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Tekonsha brake controller issue

mitchntx

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mitchntx Enthusiast

mitchntx

Posted
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I've had my tekonsha Prodigy for 4 years and have no issues till recently.

 

I had a Sloan Kwik-Load car trailer. It required locking the brakes to break the trailer over to load/unload the car.

 

What I noticed about 6 months ago was that I would manually engage the brakes and it would go to the preset "intensity" and then begin dropping off to about 1/3 of what I had dialed in.

 

It will also do the same thing when I apply the brakes ... the controller ramps up as normal, but won't maintain the brake voltage.

 

I tried all 3 ramp rate settings, each with similar results.

 

About the same time that this began happening, I had an issue with the trailer plug and replaced it with a new wiring plug.

 

I have checked the grounds and wiring and everything seems to be fine.

 

Since then, I have bought a new trailer and the problem remains.

 

I'm kind of against a wall here. any ideas on where to look?

mitchntx Enthusiast

mitchntx

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I called Tekonsha Tech Support and they were kind of stumped as well. She told me the Prodigy (maybe all Tekonsha) has a lifetime warranty and I can take it to any retailer for an exchange. I thought that was pretty damned cool.

asilverblazer Senior Enthusiast

asilverblazer

Posted
Posted

What happens when you stand on the brake pedal? If you aren't slowing very fast, creating the inertia, then the controller will send less and less power to the trailer. If you are slowing quickly and increasingly so, using the trucks breaks to create the needed inertia to signal the controller you are slowing in a hurry, then it will send more and more power to the trailer.

 

In other words the harder you stop the more voltage is sent, the easier you stop the less voltage is used.

 

P.S. On mine I have the boost feature set high, so the trailer breaks will grab pretty hard at first but as I slow down easily the inertia is less so the voltage drops lower.

mitchntx Enthusiast

mitchntx

Posted
  • Author
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What happens when you stand on the brake pedal?

 

 

It will also do the same thing when I apply the brakes ... the controller ramps up as normal, but won't maintain the brake voltage.

 

I tried all 3 ramp rate settings, each with similar results.

ZZebes Senior Enthusiast

ZZebes

Posted
Posted

try checking the voltage across the harness with a multimeter or check your fuses for a loose fuse if you can't get it to work right.

 

I don't have to much experience with inertial brake controllers so i may be talking out my A** but, its worth a shot

asilverblazer Senior Enthusiast

asilverblazer

Posted
Posted
What happens when you stand on the brake pedal?

 

 

It will also do the same thing when I apply the brakes ... the controller ramps up as normal, but won't maintain the brake voltage.

 

I tried all 3 ramp rate settings, each with similar results.

 

 

 

 

 

This includes trying to splatter your eyeballs to the windshield? If so I'd say there is an internal issue with the controller. Such as the pendelum that senses the amount of deceleration/inertia. Either way just get a new one no sense trying to fix the controller, especially if a replacement is free. Plus you have already eliminated the trailer as the culprit and I can't think of something in the truck causing this problem... (I think if the truck was the culprit it would either work or it wouldn't) At least Tekonsha is trying to stand behind their product.

mitchntx Enthusiast

mitchntx

Posted
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My thoughts as well.

 

I went as far as to make sure the unit was level ... still no change.

 

I can't fathom anything the truck is doing to cause this. But one never knows ....

mitchntx Enthusiast

mitchntx

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sure enough ... I walked into a camping center, explained the issue, relayed what Tekonsha told me and they handed me a new unit.

 

d**n!

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