Help - Electric brake controller Install

[scottajemd]

I just installed the wire harness for the trailer hitch on my LR3 (2008) and this all checked out but when I got to the brake controller things did not go so well.

I looked under the dash by the brake and found a gray plug that matched the Ford F series adapter I purchased with my brake controller (Tekonsha P3). I patched the open wires that came with the controller to the open wires on the adapter plug. I checked to make sure these wires were good and then plugged it all in.

The controller did not power up and when I check the brakes, you guessed it no power to the blue wire.

Then on closer examination I noticed there are actually 5 wires in the (LR3) plug I used and not 4.

Can anyone provide some guidance here, there is no other plug under the dash that I can find and this one sure seems to match but something is very wrong when I have 5 wires on one side and 4 on the other.

 

[kwlr3]

Turn on your lights. I don't know if this is a safety measure, you should have at least your parking lights on when towing or if it is some flaw in the LR3 wiring but, the brake controller seems to be powered through the light circuit. No lights on no power to the brake controller. Reply and let me know if this is the fix or if anyone else has seen this.

 

[scottajemd]

Turned on the lights, no luck.

 

[scottajemd]

I just went back with my volt meter and determined there is no power on the back and white wires leading to the controller.

I checked the fuses last night behind the glove box and they were all good I just need to check the fuse under the hood.

uuuggg I don't really want to take this to the dealer, they don't know anything about this and they will charge me to learn.

I did check with the service manager this morning and he pulled the wiring diagrams and confirmed the plug I was using was the correct plug. The 5th wire is labeled as "side lights" in his book.

I am goingto not worry about that wire since the others are labeled as expected.

 

[m5ccie]

It could be your wiring is not patched properly between your brake controller and the gray plug. It may be worth it to get the pre-wired adapter for Ford, such as the one I used that works great and I got from here:

http://www.hitchcorner.com/brake-controls.htm

Part number DT22280

Good luck,
Jim K.

 

[scottajemd]

Problem solved

There is a 30A fuse under the hood and this was burned out, I guess I fat fingered the wires when I was striping and soldering them.

I replaced the fuse and now there is power to the controller.

So just for reference there are 3 fuses related to the brakes. 2 behind the glove box and one under the hood.

 

[m5ccie]