Help!!!!! Trailer brakes locking up

[RFP]

As the owner of a 2015 Ford F150, all this brake module failure nonsense makes me truly apprehensive about getting on the road again... we usually go places where "middle of nowhere" might be an understatement.

I'm considering just going ahead and installing a Tekonsha P3 and be done with it.

Well, that is, if it's truly a "plug and play" modification... anybody know for sure?

Thanks,

Rob

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by gldnpupper27

. . . The information that we received from this forum...helped us zero in on the problem and get it taken care of quickly.

Glad it worked out!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Peter

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by RFP

As the owner of a 2015 Ford F150, all this brake module failure nonsense makes me truly apprehensive about getting on the road again... we usually go places where "middle of nowhere" might be an understatement.

I'm considering just going ahead and installing a Tekonsha P3 and be done with it.

Well, that is, if it's truly a "plug and play" modification... anybody know for sure?

Thanks,

Rob

Personally, I prefer the way the Tekonsha P3 adjusts and works...I tow with a Toyota Tacoma, and it plugs right into the harness...and I can swap it for a new one real easy...

[gldnpupper27]

Originally Posted by Farmer Dan

I'm having a case of deja vu. Its not the kind you want to have, though. Today while putting my Flying Cloud in my shop for a few weeks of storage, the second integrated brake control module on my 2015 F150 failed. The symptoms are unmistakable. The trailer brakes lock up and the truck dash displays "Trailer Wiring Fault". The trailer need not be plugged in to the truck for this display to show. I called my dealer in Blair, NE. The parts man says the modules are being shipped directly from their manufacturer. I guess that means they arrive sooner at the dealer. And they have an updated version the parts man said. It was nearly a year ago that my first one failed while on the road. At least I was home this time.

Dan

Boy, do I hate to hear this! Passed this info onto Hubby and we are both thinking that we might need to bite the bullet and buy a better one and have it installed. When he was at our Ford dealer, he talked to them extensively about the fact that others are being told that there is an upgrade coming out and they truly knew nothing about it. He is going to check in with another Ford dealer in the area and see what they say. We would gladly pay extra for the piece of mind, because right now....there is not any.

[Farmer Dan]

I'm with you 100% on the peace of mind !! If the new part does not come in soon - we leave for the Canadian Rockies caravan on June 15 - I think I'll buy a P3 and install it. (For $120 - $150 it may be worth it to have it along anyway) When you install the P3, do you need to program the integrated controller out or does plugging in the wiring harness for it disable the truck controller? Others have called it plug and play so it shouldn't be too difficult. Maybe even I can handle it !!

Dan

[Action]

I got mine with correct Ford harness from an ebay seller for less than $100.

I have an older 2006 Navigator. It was a plug n play installation. Hardest part was finding a suitable mounting location for it. (mounted on lower instrument panel just above the accelerator pedal)

>>>>>>>>Action

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by RFP

As the owner of a 2015 Ford F150, all this brake module failure nonsense makes me truly apprehensive about getting on the road again... we usually go places where "middle of nowhere" might be an understatement.

I'm considering just going ahead and installing a Tekonsha P3 and be done with it.

Well, that is, if it's truly a "plug and play" modification... anybody know for sure?

Thanks,

Rob

I've got a 2015 F150, its plug and play, you can get a wiring harness for about $10, plug the cable from
the factory into the harness, then plug the harness into the P3. Then mount the P3 somewhere you like. That's how simple it was for me. Towed about 10k miles in the past year, no issues. If the truck senses wiring connection problems it still tells you. Sometimes just have to tap the brake to get it to recognize the trailer is connected when hooking up the trailer.

[RFP]

Originally Posted by Action

I got mine with correct Ford harness from an ebay seller for less than $100.

I have an older 2006 Navigator. It was a plug n play installation. Hardest part was finding a suitable mounting location for it. (mounted on lower instrument panel just above the accelerator pedal)

>>>>>>>>Action

OK, while I was typing this, the post from HiJoeSilver came rolling in... see the post below this one
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action,

It sounds as if your story has a happy ending; and I love happy endings!

However, I'm not so sure that your experience really reads on the concerns of Farmer Dan (or me) since our 2015 F150s are so 'computerized.' Perhaps the P3 swap into our trucks may be just as easy as your installation, but maybe it wouldn't be. If we simply unplug our factory controllers and plug in a Tekonsha P3, who knows what the vehicle's computer may activate or deactivate, what 'codes' it might throw, all that kind of stuff that nobody - including Ford - understands even a little bit.

I'm just looking for somebody with a 2015 F150 that has done this swap and can speak with the authority that only first hand experience can give.

[RFP]

Originally Posted by HiJoeSilver

I've got a 2015 F150, its plug and play, you can get a wiring harness for about $10, plug the cable from
the factory into the harness, then plug the harness into the P3. Then mount the P3 somewhere you like. That's how simple it was for me. Towed about 10k miles in the past year, no issues. If the truck senses wiring connection problems it still tells you. Sometimes just have to tap the brake to get it to recognize the trailer is connected when hooking up the trailer.

Wow, "Joe," this is just what I was looking for. Was your F150 equipped from the factory with the brake controller? If so, did you just leave it in place and swap the plug to the Tekonsha harness?

Many thanks!

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Thanks for the info Dan. Mine is also a 2015 F150 and having it fail a second time somewhere on the road is exactly what I am afraid of. My dealer confirmed for me again that there is an updated part available on backorder, however, he installed the older version because it was an emergency and he had one in stock. Both the dealer and Ford have not been able to give me any info on if the new version fixes a problem or was created for other reasons. Because of that and the fact they just replaced mine they are not willing to swap out for the newer version under warranty, so, I would have to pay $400 to have it done. If you can wait until they get the newer version in stock that would probably be best. Since my F150 has been great until this problem I decided to go ahead and order the newer one and pay the peace of mind tax and keep the older one for spare.

Orange.... the dealer has already admitted a NEW VErsion IS ON BACKORDER...and he installed the outdated one as a stop-gap measure! Be FIRM! INSIST on the newer version as the correct fix! If your dealer doesn't agree...then demand to speak to the factory representative! They have a liability issue on this part as it involves safety.
Be FIRM!

[Farmer Dan]

RFP, I watched some youtube videos of installing a P3 in '15 and '16 F150s. It involves some disassembly of the dash and console to get at the brake control module but nothing that someone with a little "handy" in them couldn't handle. It wouldn't be fun on the road - but if you are more than a few miles from home it can be done. Lets hope the Ford dealers get the new modules in before we have to make a serious move !!!

Dan

[HiJoeSilver]

My truck didn't have the factory controller. Talked to the dealer about it when I bought the truck, told him
I already had a P3 but wondered about getting the factory controller as an option. He actually thought keeping the P3 was a good idea, no hard upsell, actually one of my best car buying experiences. I was able to lay upsidedown in front of the drivers seat and disconnect the factory harness from its clip behind the hole in the dash without having to go through the whole disassembly thing. It clips into a bracket right where it would connect to the factory controller. Just had to pinch the sides to get it unclipped. I don't think there should be a problem bypassing the factory controller. At worst it's usually a 15 minute flash to the computer to add or delete the controller presence.

[OrangeCrush]

Boxite - thanks for the suggestion but I did go back and forth with both Ford Customer service and the dealer on this. They both insisted they could not find out why Ford changed the part but the other could (runaround). Ford customer service says they give the dealer money to cover these things. My dealer says there is no proof the new part fixes anything ............
Rather than loose sleep and blood pressure points I just decided to pay for it and go enjoying our new AS in peace. I am betting there is a fix/improvement in the new part but don't have any proof.

I think FarmerDan's experience has sure heightened everyone's concern, it certainly did me. If it makes you feel any better, the service manager at our dealer says they have seen vary few failures of the brake controller over the years.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Boxite - thanks for the suggestion but I did go back and forth with both Ford Customer service and the dealer on this. They both insisted they could not find out why Ford changed the part but the other could (runaround). Ford customer service says they give the dealer money to cover these things. My dealer says there is no proof the new part fixes anything ............
Rather than loose sleep and blood pressure points I just decided to pay for it and go enjoying our new AS in peace. I am betting there is a fix/improvement in the new part but don't have any proof.

I think FarmerDan's experience has sure heightened everyone's concern, it certainly did me. If it makes you feel any better, the service manager at our dealer says they have seen vary few failures of the brake controller over the years.

Thanks for the update... Once again, ... I remember why I not longer buy Fords.

(I bought a new Ford F-150 a few years ago and the dealer's service dept gave me a run-around on a leaking pwr steering pump telling me it was on back-order....while the parts dept sales-window promptly retrieved one from the shelf, quite willing to sell it to me.
When I confronted the salesman who sold me the unit, he got the manager to tell me that the new-part was actually already sold....... and shouldn't have been offered to me...
When I finally got the truck into the dealer so they could confirm the leak, the mechanic lied to me telling me he'd replaced the actual item leaking...the hose. That was B.S.... as a former new-car-dealer mechanic myself I pointed out to the svc mgr that the so-called "new hose" was covered in mud and the hose-clamp (screw-type) had grease inside the screwdriver-slot, clearly indicating the hose had not been changed or serviced...not even tightened.
...Here's the most irritating part of the story: The svc mgr actually told me in-person, "If you want to call my mechanic a liar then I can promise you you'll be in for an azz-kicking!"

I reported it to the BBB and Ford Customer Service and never heard a word back. (I replaced the pump myself.)

That Ford dealer is the one in BRYAN/COLLEGE-STATION, TEXAS and I'm happy to let everyone know about it the rest of my life.

Ford was always my favorite truck but from that point on, they can sell their stuff somewhere else as far as I'm concerned.

Hope it works out for you.

[MarkFinATX]

Originally Posted by Boxite

Thanks for the update... Once again, ... I remember why I not longer buy Fords.

(I bought a new Ford F-150 a few years ago and the dealer's service dept gave me a run-around on a leaking pwr steering pump telling me it was on back-order....while the parts dept sales-window promptly retrieved one from the shelf, quite willing to sell it to me.
When I confronted the salesman who sold me the unit, he got the manager to tell me that the new-part was actually already sold....... and shouldn't have been offered to me...
When I finally got the truck into the dealer so they could confirm the leak, the mechanic lied to me telling me he'd replaced the actual item leaking...the hose. That was B.S.... as a former new-car-dealer mechanic myself I pointed out to the svc mgr that the so-called "new hose" was covered in mud and the hose-clamp (screw-type) had grease inside the screwdriver-slot, clearly indicating the hose had not been changed or serviced...not even tightened.
...Here's the most irritating part of the story: The svc mgr actually told me in-person, "If you want to call my mechanic a liar then I can promise you you'll be in for an azz-kicking!"

I reported it to the BBB and Ford Customer Service and never heard a word back. (I replaced the pump myself.)

That Ford dealer is the one in BRYAN/COLLEGE-STATION, TEXAS and I'm happy to let everyone know about it the rest of my life.

Ford was always my favorite truck but from that point on, they can sell their stuff somewhere else as far as I'm concerned.

Hope it works out for you.

Amazing how these horror stories stick with us. I brought my brand new 1980 Olds Custom Criiser, diesel (that's another story altogether) to the dealership for its first oil change. I was supposed to have gotten some free oil changes with the purchase but the service writer told me that didn't include Diesel engines. I grabbed my sales guy and the service manager and got at least that one no charge. Later that day I picked up the car and headed home. A few miles down the road I noticed a little smoke coming out from under the hood, so I pulled over and found out that the vented oil filler cap was missing. Next morning, I stopped at the dealer and explained it to the service manager who checked with the mechanic but couldn't find the oil cap. He sent me over to the parts counter to BUY one!!! When the guy brought it out it was in a poly bag, not a box and when I looked at it there was used oil inside the cap. They were trying to sell me my own oil filler cap!!! For like $30 bucks- of course I didn't pay them. I stocked up on Shell Rotella T and did my own oil changes after that.

[Farmer Dan]

I took my truck to the Ford dealer in Blair, NE yesterday for oil change, tire rotation and alignment. They also verified my brake control module is bad.(The second one). The parts man is fairly confident that the new design module will be in before we leave on June 15 for the Canadian Rockies Caravan. I will line up a Tekonsha P3 to install if time gets too tight. I sure hope my parts man is right !!!

Dan

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Farmer Dan

I took my truck to the Ford dealer in Blair, NE yesterday for oil change, tire rotation and alignment. They also verified my brake control module is bad.(The second one). The parts man is fairly confident that the new design module will be in before we leave on June 15 for the Canadian Rockies Caravan. I will line up a Tekonsha P3 to install if time gets too tight. I sure hope my parts man is right !!!

Dan

Did you also ask if the Tekonsha unit can be swapped in, and with or without a flash of the computer system to recognize it? Need a service appt. for this? May not be as simple as the old days IMO. [Edit your Post #51 is noted.]

PS -- What year is your Ford?

[Farmer Dan]

My only info on installing the P3 is from watching the YouTube vids. I expect to take the truck to a dealer for a computer reflash if I go to the P3. BUT - it would be a great idea to confirm with Ford all that this may entail. The vids make it sound like plug and play. You bring up good points. My truck is a 2015 F150, SCrew, tow pkg, Ecoboost 3.5L and some other goodies.

Dan

[featherbedder]

Good luck with Ford upgrades being available and Govt. recalls. My 2012 Escape has a safety recall, now over 6 mos. old told, no parts. When talked to Ford fact. rep. same thing, then I asked is this lip serv. to feds about safety item, promptly hung phone up. Still nothing av. today. Maybe they fig. owners got rid of car or will go away. When my chev. silverado had 2 recalls and truck was over 10 yrs. old. They fixed within 1 mo. Both Ford dealers and Chev. that I deal with, exc. serv. only complaint is Ford not having parts for safety recall.

[Farmer Dan]

Yesterday I checked with my Ford parts dept in Blair, NE. No brake control module had been received yet for my 2015 F150. But the parts man checks first thing every day for this module. Okay, it's getting close to our departure date of June 15. I bought a Tekonsha P3 and installed it this am. Dash disassembly / reassembly was not very difficult. Cable hookup was as easy as unplug the old module and plug in the vehicle specific cable from Tekonsha to the harness. I had to keep the P3 controller at least 1 foot away from the CB radio. Not a big problem. I just mounted it on the left side of the steering wheel near the light switch and pedal adjustment switches. I did a trial tow this afternoon and it worked great. It'll take some fine tuning but they all need that. The instruction manual was well written and easy to follow and understand. No computer reflash was necessary. I did confirm that with the techs at Tekonsha. I'm not sure yet - but I think upon start-up of the truck the dash will display "Brake Module Fault". No big deal there - just press OK on the steering wheel and that message disappears.

Dan