Troubleshooting Brake Controller with No Brakes when the Pedal is Pressed

Expert Reply:

It sounds to me like you have lost the connection to the brake pedal switch, as long as you are sure the adjustments are not set all the way to 0 or the mounting angle of your brake controller is not out of alignment. I would begin by using a circuit tester, item # 3808 if needed, to check all of the brake controller wiring. You should have a white ground wire, a black wire that has 12 volt power to the brake controller a blue wire that is the brake feed to the trailer connector at the back of the vehicle and a red wire that is connected to the cold side of the brake pedal switch. The red wire is the wire that is most likely not working. Testing the red wire you should have power when the brake pedal is pressed and not when the pedal is released. If you have power at the red wire going into the controller when the brake is pressed, and not when released, then from the observations you have already made it sounds as if the brake controller is bad. Brake controllers have no user serviceable internal parts. You have already eliminated the power wire to the brake controller, the blue, brake feed, wire to the trailer, the connections between the vehicle and trailer and the brakes on the trailer by using the manual slide and the breakaway switch. If you find your self needing a new controller I would recommend the Valley Odyssey II (TM) Geometric Electric Trailer Brake Controller, item # 32810-V30512, which is a very nice brake controller. I have this controller installed on my vehicle and it is easy to set for differing trailer weights and brakes smoothly with my truck.

expert reply by: Bob G