Just pulled into our campgrounds after a 1200 mile uneventful trip and all of a sudden my brake controller started wacking out !! I had the truck in park and the foot off the brake and the controller was reading voltage 3.2, 3.5 and so on, it would not go back to C like it usually does. I've had this controller for 7 years and it never has given me a problem until now. I just unhooked it to back into my camp site. Do these things go bad ?? can a RV place check it to see if its faulty ?? Anyone have a suggestion on what could be making this controller wack out. Thanks, Bobby A
Prodigy brake controller issue
- Thread starter Bobby A
- Start date
Lou_and_Bette
Well-known member
Bobby, I had a Prodigy on the old truck. The controller was mounted to the lower area of the dash board. We had used this controller on many occasions without problem. However, after camping for a week, we hooked up and I got a "trailer wiring problem" warning. I tried everything but could not correct the problem. This truck had the factory controller but only w3orked when hooked to the factory plug near the bumper trailer hitch. The previous owner had installed the Prodigy to work with the in-bed plug that was installed after market. Luckily, when I plugged into the plug on the bumper all was well and I got home without problems. I went back and started from scratch to reset the Prodigy and got it working again. The problem was there was a adjustment wheel on both sides of the Prodigy and apparently I had hit one of them with my foot when getting in/out of the truck and adjusted the system to zero. Not sure yours is the same model but I recommend getting the manual out and reset up the whole system.
I talked to tech support at Prodigy and the guys first thought was it sounds like a Brake light switch on the truck is bad or going bad. Then he said to disconnect the unit and using a volt meter check the red wire, he said the red wire should only measure voltage if the brake is pressed. I will have to find someone hear with a volt meter that can help me out. He did say if the brake controller is faulty that I could send it in for repair. I do need to get to the bottom of this while its on my mind cause I could forget about it and when I go to return north I will have a problem. Not sure if I should take the truck and controller to a RV dealer or a Dodge dealer ?? Camping World installed the controller 7 years ago and I have not had an issue till recently. Need some advise please.
2nd question,
When you are not using your tow vehicle for long periods of time are you suppose to disconnect the Prodigy brake controller ?? I never have.
Thanks,
Bobby A
2nd question,
When you are not using your tow vehicle for long periods of time are you suppose to disconnect the Prodigy brake controller ?? I never have.
Thanks,
Bobby A
Last edited:
Lynn1130
Well-known member
While you are tracking down someone with a VOM to test try unhooking the power to the controller, letting it sit for 60 seconds and then rehook the cable. Mine went wacky and I did a reset which fixed it. Obviously there are several issues including dirty contacts at the trailer/truck connection that can cause issues so a good cleaning with contact cleaner won't hurt either.
That's a good idea on the contact cleaner, where do you get that ?? or is it the same thing a tuner cleaner for electronics that you can get at Radio Shack ?? Thanks
I will get the stuf from Radio Shack and give the plug on the truck and the cable on the trailer a good dose of it. BTW, I did disconnect the controller when this all happened and have not re connected it. Tomorrow afternoon I may have time to plug it in and disconnect shore power and plug the trailer back to the truck and see what happens. I will post back tomorrow evening. Thanks for the posts Lynn1130 and everyone.
happykraut
Well-known member
Bobby A you ask if these things go bad. Personally I can't think of any electronic equipment that couldn't go bad. Instead of finding someone that has a meter, go and buy one. They are very inexpensive and no RV'er should be without a multimeter.
Well I do have one but haven't a clue how to use it !! I must of skipped school that day in auto shop LOL !! However I did get one of those things that you stick a probe into the source and a wire to ground and a light lights up when there is voltage, I did have voltage coming through the red wire when the brake pedal was pushed like the guy at Prodigy told me to do. I re hooked the trailer to the truck and everything seems fine. I did not take it out on the road though. I did not apply the contact cleaner, I wanted to see what would happen before I applied it. All seems fine now. Not sure what to think !! I will call the guy at prodigy again on Monday. He did mention about a possible brake light switch going bad ?? Not sure.
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
I don't know . . .
I had my brake controller originally put in my old 1989 Dodge 1-ton van to pull our old trailer with in June, 2001 . . .
It got rear-ended three months later and destroyed . . .
Pulled that trailer brake controller out and put it in my Dodge Ram 1500 in October, 2001 . . . and was working fine when I sold that truck just last Sunday night!
My old trailer had all kinds of trailer brake issues . . .
But those problems were in the trailer . . . and not the controller.
That van was a trailer-pullin' beast!
I pulled over the Eisenhower Tunnel (Continental Divide) and I couldn't even tell that trailer was back there, yet my Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 struggled going up and over that hill pulling the same trailer in 4-wheel drive.
That being said . . . I shed a couple of tears as I watched the Dodge Ram drive away last week for the last time from my driveway (last photo).
