

[sennister]

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Sometimes if my trailer plug is not just right in in the truck bed plug. I wont have any breaks either. Happy Trails

I have had that happen as well. That is one thing nice about the integrated factory controllers. When it is properly plugged in as soon as the truck is started the information center is telling me that there is a trailer hooked up and the brakes controller is activated. If I don't see that message I run back out and double check the connection. I also got in the habit with the old truck as I was pulling out to manually tap the trailer brakes with the controller (prodigy back then and OEM now). Once I feel it tug on the truck that is my test that everything is good.

[chrismoore701]

I have plugged my trailer in at least 5 times with no brakes, so I am sure that is not the issue. Any idea on the schematics?

Thanks
Chris

[chrismoore701]

Any other thoughts of what my issue could be?

[chrismoore701]

Did I stump you guys? Any direction?

[Seann45]

This is why I upgraded my truck brakes to more aggressive pads and drilled and slotted rotors all the way around.. if the trailer brakes fail I still have safety margin.

[John1928]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

So I went over to the trailer this morning and hooked my truck up, I hooked the light cable to my truck, and disconnected the break away switch and the brakes did not drag.

Do you mean they didn't apply any breaking force, or they didn't lock the wheels?

If it's the latter that may be normal for your particular trailer/brake combination as sometimes they're not strong enough to lock the wheels though it should be applying relatively strong braking.

However, if you don't feel any braking when the brake-away is pulled with the then it indicates that you have some other issue than your vehicle brake controller (no controller is needed for the break-away to apply full braking). If there is an open (or maybe short?) circuit that may cause your brake controller display issue as well.

[chrismoore701]

I'm in a gravel lot. So the wheels should drag. But nothing. Did not slow down. Is there a fuse in this system? Going to check over the truck tonight to clear that. Trailer is in storage and can't get there for a week