I bought a 2009 F250 Super Duty with goose neck hitch and dealer wiring for a horse trailer. When I pluged in my horse trailer all the clearance light worked fine both blinkers work fine tail light and brake lights work fine. the in dash computer says trailer not connected and the trailer brakes are locked up. unplug the plug and the trailer brakes will release and you can move the trailer. I did not have that problem with my old 1993 F350 dually all worked fine. any one know what I should check out?
Posted 2010-05-03 10:19 PM (#119683 - in reply to #119680) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
Your brake wire is probably in the accessory 12v position. That is the most common issue with the problem you've described. Are you using an adapter, perchance?
Posted 2010-05-04 8:51 PM (#119726 - in reply to #119683) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
New User
Posts: 2
I have the round 6 pin female plug on the trailer and the 6 pin male plug in the side wall of the truck bed. not sure what the 12v pisition you are speaking of and there is no adaptor between the two.
Posted 2010-05-04 10:27 PM (#119730 - in reply to #119680) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
Take a test light and compare your truck receptacle to the diagram for the 6 round in the post above. Your brake should be on the side...the center post may show up as always hot (key on truck might have to be on)
Posted 2010-05-04 10:31 PM (#119732 - in reply to #119680) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Your truck supplied 12v may be connected to your trailer's blue, (brake circuit) wire, causing the brakes to lock up. You have an applied voltage whenever the plug is inserted, activating the brakes.
The older SDs used to have a plastic tag under the bumper near the plug wiring, specifying what the colours and pins were for each wire. Compare the two for the blue or marked brake wires.
Posted 2010-05-05 8:36 AM (#119739 - in reply to #119680) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
Regular
Posts: 88 Location: beaumont texas
i just recently had this problem (where the electric brake control kept saying "brakes unplugged" and then would even say a couple other things.) the control had been installed by a horse trailer place in my area, so i took it by to get it checked out, as i was getting ready to haul 3 big horses on a 5 hour trip. the horse trailer place 'checked it out', told me i was good to go and then just bring it back after the trip and he would figure out why the controller was reading "trailer unplugged". when i stopped to get some feed for the trip, i smelled something burning, and one tire started locking up. the controller in the truck caughton fire!! i ended up taking it to a different place (audilet tractor in beaumont) and it turns out that 3 of my brake pads were worn out and only one was actually working. (i had had everything checked 2 years ago, so was a bit surprised to hear about the wear since i don't haul that much.) even tho the tractor place was swamped with work, they fixed it and got me on the road.
i will not mention the name of the trailer place that checked out my brakes and told me i was good to go, but that is the last bad experience and the last time i ever use them.
Posted 2011-01-25 4:31 PM (#129265 - in reply to #119680) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
New User
Posts: 1
Been fighting this problem for years. Having to rewire the truck or trailer every time I hook up. There are two accepted wiring methods. This should help.
Posted 2011-01-25 9:02 PM (#129278 - in reply to #119739) Subject: RE: Trailer Brakes
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by amysbean on 2010-05-05 8:36 AM
i just recently had this problem (where the electric brake control kept saying "brakes unplugged" and then would even say a couple other things.) the control had been installed by a horse trailer place in my area, so i took it by to get it checked out, as i was getting ready to haul 3 big horses on a 5 hour trip. the horse trailer place 'checked it out', told me i was good to go and then just bring it back after the trip and he would figure out why the controller was reading "trailer unplugged". when i stopped to get some feed for the trip, i smelled something burning, and one tire started locking up. the controller in the truck caughton fire!! i ended up taking it to a different place (audilet tractor in beaumont) and it turns out that 3 of my brake pads were worn out and only one was actually working. (i had had everything checked 2 years ago, so was a bit surprised to hear about the wear since i don't haul that much.) even tho the tractor place was swamped with work, they fixed it and got me on the road.
i will not mention the name of the trailer place that checked out my brakes and told me i was good to go, but that is the last bad experience and the last time i ever use them.
You should have your trailer brakes checked at a minimum yearly...every 30 to 50,000 miles if you are a long hauler...
Trailer Brakes
