Troubleshooting Tekonsha Primus IQ Trailer Brake Controller That Shows Connected But Doesnt Work

Published 07/31/2015

Products Featured in This Question

Tekonsha Primus IQ Trailer Brake Controller - Up to 3 Axles - Proportional

(2159)

$90.04

Hook Probe Circuit Tester

(60)

$12.41

Question:

Hello, I am emailing about aTekonsha Primus IQ Trailer Brake Controller that I purchased through your company earlier this year. It has worked great up until this evening. Now for some reason I do not have any brakes when the pedal or switch on the controller is applied. It shows that it is connected to the trailer but there just are no brakes. Also when the hand switch to apply the brakes is on and I am at a complete stop I roll the dial switch to adjust how much the brakes are applied and it goes from 0.0 to 12 or 14 every time, it does not let me stop in between. Id you have any suggestions please let me know. Otherwise if there is any type of warranty I would be interested in that as well. Also I have unplugged and re plugged it into my truck 2006 Silverado 1500 with the cable that is made to plug directly in. Thank you,

asked by: Jake

Expert Reply:

Testing the brake controller is fairly easy. Sever the blue brake output wire near the brake controller leaving enough room to reconnect it and then apply the manual slide. Using a circuit tester like part # PTW2993, you should get output to the controller side of the wire you severed. If the manual slide activates the trailer brake output wire properly, try the brake pedal. If the brake pedal activates the brake output properly also then the problem is farther back either in the vehicle wiring or on the trailer.

If either the brake pedal or the manual slide are not functioning properly you will need to test the wires going into the brake controller. Make sure you have power entering the brake controller on the black wire. On the red wire you will only want power when the brake pedal is pressed.

If there is power on the red wire before the brake pedal is pressed you have connected the red wire from the brake controller to the wrong circuit. You would then need to find the brake switch wire that has power ONLY when the brake pedal is activated.

If these connections check out and the brake controller is properly grounded then there is possibly a problem inside the brake controller. This controller has a limited lifetime warranty.

I am including a link to a video that will show you how to test the wiring on a brake controller.

expert reply by: Jameson C