2023 Chevy Tahoe Aftermarket Brake controller

[2023TahoeMark]

Just installed the curt spectrum in the wife’s new tahoe that didn’t come with the oem brake controller. Pretty nice install overall. Pain in the ass that gm didn’t give us the connector on the end of the wires. Just the blunt cut wires that were taped up with ridiculous amounts of tape and next to impossible to get to…

Got everything wired up and the unit powered on but no brakes to the trailer. Triple checked all the wiring and watched multiple videos confirming which colour wire goes to which one. They are definitely all correct. Checked the fuse it seemed fine. Any other ideas? Is there a wire that needs to be connected on the other end perhaps?

 

[pa31p]

On my Yukon I installed a different controller. Tekonsah. wiring wise/fuse was all ready to go- did not have to do a thing.

are you checking this with the trailer plugged in or a tester in the back ?

and yes the tape was the hardest part for me. sticky as hell.

CURT>>>>
Blue matches with blue, white matches with white, curt black (battery) goes to GM red, and curt red goes to GM white/blue which is the brake signal.

 

[2023TahoeMark]

On my Yukon I installed a different controller. Tekonsah. wiring wise/fuse was all ready to go- did not have to do a thing.

are you checking this with the trailer plugged in or a tester in the back ?

and yes the tape was the hardest part for me. sticky as hell.

CURT>>>>
Blue matches with blue, white matches with white, curt black (battery) goes to GM red, and curt red goes to GM white/blue which is the brake signal.

Interesting. Leads me to thinking it’s a wiring issue then. Definitely have those colours right tho from gm to curt. Testing it with a trailer yea. When I push on the brake pedal it just had one light on the spectrum that indicates error. And no trailer brakes at all.

 

[StephenPT]

There’s a bench testing section in the manual for the Spectrum. Maybe give that a try to make sure the controller is working properly?

 

[2023TahoeMark]

There’s a bench testing section in the manual for the Spectrum. Maybe give that a try to make sure the controller is working properly?

Did the test and it was working properly. Plugged everything back in and thought it was doing the same thing. However did some more testing and realized it was working just not turned up all the way so I wasn’t noticing the trailer brakes. Adjusted the gain and sensitivity and got things working great now! Really nice controller, probably the nicest aftermarket one available. Still wish I had the factory controller but they seem to be on constraint or limited to the Denali’s.

 

[StephenPT]

Did the test and it was working properly. Plugged everything back in and thought it was doing the same thing. However did some more testing and realized it was working just not turned up all the way so I wasn’t noticing the trailer brakes. Adjusted the gain and sensitivity and got things working great now! Really nice controller, probably the nicest aftermarket one available. Still wish I had the factory controller but they seem to be on constraint or limited to the Denali’s. View attachment 391404

Sweet! Glad you were able to get it working. It is indeed a nice aftermarket controller. Even GM lists it in the dealer installed accessories when you're doing the build and price on the SUVs. I was planning on getting this one since Max Tow is so hard to come by, but I lucked out and found a Yukon XL diesel with Max Tow that the original buyer backed out of.

 

[jdtech05]

Just installed the curt spectrum in the wife’s new tahoe that didn’t come with the oem brake controller. Pretty nice install overall. Pain in the ass that gm didn’t give us the connector on the end of the wires. Just the blunt cut wires that were taped up with ridiculous amounts of tape and next to impossible to get to…

Got everything wired up and the unit powered on but no brakes to the trailer. Triple checked all the wiring and watched multiple videos confirming which colour wire goes to which one. They are definitely all correct. Checked the fuse it seemed fine. Any other ideas? Is there a wire that needs to be connected on the other end perhaps?

Thanks for the info. I just started installation of this controller on our 23 suburban which had the pigtail harness in the glove box. Couldn't find the plug in under the dash to save my butt. I will look for the taped up harness to wire into.

 

[2023TahoeMark]

Thanks for the info. I just started installation of this controller on our 23 suburban which had the pigtail harness in the glove box. Couldn't find the plug in under the dash to save my butt. I will look for the taped up harness to wire into.

no problem! best bet is to take off the panel on the very left, beneath the steering wheel. It just pops off. Then you can take the side dash panel off. It should be somewhere back in there. Look for the white tag, that was how i spotted it.

 

[kovs502]

2023 premier just came in with max trailer tow and no integrated brake control has anyone installed the factory one after or do you have to go aftermarket really want factory and gm should supply it they charge for it in max tow package

 

[Chad G 1979]

Just installed the curt spectrum in the wife’s new tahoe that didn’t come with the oem brake controller. Pretty nice install overall. Pain in the ass that gm didn’t give us the connector on the end of the wires. Just the blunt cut wires that were taped up with ridiculous amounts of tape and next to impossible to get to…

Got everything wired up and the unit powered on but no brakes to the trailer. Triple checked all the wiring and watched multiple videos confirming which colour wire goes to which one. They are definitely all correct. Checked the fuse it seemed fine. Any other ideas? Is there a wire that needs to be connected on the other end perhaps?

I know this is an old thread, but how did you connect the controller to the wires in the tahoe? did you have to cut the connector off of the pigtail from the controller module? Or is there something else needed? I am looking to get a travel trailer and i do not have max tow so no integrated trailer controller, so need something. I am capable of wiring it up, just need to know if i need something else besides this controller that i have settled on getting as it looks the least NON STOCK of all aftermarket brake controllers. Thanks