'Fault in Trailer Wiring'

[bobinraymoremo]

Has anybody run into this? Sorry this is long, it is an elusive gremlin 🙂

On a recent trip to Kalispell MT we hit a rough patch of road and 'fault in trailer wiring' message appeared on our dash. We have the integrated brake controller on our Ford F-350. We pulled off  to the side off the road and we had no brakes. A ladder we had stored in the truck bed was laying against the outlet where the pigtail was plugged in. Figuring it had jostled the connection I pulled the plug and reinserted it. We now had brakes but the display still showed the fault. I turned off the truck and started it again, the fault disappeared and we finished our trip with brakes.

I figured we had the problem fixed when no fault the next two trips. Then the gremlin returned so we visited a trailer place, everything worked except the brakes, both outlets tested ok, the shop noticed the pigtail plug prongs needed adjustment which he did. We plugged in got the trailer connected display so we headed out and got 96 miles with brakes. We drove 20 miles without brakes to an RV park. Next day we took the truck and did more thorough testing of the outlets. The truck bed one tested a little hokey so they recommended not using that one. They also recommended a new pigtail plug. We bought a new pigtail and had it installed. We plugged it in and got trailer connected so we headed out the next morning. We got 32 miles this time.

By now we were in Billings and a mobile tech found crimped power lines to the brakes. Fixed that and got 124 miles this time.

By now we are in Buffalo Wyoming. The latest theory is that we lost connectivity due to bumpy roads. The tech described the roads we were driving on, how we pushed the plug in too far, and how we only lost brakes, all without prompting. He said he has had two similar problems recently so I guess we trust him. He said the pins on the outlet needed to be spread to maintain better connection and don't push the plug in too far.

The only issue is that when we test it will probably be ok and if we see a problem it will down the road.

Anybody have any idea on where this gremlin is?

[bobinraymoremo]

We've had a heavy duty socket and plug installed probably eliminating all truck problems. When we plugged in it tested out OK. We will see what happens on our 200 mile test drive Monday. If we encounter problems we already have an appointment at an RV repair place in Denver and a pet friendly hotel so the Cameo can be checked out.

[bobinraymoremo]

kellertx5er wrote:
Just to cover another base, does rain/water figure in here at all? The reason I ask is that my bed-mounted receptacle will hold water when driving through a good rain. Then I get the 'trailer fault' message. Clears up after I dry it out.

Been pretty dry when this has happened.

[kellertx5er]

Just to cover another base, does rain/water figure in here at all? The reason I ask is that my bed-mounted receptacle will hold water when driving through a good rain. Then I get the 'trailer fault' message. Clears up after I dry it out.

[bobinraymoremo]

YC 1 wrote:
You need to find a couple of places you can conveniently test when it acts up. You can use a push pin to penetrate the wiring. Test before the fault occurs so you have known references. Write them down, do not try to remember them. The more locations the better. Intermittents drive technicians crazy and we can only work on symptoms and common failure places. Catching it broken makes it much easier.

So far has happened in the middle of nowhere Montana or Wyoming. Intermittents also drive the drivers crazy 🙂

[bobinraymoremo]

WyoTraveler wrote:
I had some trailer problems with brakes and lights also. At the time I had 3 trailers. TT, dump trailer and a stock trailer. All had problems. I have a F250. I changed out the plug on my PU. Easy change out. No wiring involved with Ford. The module comes out and you put in the new module. Electrical grease also comes with the module. Bending pins to make contacts is not a good idea. My F250 was only a couple of years old when I had to change out the plug module. E-trailer has modules for Ford.

Thanks, think I am changing to the Pollak heavy duty socket and plug. Good enough for semis good enough for us.

[bobinraymoremo]

newman fulltimer wrote:
have youtried doing a computer update the controller is giving to much voltage and causing the resetable fuse to trip when youunplug it resets and is all good till it trips due toheat

I have the Ford Integrated Brake Controller, have never done a computer upgrade as far as I know, and not sure about the resettable fuse. There was the one time the fault was the very first thing in the morning just after hooking up so no heat was built up yet.

Can you elaborate?

[YC_1]

You need to find a couple of places you can conveniently test when it acts up. You can use a push pin to penetrate the wiring. Test before the fault occurs so you have known references. Write them down, do not try to remember them. The more locations the better. Intermittents drive technicians crazy and we can only work on symptoms and common failure places. Catching it broken makes it much easier.

[newman_fulltime]

have youtried doing a computer update the controller is giving to much voltage and causing the resetable fuse to trip when youunplug it resets and is all good till it trips due toheat

[WyoTraveler]

I had some trailer problems with brakes and lights also. At the time I had 3 trailers. TT, dump trailer and a stock trailer. All had problems. I have a F250. I changed out the plug on my PU. Easy change out. No wiring involved with Ford. The module comes out and you put in the new module. Electrical grease also comes with the module. Bending pins to make contacts is not a good idea. My F250 was only a couple of years old when I had to change out the plug module. E-trailer has modules for Ford.