8492 - 2019 Ranger - Trailer Brake Controller Availability

gbritt89

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Thanks for the info about the pin. I have the supercrew model. By bed lights (maybe cargo lights was a better term) I mean the white lights surrounding the above bed brake light. When I turn the truck off they just stay on.
Oh darn, for the supercab models I can attest that light can stay on if you shut the doors out of sequence (drivers door closing to doorframe without the rear half door shut first) and make that light go wonky until the doors are shut in sequence correctly.

Sorry that won't help with your supercrew though! Is there any chance the bed light is engaged? Small button left of drivers wheel..

Edit to add, they had to take a lot of the weatherstripping out of the drivers side to do this install. I would check that it is back in place 100% if you are driving around and the door isnt seating in the frame correctly thats most likely your door ajar sensor.

@River the remark about the pin does not apply to you if you still have a functional 3rd brake illuminating when you press your brake pedal. Sorry I was initially confused by your remark about the brake light "not going off" :p
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River

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Sorry that won't help with your supercrew though! Is there any chance the bed light is engaged? Small button left of drivers wheel..

Edit to add, they had to take a lot of the weatherstripping out of the drivers side to do this install. I would check that it is back in place 100% if you are driving around and the door isnt seating in the frame correctly thats most likely your door ajar sensor.
Thanks for the info about the weather stripping. It seems to be seating but I will have a closer look. If I leave it running I can switch the bed light on and off but once I turn the truck off the light comes on and stays on. The trick now is figuring out if it is just from controller install or if it is a separate electrical or even software issue (like the dome light thread)...but it would be great if a simple fix like the weatherstripping would do it.

Edit June 1st: It has been at the dealer since last Wednesday (Monday today). The symptoms are door ajar on drivers side and because of this the bed light stays on after shutting engine off. The Power mirrors on drivers side do not work and lock switch does not work on drivers side. Windows do work. They have ordered a new door switch as they said they confirmed that stopped working but they are not sure about the mirrors and have a call in to Ford Hotline. All of this happened after TBC install. I'll update this post when I find out more to see if I can save anyone some headaches. I do have the 302A package as well as the towing.

Edit June 4th - I was able to pick it up on June 2nd but wanted to make sure it was fixed before posting. All seems fine. What happened is the technician accidentally dislodged an unrelated system from the wiring harness so when they were trying to find the problem they missed it. Simple as that. At least I am getting a free oil change out of it.
 
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Nutty 5.0

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Thanks to all here. Installed it on Sunday and took 3 hours taking my time. Wasn’t too bad; just took some time to get the wiring neatly installed and fished up to the third brake light. Also installed the Lightforce panel and the switch slot to put the dial in.
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Snorebaby

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Great pics. I figure it should take me that long also. I will be taking my time. But I am going to mount mine in the center console. I kinda like it there and I am mounting a gun magnet in the same area so I will be able to kill 2 birds with one stone.
 

Lunchbox88

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Thanks to all here. Installed it on Sunday and took 3 hours taking my time. Wasn’t too bad; just took some time to get the wiring neatly installed and fished up to the third brake light. Also installed the Lightforce panel and the switch slot to put the dial in.
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Thanks for the follow up! Any hints or suggestions for the install? How was getting to the 3rd brake light?
Edit: Also did you need to buy any of the connectors separately or is everything included with the kit?
 


Nutty 5.0

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Thanks for the follow up! Any hints or suggestions for the install? How was getting to the 3rd brake light?
Edit: Also did you need to buy any of the connectors separately or is everything included with the kit?
Sure, I think most folks have covered most of this already but figured a few extra pics never hurt.

3rd brake lights was easier than I thought. I would recommend pulling the light out so you can push the connector push pins out so you have room to work: meaning getting plenty of access to pinning the connector. This allowed me some room in the bed to work. Our lariat has the grey connector. I’m assuming that’s why they provide both grey and black with the black for non LED light assemblies. The one clip that has a white end that locks them in needed persuasion to close with a pair of pliers. There was plenty of slack in the wiring by the time it got to the 3rd brake light. I did tie wrap the harness as I went down the truck and made sure it wasn’t too tight. Take it easy pulling up the floor trim. It’s pretty tight and had some of the areas tear. Also note you need a t50 (May be 45) for the seat belt bolt.

I have a heat gun so doing the connections in the kick panel went easy. They don’t give much room up there to do this. I’d make sure you have a hair dryer or heat gun.

But yes everything is in the kit.
 

Billy396

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Alright all, this one will be a lengthy one.

After spending hours reading through several forums, trying to figure out why, and how, Ford is using their "OEM" trailer brake controller, I think I have some answers that may help some people. Now, I may also be wrong, I simply came to a conclusion after many points were made regarding the system.

As we all know, the OEM one is simply a Redarc TBC with a Lumen "ECU". Well, let's look at the source. Lumen is an Australian company that specializes in vehicle electronic modules. So why does Ford need them to make a module, and what does it do? Well, based on my reading, it simply reads the signal and then recreates it for the TBC. This 3rd brake light can be either halogen or LED. Now, and LED does not operate using a constant signal, but rather, a pulsing signal. Therefore, if the TBC took the raw LED signal, it would use a pulsing signal for the trailer brakes, giving you a less than ideal braking application.

As has been pointed out, the "tow package" wiring that supplies the brake signal is only active when the pedal is pressed, and not during AEB or ACC brake application unless the brake pedal is pressed as well. The 3rd brake light is activated during all 3 situations. To put it simply, the Lumen ECU is simply taking the signal going to the 3rd brake light, and projecting it to the TBC, regardless of bulb and signal type (pulsing or constant).

All that work for a separately sourced signal, and an extra $140.

Now, my deduction should mean that all one would need to make a "stock" Redarc, is a way to get that signal. A module, perhaps, that changes a pulsed signal to a constant, but also maintains a constant output signal if the input is constant. Basically something that will work in both instances (making it only a single kit needed regardless of trim). I personally don't know of such a device, but maybe someone more familiar with electronics could provide input. It could be something as simple as a trip to one of the few existing Radio Shacks.


Now, maybe I'm completely wrong. Maybe it's not a pulsed signal going to the input of the ECU. Maybe my post was a complete waste of time. If that's the case, please let me know, as I am interested. This is simply my own conclusion.

It was stated, from a person on here who contacted Lumen, that the diagnosis and designing of the "OEM" setup was a pain in the ass to find. My guess is that Lumen had to take a Ranger of each trim level, and run it through a series of tests, activating the circuit for AE
 

kieefer

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With the trailer package the wiring for a brake controller is under the dash and I used a Tekonsha Voyager $99.
Easy install.
I don’t use my trailer that much and it’s mostly in the spring to haul mulch. With that in mind I didn’t see a need to have a permanent mounting spot for my controller.
Some of you have done some pretty slick installs, very nice. You also noticed there’s not a lot of room to mount a controller without bumping it with your legs.
So, I wanted to remove my controller when I’m not using it even though it’s in a pretty good spot that i seldom bump.
No visible holes drilled, behind the lower cover there’s a thick spot where I put the screws. Sits right under the steering wheel.

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Billy396

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@Billy396
Have you seen this post by dmeyer302?
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/posts/105637/
The Ford document confirms that there is indeed a different CHMSL signal for different trim levels.
So it sounds like my deduction was correct. Had Ford gone the "simpler" route, the OEM TBC would have 2 different versions. A Lariat version, and an XL/XLT version, the latter being the more expensive option (to produce at least), needing to convert the PWM signal to a constant.

I still think my point stands, someone can come up with trim specific options. The Lariat version could possibly use the raw signal, and in the event of too much draw for the circuit, the use of a small relay should solve that problem.
 

WaltKNJ

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Haven't seen anyone mention, but the Ford Integrated Trailer Brake Controller is now available. Cost was about $339 and dealer install was about $200.
 

t4thfavor

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Haven't seen anyone mention, but the Ford Integrated Trailer Brake Controller is now available. Cost was about $339 and dealer install was about $200.
I think that literally the last 10 pages of this thread are discussing installing the Ford "integrated" brake controller, and how ludicrously expensive and convoluted the price/install for it is.

It's been available for the better part of a year (if not more) now.
 

BeachRanger19

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Just bought one for $277, dealer installed for $160.
Piece of mind knowing we have the top shelf controller............according to my wife "priceless!"
 

Lonewolf

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Dealer finally installed my brake controller last week.
Tonight I mounted the dial myself... I liked the idea of mounting it in place of one of the 12v plugins.
It really looks great there.
thanks for the ideas from this forum!

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Kyre

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I had the dealer install the Ford kit for me today. Happy with the result. They mounted it out of the way on the left side. May not be optimal but it looks like its probably where ford directed it to be installed?
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I have also attached the "Owners Manual" that came with it. A single sheet that, having never used a trailer brake before, was completely incomprehensible to me. Thankfully I had the internet as a resource to figure out what the hell I was seeing here.
IMG_20200618_184507.jpg

Not sure if they forgot to actually put in the owners manual and this is just part of it but I confirmed with the dealership that this is all that it came with.

Edit: Price Confirmed: $330 (~390 with taxes) and $180 for the install. Southern California.
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