Brake Issue-Truck?/Trailer?/Controller?

[bugman3]

On our last trip I started having trouble with what I thought was the cruise control on my truck. After braking to cancel the cruise control, sometimes the cruise wouldn't resume. So it continued for a few days. Then one night when stopping at the campsite and going slow I noticed the trailer brakes were stuck on, then I noticed the controller light was on. It seemed like the brake were staying on sometimes. So after a little sleuthing I saw that if I braked then let off the pedal, the brakes would stay on occasionally. Ergo why no cruise as the vehicle thought I was pressing on the brakes. What I also noticed is the brakes would release if I pulled up on the truck brake pedal. So now aside from the fact I may have wore out my trailer brakes has anyone ever seen this? My first inclination is to change the brake controller, but could it be a problem with my truck brake pedal/wiring?trailer wiring? Thoughts? To further complicate things I had some work done last month and the incompetent technician left the main wiring harness under the tongue jack when taking the trailer off my truck, cutting through the wiring. I repaired the cut but there could be something I can't see.

[dkottum]

You said the brake would release if you pulled up on the brake pedal. You may just have a weak return spring on the pedal (or wherever it is), or something blocking it, or is there a switch in your truck activated by the brake pedal that may simply need adjusting? We had an Audi with a weak return spring, the brake lights would stay on sometimes, I put an elastic cord on it up under the dash to return the pedal for a temporary fix, and that's how it was for a couple hundred thousand miles.

[Al and Missy]

I'm guessing here, but there should be a spring to pull your brake pedal up when you take your foot off. I'd look at the truck brake pedal linkage first. Make sure a wire hasn't gotten in the way, the spring has popped off, or broken.

Al

[bugman3]

Possibly the truck, but I can't duplicate the problem without the trailer attached so I not that confident that is the issue. With the trailer attached after a few pumps of the brake I see the controller light stays on, now I haven't checked to see if the truck brake lights stay on too, so I will do that.

[DLMueller]

My father just had the same problem with his 2008 GMC HD2500 pickup. Turns out there can be a problem with the brake light switch on some GM trucks. It would not totally turn off after releasing the truck brakes. The cruise control quit working and the trailer brakes were staying energized for a short period of time after releasing the brake pedal. We found out about the issue with the switch by doing some research on the internet. Replacing the brake light switch with a newer, revised brake light switch corrected the problem.

[Action]

The trailer brakes may not be releasing??
Or the trailer brake wiring isn't totally fixed.

>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[bugman3]

As a follow up to this, it was indeed the brake light switch on my Yukon. It was an easy fix and a 26.00 part. Took me maybe 15 minutes to install. Hopefully it didn't cause any undue wear to my trailer brakes, I'll find out this off season. I had a burnt out brake light on my truck and the socket looked pretty cooked, probably a result of being on for long periods of time. Thanks for the suggestions.