Trailer Brakes Too Aggressive with Brake Pedal and No Power with Manual Override on a Pilot # 80550

Expert Reply:

It sounds like there are a couple of issues going on with your Pilot Brake Controller, # 80550. First, check that you have set the power to the correct level according to the instructions which I have linked for reference. Since the braking is too aggressive with the foot pedal, the power may be set too high.

It is also possible that there is a short to the blue wire which goes back to the trailer brakes. This could cause full power to be sent back to the trailer brakes when you step on the pedal. You will need to test the wiring with a circuit tester like # 3808 if needed.

When you step on the brake pedal, the red wire should show a signal and the blue wire should also show a signal. If there is power on the red or blue wires after you remove your foot from the pedal, then you know there is a wiring issue or problem inside the brake controller.

If there is power showing on the white wire but not on the black wire that would indicate that the power and ground wires have been switched and the brake controller will have to be replaced. You you slide the manual override with the power properly set, it should show a signal on the blue wire.

If it does not, then you know there is a problem with the manual override and the power was probably set too high for the brake pedal. The manual override contacts may be dirty. To clean them, slide the lever full on and let it snap back into place several times.

It is also possible that you have dirt or corrosion in or behind the trailer side and/or vehicle side connectors. Clean them out and see if that helps. You can also visually inspect the brake magnets for wear and for bad wiring connections. For further magnet testing, I have included a link to an FAQ article for you.

expert reply by: Michael H