Trailer braking failure

[TAKPAK]

I was asked to put this in a NEW posting, instead of just a "reply", so here 'tis............

Recently, we were out camping at Ft. Stevens on the Oregon coast. Getting ready to leave, got the 5'er all hooked up, ready to go. Remembered I hadn't checked the "break-away" system in a while, so decided to do that. Pulled pin, checked brakes, they were locked up, all was good.....or so I thought. Re-installed the breakaway pin, and the brakes released. We're ready to go. Started out, and as I always do, I test the trailer brakes manually with the control. GASP, no trailer brakes. Absolutely nothing. I did notice that the DIC had the message "check/service brake controller system" on it. Out to check the plug, it was OK. Check the breakaway pin, it was OK. Removed plug, re-plugged in, still nothing. Could NOT get the brakes to work. About this time, I'm mentioning to the DW that she might have to ride in the back of the rig, and if we got into an emergency, PULL THE PIN. I told her to dress warm....can you guess where THAT idea went???? Anyway, as a last resort, I pulled the trailer plug, and shut off the truck. Waited a bit, then plugged the plug back in, and started the truck back up. Lo and behold, I had brakes again.

Synopsis of event......when I pulled the breakaway pin and activated the emergency brakes on the trailer, that system utilizes the battery that is in the trailer to set the brakes. Since I had the 7 pin plug already connected to the truck (had not done that during breakaway tests before) it appears that the trailer battery "backfed" into the truck's brake control system, and "upset it's operation" characteristics. It's default was to just "shut down" operation. By removing the plug, shutting the truck off, and then restarting it and plugging back in, it "cleared" it's memory, and everything was fine after that. Had brakes all the way home, and felt much safer. Plus, DW did NOT have to ride in the back!!!
Lesson learned, at least on Chevy/GMC's with integrated brake controller...when you test the emergency break-away system, do NOT have the 7 pin plug connected! It will cause the truck's system to go into "failure mode", but at least, for me anyway, shutting the truck off and restarting, reset the system.

Lesson learned!

[Art-n-Marge]

Great story! Definitely makes sense and I would think many controllers work this way. At least it wouldn't bother me and remind me that an abnormal condition had occurred (the brakes engaged and it was not from the controller).

Kind of like my car alarm and I try to set it while some of the doors are still open. I don't understand why it takes some folks SO LONG to get out of a vehicle! But I have learned to wait until all the doors are closed or else when I disengage the alarm is starts chirping because it was engaged when a breach (door still open) occurred.

Some systems just want to let you know something was amiss and that it hopes you knew about it. Sometimes it seems things are getting too smart for me.

[8.1al]

If I remember correctly Prodigy's shouldn't be hooked up when unplugging the breakaway either

[dieselguy]

Perhaps I missed reading something here ... as when driving on the road and the emergency brake cable is pulled out, you're hooked up to the truck obviously. Did you pull the emergency brake pin with the truck not running, then start the truck?

[KTManiac]

quote:Originally posted by dieselguy

Perhaps I missed reading something here ... as when driving on the road and the emergency brake cable is pulled out, you're hooked up to the truck obviously. Did you pull the emergency brake pin with the truck not running, then start the truck?

If the break-away cable is pulled out "as when driving on the road", that usually means that the trailer isn't with the truck any longer, and the seven-pin connector probably ain't connected no more neither.

[richfaa]

On two occasions we pulled the breakaway pin when making a very sharp turn out of a fuel station and locked everything up. We did not have the problem you mention.We have the Ford with trhe builkt in controller but that is good information to file away.

[TAKPAK]

quote:Originally posted by dieselguy

Perhaps I missed reading something here ... as when driving on the road and the emergency brake cable is pulled out, you're hooked up to the truck obviously. Did you pull the emergency brake pin with the truck not running, then start the truck?

When I pulled the "pin" on the system, the truck WAS running. Only way I could test to see if the brakes worked. Did not have an indication of a problem, UNTIL I put the pin back in, then tested the brakes with the "on board" control. It took putting everything "back to normal", pulling the 7 pin out, AND shutting the truck off, then restarting and replacing the 7 pin, to correct the problem.

And, as mentioned, if the pin is pulled, in most cases the truck and the trailer have already "parted company"....and the seven pin is probably no longer attached.