Troubleshooting a Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller With Trailer Brakes That are not Showing Power

Question

Question:

I purchased a Tekonsha P3 trailer brake controller from etrailer about two years ago and it has worked perfectly up until now. I tried troubleshooting it and one of your video tutorials leads me to believe that the controller might be dead. The battery and brake light voltage are normal. The brake lights come on with both the pedal and manual override lever, but no voltage goes to the brakes. The brake voltage just reads zero no matter what I do. The 7 pin connector is clean and I added some dielectric grease just in case. The trailer brake wires also have no apparent damage. What do you think the problem is? Is there something else I should try?

asked by: Andrew W

0

Expert Reply:

I am not entirely sure what process you took so I'll give you some other things to try, or maybe a different way to test the Prodigy P3 # 90195. First, sever the blue wire a couple inches from the back of your controller. Then use a circuit tester such as # PTW2993 to test the end of the blue wire coming out of the controller. It should only have power when you apply the manual override; if it shows power at idle then there is an issue with the controller, and it will need to be replaced.

You will also want to test the brake output pin on the 7-way socket; it should only show power with the manual override. If it shows power any other time, then there is a short somewhere between the connector and the brake controller you will need to find.

It could also be the brake magnets themselves.You'll want to visually inspect the magnets; if you can see the copper windings coming through the magnets will need to be replaced. To test the magnets you can follow the help article I have linked. I have also attached some help articles on testing and troubleshooting brake controllers for you to check out.

expert reply by: Kyle S

0

Walt K.

4/15/2020

Hooked the trailer up, when I stepped on brake the controller did not come on and when I felt the controller it was very warm to the touch. Disconnected controller, and plugged it in the next day and it worked. So does that mean there is nothing wrong with it and why was it very warm to the touch?

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Chris R.

4/16/2020

Since the controller seems to be working properly now, it's hard to decipher what could have been the issue after the initial install and hookup. I know it's kind of a vague answer, but at this point I think it's best to just keep an eye on it to see if any problems pop back up, and go from there. It may have just needed to be reset (which is what unplugging it accomplished). It might be a good idea to take the trailer out to an empty parking lot a couple times just to test everything out - if nothing else to at least set your mind at ease.

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John M.

6/30/2020

My control will lock up the brakes when jacked up with the manual lever but not when you push the pedal brake but when on the ground the lever don't engage the brake.

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Chris R.

7/6/2020

If you're testing the Prodigy P3 while parked, it won't send much (if any) power back to the trailer brakes when stepping on the brake pedal. This is because it's a proportional controller that sends back power based on deceleration. Have you tried actually taking the trailer out for a test drive to see how the controller performs?

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Answer 1

If you sever the blue wire leaving the P3 controller part #90195 leaving enough room to reconnect it and test the end of the wire leaving the controller with a circuit tester like part #PTW2993 you should see voltage when you slide the manual…

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Answer 2

You are correct, you should only be getting output when the brake is applied, or the override switch is activated. It sounds like the controller might be bad, but to make sure, you should probably bench test it before tossing it. Use a circuit…

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Answer 3

I would start by inspecting the connector on your trailer and the vehicle to make sure there is not corrosion in the connector which could be causing a bad or weak connection. If there is corrosion in the trailer side connector, you would need to…

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Answer 4

If you are getting a blank screen on your Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Brake Controller #90195 you might just need to reset the unit (as simple as that might sound). Try unplugging the controller, waiting for about 15 minutes, and then plugging it back in.…

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Answer 5

The nc code on the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller indicates that no trailer is connected. When you step on the brake pedal though it should still say that the trailer is not connected. It is possible that there is a short being caused by a dirty…

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Answer 6

That's a pretty odd issue to have with the Prodigy P3 part #90195. Try unplugging it for a few seconds and then plugging it back it as a hard reset might get it to work like it's supposed to.

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Answer 7

There are several possible causes that can lead to the nc error on the Prodigy RF, #TK94FR. First, make sure that the power module is connected to the tow vehicle and not loose. You can also check for dirt and corrosion in the trailer side…

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Answer 8

The only difference between the Adapter #3031-P and Adapter #3017-P is that the #3031-P has an additional white wire for grounding on your vehicle. Both are confirmed to fit your 2017 Toyota Tacoma with the factory 7-Way and will allow you to use a…

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Answer 9

The green light of your Tekonsha Voyager Brake Controller part #39510 is to show that the brake controller senses a trailer being connected. If you can't get the green light to come on plus your brake output pin on your 7-way is reading…

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Answer 10

If you are testing your Prodigy P3, #90195, while sitting still, then the readings you are getting are normal. The P3 is a proportional brake controller, so it will send out an amount of voltage proportionate to the braking intensity of the tow…

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Answer 11

Trailer brake controllers use a 4-wire connection, white for ground, black for 12V power, red for the brake light switch signal that triggers the controller and blue for the output that is routed to the 7-way. There may be other connectors under…

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Answer 12

The Tekonsha Prodigy P3 #90195 has the ability to show a few different voltages when your vehicle is parked. The first option is your tow vehicle battery voltage which should be at least 12V if not more. The second is output power from the…

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Troubleshooting a Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller With Trailer Brakes That are not Showing Power

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