Wireless Brake Controller

[Deleted member 1634]

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

It does not affect the BLIS extension or any of that stuff, no. Everything works as designed. The only different thing I have to do with mine is that I have to have at least the parking/marker lights on, since that is how the controller is powered. Just the way the manufacturer of the trailer set it up. And really, it ends up being a good excuse/reminder to turn on my marker lights when towing, which is always a good idea anyways.

Hopefully that helps.

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[Czaplewskin]

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.

I've had mine for 2 years now, worked excellent on my Honda Ridgeline & now have used it on 2 different campers flawlessly. I have a Lariat 501A.

 

[Rone28]

So you have used the echo with your lariat? Did not work for me.

 

[Return Ranger]

It does not affect the BLIS extension or any of that stuff, no. Everything works as designed. The only different thing I have to do with mine is that I have to have at least the parking/marker lights on, since that is how the controller is powered. Just the way the manufacturer of the trailer set it up. And really, it ends up being a good excuse/reminder to turn on my marker lights when towing, which is always a good idea anyways.

Hopefully that helps.

Thank you, that's great. I got a quote from a local dealer for ~$725 supply & install on the OEM/Redarc/Lumen unit. I'm having a hard time getting on board at this price, especially since I thought I'd buy a $15 adapter cable and transfer my Tekonsha P2 from my old vehicle. This Autowbrake looks like a good solution for when I buy a travel trailer.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

I'm hopefully taking ownership of a Ranger Lariat later this week. I already have a Curt Echo that I use with my '16 Kia Sorento SX.

What I've noticed with the Echo is that it doesn't seem to work properly if it's connected to the trailer before being connected to the vehicle. It still technically worked but it applied the wrong amount of brake pressure when I did it that way. My trailer is an RV trailer with its own battery so my theory is that the Echo calibrates itself (finds 'level') when it gets power and if it's in your hand when that happens then it messes up the calibration. If I plug it into the vehicle first then everything works great.

I did have an issue the very first time trying to use it, where the trailer plug wasn't pushed into the Echo well enough and Bluetooth kept cutting out. Turned out the trailer lights were also cutting out. Figured this out before driving anywhere fortunately. The trailer plug inserted _just_ enough to lock but wasn't actually lined up or pushed in all the way.

FYI to whoever said they don't trust it not having a harness.. it does have the usual locking tab on it that the flap from the vehicle grabs onto. And the Echo's flap can lock into the trailer plug's tab. Everything is secure imo.

EDIT: Almost forgot to say.. I guess I'll see if the Echo works or not when I get my Ranger Lariat.. I'll report back. Sounds like it won't work based on what you guys are saying, though.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

I purchased one but don't seem to be getting consistent power to the brakes. I could not pair the controller until the trailer was attached. Turn signals etc seems to work. Plan to take it into the dealer to get it checked out.

Very interested to see if you have any issues. Love the idea of a wireless no install controller. But want to make it it works.

As my other post says I bought an Echo (in August) for use with another vehicle and now that I've taken possession of my Ranger I've found it works just fine. I have a Lariat 501A. Maybe my Echo has newer firmware or is a newer hardware revision. The manual suggests turning on Tow/haul mode in the vehicle prior to plugging in, but I haven't needed to do this. You may have to have the trailer attached in order to pair due to the truck not providing power unless a trailer is detected (load needs to exist or a circuit completed or something of that nature).

I like the P3 as well, in fact I have one on my shelf, because I was not happy with my location options.

The Insight works at least equally well and is amazingly versatile for installation locations being three pieces with the main unit placed out of sight,
Plus I found a brand new one on E-Bay for only $58 including shipping.(list is something like $199)

The echo echo echo echo echo does require additional wiring connection to power the trailer brakes.

The Echo does not require any additional wiring if you have the Tow Package.

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.

It seems to work fine in my Lariat. I think the "smart towing features" they are speaking about are not what you'd think. The only feature that seems like it could interfere is trailer detection, because without an electrical load or completed trailer circuit or whatever the truck uses to determine that a trailer is connected, it won't send power to the Echo. The Echo manual suggests turning on Tow/haul mode first to work around this, although I haven't had to personally. Might be that I have a newer Echo firmware or hardware revision than you did, though.

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!

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.

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.

Just quoting because things might have changed and this controller works well for me. As mentioned above mine may have newer firmware or be a newer hardware revision or something, though. Other factors could be that tow mode needed to be enabled first (not been the case for me) or a trailer might need to be connected in order for the truck to send it and the Echo 12V.

About it not having a harness and possibly falling off - the truck's 7-way lid will lock it in place (there's a tab that the lid will catch) just like the lid on the Echo itself will catch the tab on the trailer plug. Everything is secure.

 

[NVHoonigan]

It seems to work fine in my Lariat. I think the "smart towing features" they are speaking about are not what you'd think. The only feature that seems like it could interfere is trailer detection, because without an electrical load or completed trailer circuit or whatever the truck uses to determine that a trailer is connected, it won't send power to the Echo. The Echo manual suggests turning on Tow/haul mode first to work around this, although I haven't had to personally. Might be that I have a newer Echo firmware or hardware revision than you did, though.


Just quoting because things might have changed and this controller works well for me. As mentioned above mine may have newer firmware or be a newer hardware revision or something, though. Other factors could be that tow mode needed to be enabled first (not been the case for me) or a trailer might need to be connected in order for the truck to send it and the Echo 12V.

So can you confirm the BLIS system that can extend the blind spot detection the length of your trailer works with the Curt Echo? That is the towing safety feature I was concerned with, not just pressing the tow mode button. I already have the Redarc Tow Pro Elite installed and love it but would like to know if they updated anything so it can work with BLIS.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Tested adaptive cruise with the Curt Echo and happy to report that when the vehicle in front of me slowed down to stop, causing my Ranger to automatically brake, the Echo activated the trailer brakes as well. Automatic emergency braking should therefore work, too.

Sidenote - I love how the Ranger pre-charged the brake pedal during this test. I wasn't comfortable relying on just adaptive cruise to stop the vehicle so I was hovering the brake pedal, ready to take over. I took over once I saw that the Echo was braking as it should, and it was really nice to have the brake pedal become more sensitive, requiring significantly less distance an pressure to complete the stop.

So can you confirm the BLIS system that can extend the blind spot detection the length of your trailer works with the Curt Echo? That is the towing safety feature I was concerned with, not just pressing the tow mode button. I already have the Redarc Tow Pro Elite installed and love it but would like to know if they updated anything so it can work with BLIS.

Yes this feature works beautifully for me with the Echo. All it requires is that a trailer be detected on the plug and then it switches to one of the trailer profiles on the dash. I'm not sure how the echo could really interfere with it, other than the case where you plug in the Echo an never plug in a trailer, in which case the truck will not detect a trailer or turn on any trailering features.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Just to confirm some things about the Echo in regards to some of the pairing/bluetooth issues that some people seem to have.. you absolutely do need a trailer plugged into the Echo in order for the truck to power the Echo.

I went out to my truck just now and plugged in the Echo by itself. Tow mode or not, there was no life on the Echo. As soon as I plugged my trailer into the Echo, everything comes to life and the LED on the echo lights up and the truck shows that a trailer has been connected.

Echo plugged in by itself (LED unlit - LED is on the bottom of the Echo to the right of the latch on the truck's 7-way lid):

Echo plugged in, and then trailed plugged in (LED lit):

Truck dash recognizing the trailer:

FYI my trailer is a 2021 Jayco 174BH travel trailer with LED lights.

 

[NVHoonigan]

Yes this feature works beautifully for me with the Echo. All it requires is that a trailer be detected on the plug and then it switches to one of the trailer profiles on the dash. I'm not sure how the echo could really interfere with it, other than the case where you plug in the Echo an never plug in a trailer, in which case the truck will not detect a trailer or turn on any trailering features.

I am really happy they got this working or maybe you figured out the correct sequence to plug it in because some people need this kind of option. I didn't want to take the chance a year ago when others including some of the techs from etrailer.com said the BLIS system wouldn't work.

 

[Return Ranger]

Just to confirm some things about the Echo in regards to some of the pairing/bluetooth issues that some people seem to have.. you absolutely do need a trailer plugged into the Echo in order for the truck to power the Echo.

I went out to my truck just now and plugged in the Echo by itself. Tow mode or not, there was no life on the Echo. As soon as I plugged my trailer into the Echo, everything comes to life and the LED on the echo lights up and the truck shows that a trailer has been connected.

Echo plugged in by itself (LED unlit - LED is on the bottom of the Echo to the right of the latch on the truck's 7-way lid):

Echo plugged in, and then trailed plugged in (LED lit):

Truck dash recognizing the trailer:

FYI my trailer is a 2021 Jayco 174BH travel trailer with LED lights.

Thanks again. One more question I forgot.

Did you test to see if the hazard lights caused the trailer brake to activate? I saw that in one of the threads.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Thanks again. One more question I forgot.

Did you test to see if the hazard lights caused the trailer brake to activate? I saw that in one of the threads.

It's an option you can have on or off when you use your hazards. When on it will pulse the brakes when the hazards blink.

https://www.etrailer.com/question-334867.html

 

[TechnicallyReal]

It's an option you can have on or off when you use your hazards. When on it will pulse the brakes when the hazards blink.

https://www.etrailer.com/question-334867.html

This. There's a toggle on the main screen of the app that you can use to tell it that you're using hazards and it wont brake for you based on the brake light signal - only the manual override.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Chiming in again to say that I've updated my phone (Pixel 4 XL) to Android 11, and now I have major issues staying connected to the Echo. It's the phone's fault, but it's made the Echo feel useless to me. Bluetooth between my phone and the truck has gotten sketchy since that update as well, and I've had to re-pair it a few times.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Chiming in again to say that I've updated my phone (Pixel 4 XL) to Android 11, and now I have major issues staying connected to the Echo. It's the phone's fault, but it's made the Echo feel useless to me. Bluetooth between my phone and the truck has gotten sketchy since that update as well, and I've had to re-pair it a few times.

Turns out the Echo is fine!!

What was happening is the app had started saying that the 7-way had become disconnected whenever I used the brakes for the first time. This behavior started right after my phone was updated to Android 11. I also noticed that bluetooth to the stereo was kinda sketchy after that, too, so I figured it was something to do with Android. But then I tried an older tablet of mine and it did the same thing.

So then I bought the TowPro Elite from Ford and installed it today.. and it didn't work either.

Turned out that my trailer' brake wires got crushed by the suspension and eventually broke entirely ?

Silver lining.. the TowPro Elite is quite nice. It was a massive pain in the ass to install, though.

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