Issues after adding a break controller.

[cooljoe51]

Hi Everyone,
I've searched high and low and it doesn't seem like I can find an relation to my issue. Apologies if it has already been found. Regardless, I added a brake controller to my 07 Tahoe LTZ and it was acting wonky. Brakes wouldn't work, however the controller stayed on when the truck was off, etc etc...so I switched it out for a new one (all four wires connected correcetly under the dash) and still had issues, so I replaced the brake switch. From there, the brake controller still didn't work, but even worse, I was not getting my backup camera unless I was holding down the brake pedal. After a little bit, even that stopped working until I crossed the blue accessory wire with the 12v power wire. I cannot trace this down or figure out what is going on. I have tried replacing the camera controller under the passenger seat and that also does not seem to work. Any ideas? PLEASE...it's driving me nuts! Thanks so much.

 

[Fless]

If you're using the factory brake (not "break") controller wiring, it's an "always on" circuit. The controller itself should go to sleep after a few minutes, so check the operator's manual for the controller. Normal operation.

This "blue accessory wire" -- is that the heavy one that wires to the controller? If so, that's the wire that feeds voltage back to the trailer brakes. If it was crossed to the power feed for the controller, all that would do would bypass the controller's control circuit and send full 12v to the electric brake circuit, all the way back to the 7-blade connector by your hitch. If a trailer was connected, shorting those two would apply the electric brakes fully for the time the wires were crossed / shorted / connected.

When you connect a trailer to the 7-blade, with the controller installed, does the indicator on the brake controller show that a trailer is connected? Has the frame ground back by the 7-blade harness been inspected and cleaned?

Is your backup camera OE or aftermarket? If aftermarket, how is it wired?

 

[gooffeyguy]

Do you have the wires under the hood near the fuse box connected to the studs at the front of the box?

 

[cooljoe51]

If you're using the factory brake (not "break") controller wiring, it's an "always on" circuit. The controller itself should go to sleep after a few minutes, so check the operator's manual for the controller. Normal operation.

This "blue accessory wire" -- is that the heavy one that wires to the controller? If so, that's the wire that feeds voltage back to the trailer brakes. If it was crossed to the power feed for the controller, all that would do would bypass the controller's control circuit and send full 12v to the electric brake circuit, all the way back to the 7-blade connector by your hitch. If a trailer was connected, shorting those two would apply the electric brakes fully for the time the wires were crossed / shorted / connected.

When you connect a trailer to the 7-blade, with the controller installed, does the indicator on the brake controller show that a trailer is connected? Has the frame ground back by the 7-blade harness been inspected and cleaned?

Is your backup camera OE or aftermarket? If aftermarket, how is it wired?

Sorry for the typo, I had noticed right when you said that lol. However, the wires I'm focused on are the ones under the dashboard that are meant to connect to the brake controller. For all intensive purposes, I have removed the controller from the equation, but have used the blue and red wires under the dash to make it so my camera would actually work. However, it only works when the brakes are applied. When the trailer was connected though, I originally had signal on the brake controller, but no braking.

The backup camera is OE. I did try to test another controller (the one under the passenger seat) with no success.

 

[cooljoe51]

Do you have the wires under the hood near the fuse box connected to the studs at the front of the box?

I do have those connected. I did also try to disconnect after I removed the brake controller to see if that would put everything back to normal, but it didn't.