8492 - 2019 Ranger - Trailer Brake Controller Availability

VAMike

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Feb 22, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
3,270
Reaction score
4,145
Location
Virginia
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat SuperCab
I would've loved to have the 4 wires for the brake controller. Unfortunately for me, Ford neglected to put them in certain XL trims for reasons I've yet to figure out.
yeah, this one's a mystery. it's not even really a market segmentation thing, since they don't say anything about it anywhere. how can you upsell if you don't even mention it?
Sponsored

 

ZacB

New Member
First Name
Zac
Joined
Jun 17, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Georgia
Vehicle(s)
2020 Ranger
Occupation
EE
I would've loved to have the 4 wires for the brake controller. Unfortunately for me, Ford neglected to put them in certain XL trims for reasons I've yet to figure out.
Did you have the tow package?
 

Montana Ranger

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
248
Reaction score
687
Location
Missoula, MT
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat
I walked into my Ford dealership looking to purchase a truck that could tow my travel trailer. My requirements were explicit, and I was told that the Ranger would be able to fulfill my requirements. Ford's documentation confirmed this. The only issue was that I'd have to have an after-market brake controller installed, which should not have been a problem. This was consistent with the documentation provided by Ford, which said the only requirement to tow up to the advertised limits was to have an after-market controller installed.

So I paid my money and was on my way.

Unbeknownst to my dealer was the memo recently released by Ford stating that after-market brake controllers should not be installed on the Ranger because of the AEB issue. When the shop I contracted with to install my controller found out about that, they walked away, partially because they didn't want anything to do with the liability and also because installing the controller was going to be much more difficult than they realized. (This was the first Ranger they had seen)

So I was sitting with a Truck that I had just dropped over $30k on that could not do the one thing I was explicitly told it would be able to do. That was, in fact, actionable.

When I called my dealer with this news, they were dumbfounded and knew they had a problem. Fortunately it was past camping season and I wouldn't be needing to tow until spring and the modified Redarc would be available by then. My dealer comped the install, which I considered fair.
 

jss81258

Well-Known Member
First Name
James
Joined
Jul 5, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
169
Reaction score
253
Location
Texas
Vehicle(s)
2020 Ford Ranger Lariat 4x4, 2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Occupation
Fixed equipment inspector
From my point of view, Ford should have included the TBC with the trailer tow package, especially since only one TBC is approved.

Alternatively, Ford could have offered a basic tow package and an upgraded tow package. The basic package could include a standard flat connector and receiver hitch for those who don't need the controller. The upgraded tow package would add the 7 pin connector and TBC.

And, even going the route Ford chose to go, they should have had the correct wiring available under the dash. After all, they managed to make available 4 wires (2 useless). The Ford approved TBC install would take something like 15 minutes.

To be honest, this is the only gripe I have with my Ranger. The towing package was one of 4 mandatory options I was looking for. Like others, I asked about towing, and the response was that it has a 7 pin connector. Yeah.......

Ok, off the soapbox.
 


Big Blue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lee
Joined
May 5, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
3,125
Reaction score
6,978
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 Supercrew lighting blue
Occupation
Retired mechanical designer
The last few pages of this thread have been an exercise in futility. Yes, Ford dropped the ball very badly on the brake controller issue. Something that has been discussed ad nauseam here. If #Bassranger went the dealer and said he wanted a truck that could pull a 6000 pound trailer, they should not have sold him a truck without the tow package. In essence they lied to him. Regardless of the brake controller issue, the rear bumper is not rated for that weight. You need a frame mounted receiver hitch to pull that much, along with the 7 pin connector any trailer that size will have.(see tow package) This is really a dealer issue because they did sell him a truck not capable of doing what he asked for without extensive modifications.

Unfortunately this is an all too common theme, where salesmen know nothing about what they are selling. They will say anything to make a sale. Buyers really need to do their homework ahead of time.
 

BassRanger

Well-Known Member
First Name
Al
Joined
Aug 19, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
351
Reaction score
928
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicle(s)
2020 Ranger Supercab STX, 2010 Mustang
Occupation
Goodyear
That's why you don't have the wires. No tow package, no harness.
The harness seems to have been present in pretty much everyone's truck who looked for it with, or without the factory tow package, with the exception of some random XL owners.
 

ch47dmechanic

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Sep 5, 2019
Threads
3
Messages
498
Reaction score
806
Location
SF Bay Area
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Sport 4X4
I've skimmed this thread off and on for a while and, like @Big Blue was saying, I think everyone has largely been talking in circles about the same thing the whole time. Not only that, it seems some of you are far too focused on being litigious to solve your problems. The thing is, if the dealer wasn't fully informed, that doesn't necessarily make them legally liable for selling you a truck that doesn't do what they say it would do. I mean, if people were to try to make a legal case against everything a car dealer told them versus what they actually got in the end, car dealerships would be tied up in lawsuits until the end of time.

Let's be honest, many automotive salespeople are just ignorant and the reality is that a large swath of customers tend to know more about the product they're trying to buy than the salesperson selling it to them does. That probably has a lot to do with high turnover of staff at car dealerships in this era. But realistically, if you think bringing a case against Ford or one of their dealerships just because a salesperson assured you of something that you then found out wasn't true and that the judge won't throw it out is a reality...well, more power to you. I'm certain all that fine print you didn't read when you signed those CVS receipt'esqe sales contracts covered the dealer's and Ford's ass far more than it covered yours. #YMMV
 

Montana Ranger

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
248
Reaction score
687
Location
Missoula, MT
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat
I've skimmed this thread off and on for a while and, like @Big BlueNot only that, it seems some of you are far too focused on being litigious to solve your problems. The thing is, if the dealer wasn't fully informed, that doesn't necessarily make them legally liable for selling you a truck that doesn't do what they say it would do.
Actually, it does. Being informed about the products they sell is the dealer's responsibility, especially when they proudly proclaim a capability that actually did not exist and consumers act upon it. If someone sells you a product that cannot reasonably perform the function for which they are sold, then they are accountable. (That my dealer was not aware of the Ford service bulletin was their fault, not mine or Ford's) If Ford failed to properly inform the dealer, then the dealer has a problem with Ford.

Look up "Warranty of Merchantability" if you'd like to see the well-established law on such matters.

Be that as it was, the last thing I wanted to be was litigious. (The only real winners would have been the lawyers) All I wanted was my Ranger to be able to tow my trailer. Fortunately time was on everyone's side as I wouldn't be needing to tow until spring. Although I never explicitly told my dealer that I would make them unwind the deal if this didn't get resolved by spring, they knew it was a big screw-up and did what they could to rectify it. Had the issue not been resolved by March, I was fully prepared to go out and buy something else and then would have forced them to take back my Ranger.
 

ch47dmechanic

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Sep 5, 2019
Threads
3
Messages
498
Reaction score
806
Location
SF Bay Area
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Sport 4X4
If you have feel you have a case, knock yourself out. I'd still say you're reaching and leaning towards litigious and Ford's lawyers would poke holes through your arguments all day, easily.

I don't know about Montana, but here in California at least, there is no cooling off period and you certainly cannot return a vehicle to Ford just because it doesn't do something that the dealer told you it would. You're generally responsible for educating yourself and in all my years around the service industry, I've never once heard of any customer successfully bringing a suit against a manufacturer or, even more specifically, a dealer for the issues you're describing.
 

Montana Ranger

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
248
Reaction score
687
Location
Missoula, MT
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat
If you have feel you have a case, knock yourself out. I'd still say you're reaching and leaning towards litigious and Ford's lawyers would poke holes through your arguments all day, easily.

I don't know about Montana, but here in California at least, there is no cooling off period and you certainly cannot return a vehicle to Ford just because it doesn't do something that the dealer told you it would. You're generally responsible for educating yourself and in all my years around the service industry, I've never once heard of any customer successfully bringing a suit against a manufacturer or, even more specifically, a dealer for the issues you're describing.
Again, I never felt the need to be litigious because my matter was resolved before it became a critical issue for me. I didn't want retribution against the dealer or Ford; all I wanted was a truck that could tow my trailer as I was told it would. But had I needed to, I have little doubt that I would have prevailed, even in California. (I lived in California at one time, and know that California's laws are far more consumer-friendly, often to unreasonable degrees)

And Ford's lawyers would have had a difficult time with my arguments considering what a screw-up this was. (My suspicion is that they would have settled rather quickly so that this issue would not go public beyond blogs like this one; I know some consumer reporters who chomp at the bit for stuff like this) Their own documentation (less the infamous service bulletin) confirmed that I'd have no problems.

As for being "generally responsible for educating" myself, I was. For one thing, before purchasing my Ranger I read the owner's manual and the towing supplement, available both at the dealer and online. The towing supplement states the requirement of a brake controller, which Ford at the time did not sell but for which there were dozens to choose from by other suppliers. Ford's documents to this effect would have been "Exhibit A".

The one thing that was not publicly available so that I did not have access to "educate myself" was the service bulletin issued 2 months before I purchased my Ranger that stated that 3rd-party brake controllers should not be installed because of the AEB issue. That would have been "Exhibit B". Knowledge of that would definitely affected my decision to purchase my Ranger, at least at that moment. I've given my dealer the benefit of the doubt that they didn't know about this at the time (although they should have) as there was little upside to to them in selling me a Truck that would not be able to do the main thing I purchased it to do.
 

Ranger8729

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ashley
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Threads
16
Messages
230
Reaction score
391
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
1987 Ranger & 2019 Ranger
Guys that have teh Ford branded Towpro, I've got mine installed and seems to be working. I just left the button hanging until my Lightforce fasica arrived, so I went to install it today. I have some slop in the switch and trim, and seem to be missing the spacer/indicator washer. Do your switches have this piece?

Capture1.JPG
 

LurchOR

Active Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
33
Reaction score
41
Location
PNW
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger Lariat w/501A, Built 02-08-2019
Guys that have teh Ford branded Towpro, I've got mine installed and seems to be working. I just left the button hanging until my Lightforce fasica arrived, so I went to install it today. I have some slop in the switch and trim, and seem to be missing the spacer/indicator washer. Do your switches have this piece?

Capture1.JPG
Nope, no tab on the switch and no washer/spacer in the kit. I noted that the switch was a more secure/snug fit in the round fascia (that I bought aftermarket) than it was with the rectangular one included with the kit. Both fascias had a notch inside that would match up with the tab you're pointing out.
If the nut on the switch isn't tightening up enough I bet a regular flat washer would be OK.
 

Ranger8729

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ashley
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Threads
16
Messages
230
Reaction score
391
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
1987 Ranger & 2019 Ranger
Okay, good to know. I searched everywhere but I was positive it was not there when I opened teh kit.
I do some scale models so I have sheet plastic around that I'll try using to make a spacer with. It'll give me something to do with all the rain outside.

Edit: meh, acceptable backing
IMG_20200918_151630.jpg
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
 



Top