Ford C-Max toad brake indicator light
I recently installed a ReadyBrake to prepare my 2013 Ford C-Max Energi as a toad, and to make sure it's working properly and to be alerted if the brakes are being applied when they're not supposed to ...
Forum Discussion
OldBlackWater wrote:
I recently installed a ReadyBrake to prepare my 2013 Ford C-Max Energi as a toad, and to make sure it's working properly and to be alerted if the brakes are being applied when they're not supposed to be, I'm trying to figure out a way to rig up a relay that switches on a light on the dashboard of my motorhome when the toad brakes are pressed hard enough to activate the brake lights.
Here's my problem: I did a little experiment to make sure the C-Max's brake lights will still be active while towing by putting it into accessory mode and in neutral, and when I went back to check after about 30 minutes, the brake lights were inactive. I pulled on the ReadyBrake cable to activate the brakes, and the brake pedal went down, but there were no brake lights. If I can't get brake light power to activate the relay, my indicator light will not work.
Has anyone been able to rig up a toad brake indicator light on a C-Max or other similar vehicle that deactivates the brake lights while being towed?
Tangent question: I also noticed that my C-Max was no longer in accessory mode after 30 minutes; it appeared to be off. Instead of leaving it in accessory mode, could I just leave it off since it shuts off by itself eventually anyway? What do other Ford plug-in hybrid owners do?
Not sure of everything you're trying to say here, but this should work with any of them and assuming that you don't want to use the actuator switch on the READYBRAKE itself.
Hang a 12vdc miniature relay somewhere at the third brake light (I just taped mine on to the wires back there) and use it's dry N.O. contacts for completing the circuit to ground. This is done by first supplying power to one side of the LED indicator light on the coach dash and then running a wire for it's return all the way back and through the umbilical cord to the rear of the toad for picking up the relay's said contacts.
Hence, when the 3d brake light comes on with the slightest depression of the toad's brake pedal, the relay will close and complete the circuit to ground, thereby energizing the dash indicator light.
Hope this helps.
