P3 Brake Controller Issues or is it the Ranger

[DrSafety]

Installed a P3 brake conroller To the 4 wires under the dash in anticipation of picking up a travel trailer this week. I used the OEM wiring harness to add the 7 way connector to the rear bumper. I wanted to test the installation an plugger in a 7 way tester. The Ranger recognized a trailer connected the P3 showed no trailer connected. All the signals for the turn signals and running lights worked on the tester. When I press the brake pedal the Ranger immediately indicates trailer disconnected. I did this while the vehicle is in park in the garage.
Any ideas about what might be going on?

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[P. A. Schilke]

Installed a P3 brake conroller To the 4 wires under the dash in anticipation of picking up a travel trailer this week. I used the OEM wiring harness to add the 7 way connector to the rear bumper. I wanted to test the installation an plugger in a 7 way tester. The Ranger recognized a trailer connected the P3 showed no trailer connected. All the signals for the turn signals and running lights worked on the tester. When I press the brake pedal the Ranger immediately indicates trailer disconnected. I did this while the vehicle is in park in the garage.
Any ideas about what might be going on?

Hi Dave,

I think you just verified one of the indicators you never want to see when you are towing. You always want your trailer connected. I think you are just fine with your install and when you hook up a real trailer where the truck can see the brake lights, you will be just fine... JMO.

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[DrSafety]

Hi Dave,

I think you just verified one of the indicators you never want to see when you are towing. You always want your trailer connected. I think you are just fine with your install and when you hook up a real trailer where the truck can see the brake lights, you will be just fine... JMO.

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Thanks Phil. I quess the $7.00 - 7 way tester From Amazon was a bust . Just want to make sure the pickup goes smoothly. I have to admit my wife said without any knowledge of trailers and towing “I bet it will work fine when we connect it to a real trailer.”

Dave

 

[Rick - Saber]

Do you have access to some detachable trailer lights or a friend with a trailer? Even a utility trailer or boat trailer, something besides your tester that you could hook up to. Just to check things out and verify your P3 is working correctly.

 

[DrSafety]

I was going to go over to a friends and test it on his trailer but didn’t have a chance to do it before I picked up my trailer. When I did hook it up it worked fine as Phil suggested. The Tester will hit the trash.

 

[WpgLariat]

I bought the Curt Echo for my Travel Trailer.
Money well spent!

 

[EJH]

Installed a P3 brake conroller To the 4 wires under the dash in anticipation of picking up a travel trailer this week. I used the OEM wiring harness to add the 7 way connector to the rear bumper. I wanted to test the installation an plugger in a 7 way tester. The Ranger recognized a trailer connected the P3 showed no trailer connected. All the signals for the turn signals and running lights worked on the tester. When I press the brake pedal the Ranger immediately indicates trailer disconnected. I did this while the vehicle is in park in the garage.
Any ideas about what might be going on?

Those cheap, basic 7-pin testers do not work with newer vehicles. I had the same issue when I tried to test my OEM TBC install.

The truck will not recognize a trailer until a real load is plugged in. You will receive a message on the dash when I trailer is detected (you might have to shift out of park and/or push the brake pedal for the message to show).

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/redarc-tow-pro-elite-install.1924/post-348131

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