Troubleshooting Hopkins Brake Controller that Activates Trailer Brakes All the Time

Updated 06/24/2019 | Published 06/21/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Twist-in, 7-Pole, RV-Style Trailer Connector for Chevy and GMC Vehicles - Vehicle End

(625)

$23.22

Hook Probe Circuit Tester

(67)

$14.06

Question:

My brakes are staying on all the time if I press the increase button it will lock the brakes up and I’ve not pressed the brake pedal

asked by: Jacob

Expert Reply:

Since your brake controller is a Hopkins brake controller my initial reaction is that the controller has an internal problem as they are notorious for shorting out and behaving strangely. We can test your setup though to determine if the problem happens to be the wiring or the controller.

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 the Tester, 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.

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