no automatci trailer brakes

[RenegadeT]

I have the original Prodigy controller in my 98 Ram and the trailer brakes arent working hit the brake pedal, even when I slam the brakes on. They do work I slide the hand lever. My truck has the factroy trailer brake connector, and had the pigtail in the glovebox that I hardwired to the Prodigy. Could the controller be bad, or how should I diagnose the wiring?

 

[Ron]

Tony,
Its been several years since I've worked on one....but just thinking out loud.
The brakes work on a manual slide so the trailer brakes and wiring is eliminated. The controller has the ability to fire the brakes.
I would think its either an internal circuit board issue which would likely necessitate replacement not repair or there is a signal input that varies based on brake level, I think this comes off the brake light switch circuit. So potentially a brake light switch going out could cause it. Beyond that Im stumped.

 

[Blkvoodoo]

if you unplug the trailer and step on the brake do you get anything on the display ?

Is the controller mounted correctly ?

http://www.anythingtruck.com/instructions/755-90185Manual.pdf

 

[lockedup5]

if you unplug the trailer and step on the brake do you get anything on the display ?

Is the controller mounted correctly ?

http://www.anythingtruck.com/instructions/755-90185Manual.pdf

When I step on my brake it shows the same numbers whether my trailer is hooked up or not. Is this correct? It has always worked fine. I just couldn't find anything in that link pertaining to what you refered to.

 

[RenegadeT]

whoops, I have the Voyager, not Prodigy. When I disconnect the trailer, the LED goes dead. Plug the trailer in...light is green until I slide the brake lever, it goes orange/yellow to red. I'll print these instructions (http://www.anythingtruck.com/instructions/755-9030Manual.pdf), check level etc. Its mounted nose up, I'll put the angle finder on it and make sure its not higher than 70degres.

 

[UncleWillie]

Its mounted nose up, I'll put the angle finder on it and make sure its not higher than 70degres.

That seems really stupid to me. Say you have ti mounted at 69 degrees and you go down a steep hill. Do you loose your brakes?

 

[shawn]

Also... they did work, and now they don't?

That sounds less like improper installation and more like a gyro/pendulum/howevertheymeasurespeed failure.

 

[Clubbs]

Mine quit working on my 05 ram last month too. I ended up getting a buddy and a long jumper wire and used my volt meter to check continuity between each terminal. I started with the positive post on the battery to the positive side of the trailer brake fuse in the fuse panel, that checked out. Went from the other side of the fuse to the wire in the dash for the trailer brakes that hooks to my controller, that was good. Went from there to the plug on the back of the truck and nothing. Unplugged the plug from the harness and checked from the end of the harness to the harness in the cab that the controller hooks too and that was good. Checked from the pin on the plug pigtail to the pin that receives the 7 pin from the trailer and nothing... The dumb push in pin on the truck connector had come apart. On my 05 its a pretty lousy connection I never had any trouble with my 07 Ram in this area but if you tone out all your wires I bet you find the problem...
Dave

 

[1980CJ7]

there's usually a signal wire that goes from the brake light wire to the controller....make sure that somethin hasn't happened to that connection.

 

[Ron]

or there is a signal input that varies based on brake level, I think this comes off the brake light switch circuit. So potentially a brake light switch going out could cause it. Beyond that Im stumped.

there's usually a signal wire that goes from the brake light wire to the controller....make sure that somethin hasn't happened to that connection.

yeah what he said