Is Voltage Bleed Normal on Brake Switch Circuit of Vehicle that Has Brake Controller Installed

Updated 04/22/2021 | Published 04/20/2021

Products Featured in This Question

Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Brake Controller - Dash Knob - Off-Road Mode - Up to 3 Axles - Proportional

(1676)

$290.00

Putco LED Light Bulb Load-Resistor Kit - Aluminum

(3)

$19.54

Question:

In installed the Redarc Elite in my 2018 Toyota Highlander XLE SE, along with the 7-way connector kit and T-connector kit, and a new Curt hitch. While backing the car with our Little Guy Minimax camper, we heard the trailer brakes rubbing. I found that the cold side of the brake pedal switch has a constant 0.05 volt reading. Same reading on the hot line to the cars top brake light. Do think this is an installation error, or maybe just normal trailer brake behavior after coming out of winter storage? Thanks much. By the way, I found an easy way to snake wires between the dash and the engine compartment. I pushed a thin stiff steel wire welding wire through the center of a grommet along beside a heating line near the centerline of the car, and used that wire for pulling brake controller wire.

asked by: HARMON G

Expert Reply:

It's not totally uncommon for switches to have a little bit of voltage bleed but in this situation it's probably best to replace the brake switch to see if that gets rid of the voltage bleed since it will cause unpredictable brake controller behavior. Or you could install a load resistor on the circuit to absorb the voltage like the # P230004A.

expert reply by: Jameson C