Troubleshooting Electric-Over-hydraulic Brakes On Trailer

Updated 03/03/2014 | Published 02/27/2014

Question:

hello i just bought a 2006 delta 30 foot flatbed gooseneck it has the electric over hydraulic dexter brake system. i was towing it with a 2004 dodge ram 2500 with a tekonsha prodigy brake controller, and the brakes are not working, if i have someone hold the lever over on the controller i can hear a humming sound coming from the tank on the trailer, also in front of the breakaway device there is a round metal piece mounted to the neck of the trailer and it has a couple of wires in it also the wife thinks that it is also making noise when brakes are applied. any suggestions on how to make the brakes work would be greatly appreciated will also be towing this same trailer with a 04 ford diesel with same brake controller unless that is the problem. thank you

asked by: Jeffery W

Expert Reply:

There might be an easy way to solve this issue. Is the display on your brake controller red? If so, then it is probably the older Prodigy model and will not work for the electric-over-hydraulic system you have on your new trailer. That would explain why it works on your horse trailer with electric brakes. It still receives the current from the brake controller, but the controller is not designed to work with electric-over-hydraulic systems.

If you have a blue display, then you probably have the Tekonsha Prodigy P2, part # 90885, and will need to switch the controller from electric brakes to electric-over-hydraulic. I have attached the installation instructions for the P2 that explains how to set the brake controller for either electric or electric-over-hydraulic brakes.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L