Wireless Brake Controller

[Rone28]

OK Thank you for the update.
This is a little troubling. I sure you can figure out how to make it work.

Anybody else try this unit? How did it work?

I reached out to etrailer and to Fordparts. Etrailer responded first. Apparently the smart towing features interfere with the Echo. You get that feature with the factory tow package. Etrailer still recommends the echo but now states it is not compatible with the smart trailering features. I returned the controller before I got the response so not sure if there are features tou can turn off to make it work. It does make sense though since the controller acknowledged the brake activation once i turned off the truck and depressed the pedal. I had setup the blind spot feature for the trailer and that may be the one feature I had not turned off. I know turning off adaptive cruise control had not effect sonit must be the blind spot setting for the trailer.

Will be interested to see if others try to figure it out. Am disappointed that etrailer would still recommend when it doesn't work. Will probably go with the redarc.

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[DrRoger]

Teknosha Prodigy P3. I am an amateur radio operator, and as such I cringe anytime I hear about someone using RF to control something as critical as brakes... The spectrum is painfully crammed full of noise from cheap electronics, rogue transmitters, and spurious signals from "Part 15" devices, I would barely trust it to open my garage door anymore...

The wiring is easy to do, especially if you have the factory tow hitch option.

I installer the P3 and it worked perfectly during my 800-plus mile drive home.

 

[DrRoger]

I wouldn't consider that "emergency braking" on any brake controller, more "manual supplemental braking" for things like trailer sway. If there's really something that makes the trailer lose the brake signal, the odds that taking a hand off the wheel to fumble with the brake controller interface (in whatever form that takes) will help matters are vanishingly small, and the odds that the fact that it's wireless will matter at that exact moment are even smaller. I mean, if someone wants to hard wire a controller, that's cool--I just don't see any issues with going the wireless route if someone wants to do that instead. (And some real advantages, e.g., if they want to use the thing on multiple vehicles or rent one to go with a rental trailer.)

Not to mention that in some states (GA for one) it is ILLEGAL to touch your phone while driving.

 

[NVHoonigan]

I reached out to etrailer and to Fordparts. Etrailer responded first. Apparently the smart towing features interfere with the Echo. You get that feature with the factory tow package. Etrailer still recommends the echo but now states it is not compatible with the smart trailering features. I returned the controller before I got the response so not sure if there are features tou can turn off to make it work. It does make sense though since the controller acknowledged the brake activation once i turned off the truck and depressed the pedal. I had setup the blind spot feature for the trailer and that may be the one feature I had not turned off. I know turning off adaptive cruise control had not effect sonit must be the blind spot setting for the trailer.

Will be interested to see if others try to figure it out. Am disappointed that etrailer would still recommend when it doesn't work. Will probably go with the redarc.

Thanks a ton for the info! I was definitely looking to go the Echo route but part of the reason I bought the truck was to use the smart towing features. Guess I will be going with the Redarc after all!

 

[Rone28]

Thanks a ton for the info! I was definitely looking to go the Echo route but part of the reason I bought the truck was to use the smart towing features. Guess I will be going with the Redarc after all!

I am glad my experience was helpful. I have decided to get the P3 as I want an pro to do the wiring and could not find an local vendor to do the install. Tried to do the wiring myself but I am not as limber as I used to be. Very tight to get in there and do the wiring.

 

[DrRoger]

It IS tight to get to the wires. But, as mentioned in other posts, you only have to do it once. I really like mt P3. Works great.

 

[Rone28]

It IS tight to get to the wires. But, as mentioned in other posts, you only have to do it once. I really like mt P3. Works great.

Good to know. Having the P3 installed on Saturday. Latest update on the echo. Etailer said they removed the echo as a fit for the Ford ranger but it is still there. They just increased the messaging that states it is not compatible with smart trailering. You would think that this would just create more returns for them. Plan to call the dealer as well with the final update.

 

[2.7EcoBoost]

Good to know. Having the P3 installed on Saturday. Latest update on the echo. Etailer said they removed the echo as a fit for the Ford ranger but it is still there. They just increased the messaging that states it is not compatible with smart trailering. You would think that this would just create more returns for them. Plan to call the dealer as well with the final update.

Ugh. I was looking at the convenience of the echo and was willing to overlook the price. I have a cheap , smaller, controller from my old truck that worked as advertised ( although it had a plug and play harness ), I guess I'll wire it in and try to mount it sorta out of site.

 

[Rone28]

Ugh. I was looking at the convenience of the echo and was willing to overlook the price. I have a cheap , smaller, controller from my old truck that worked as advertised ( although it had a plug and play harness ), I guess I'll wire it in and try to mount it sorta out of site.

It could still work if you have a trim level below xlt and lariat as theblower trims don't have all of the driver assist and safety features. I have the p3 installed now and it works well so far.

 

[SRanger]

Not a fan of the wireless controllers. I had a Teknosha Prodigy Wireless controller mounted on my last RV. It worked most of the time, but would occasionally wig out without warning and refuse to actuate the brakes. I always suspected that the issue was the fact that my Trailer use the 12 V line to also charge the battery in the trailer and I used a 12v refrigerator while towing. Since, with a wireless controller, the power for the brakes comes from the 12v supply line I think it occasionally over loaded (or added electrical noise) to the curcuit.

 

[Floyd]

Since you can easily install a full featured top quality permanently installed brake controller for a small fraction of the cost of the Echo, you can even move a P3 from vehicle to vehicle as a simple plug and play.

Therefore, there can be only one obvious reason to buy and attempt to use the Echo ...
Phone obsession.

I truly believe that if someone offered a phone app to flush toilets it would sell for hundreds of dollars.

 

[Aliby]

Could some of you post photos of where you mounted the Takonsha Prodigy? I need to mount mine too, but it is difficult to find a place where it is visible, within reach and mounted square to the front. @Rone28, @DrRoger

 

[Rone28]

Could some of you post photos of where you mounted the Takonsha Prodigy? I need to mount mine too, but it is difficult to find a place where it is visible, within reach and mounted square to the front. @Rone28, @DrRoger

I mounted mine on the left side just above the kick panel handle. This allowed me to route the wires through that gap. That way I can tuck away the wires when not towing. I did decide to use the snap in bracket as it is smaller and let's me put it away. Also i do hit my knee on it sometimes.

Have you checked out the new redarc based controller through ford? I would go that direction if I did not already have one installed.

 

[Jimmy07]

I did try the Echo and returned it. Had two issues with the product. It is a piece of equipment plugged in without a harness; possibility of falling off and losing it when you are traveling. It sync up perfectly the first time I used it on a test run; and then didn't sync up again the next day. Tried everything, but didn't call manufacture, since I lost confidence on the product as a necessary safety item.

 

[Return Ranger]

We currently have an Autowbrake wireless controller on our trailer. Got it before we got the Ranger for the express purpose of being able to switch vehicles and not have to worry about anything. It's wired right into the trailer harness, so ANYONE who hooks up to our trailer automatically has trailer brakes that work. The controller is programmed by you beforehand, so you don't even need any wireless connection at all to inside the cab (expect for the emergency sway control keyfob that comes with it per regulations). But the keyfob could get lost or left behind and the brakes would still work. It's worked really well for us and is great for people with a single trailer and multiple towing vehicles.

https://getautowbrake.com/

With Autowbrake, can you use the smart tow and still have all the blind spot warnings?

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