Ram 1500 brake controller

rd_macgregor · Jul 21, 2015

My wife recently bought a Ram 1500 ecodiesel and is having trouble setting the brake controller properly. With our previous truck/controller, it was a challenge to keep from locking up the trailer brakes (2-horse, bumper-pull with electric brakes), but with this one we can't seem to adjust the controller to do more than (very) lightly drag the trailer brakes, even when set all the way up to 10. Is there a special trick to it?
Bob

aczlan · Jul 21, 2015

Will it lock up the brakes when you use the manual control to apply the brakes?

Aaron Z

Diamondpilot · Jul 21, 2015

If it will not drag them on manual you have a issue. It seems I remember a while back other Ram owners having issues also and a reflash of the computer at the dealership was needed.

Chris

aczlan · Jul 21, 2015

Diamondpilot said:
If it will not drag them on manual you have a issue. It seems I remember a while back other Ram owners having issues also and a reflash of the computer at the dealership was needed.

Yep. If the manual lever will lock them up, but hard braking with the truck won't, its a software issue. If it won't lockup using the manual lever, it is probably a hardware issue (but it could still be a software issue).

Aaron Z

Monster5601 · Jul 22, 2015

I don't recall a software issue with the brake controllers on the new body styles, 2013 and up. My 2013 RAM manages the brakes on my 18 flat bed just fine.

OP - set the brake controller to light if the trailer is under 10,000 pounds, heavy if over 10,000 pounds. The owners' manual provides a nine step procedure to adjust trailer braking. If you followed this process and still no luck, it could be the trailer brakes are not compatible with the truck's brake controller.

rd_macgregor · Jul 22, 2015

Thanks for the replies. My wife finally took it to the shop. Apparently (even though the trailer just recently passed its inspection!), the trailer brakes aren't adjusting properly, so we'll have to get so work done there. This is a surprise, since the brakes were locking up too enthusiastically when we towed with our Sierra only a month or so ago.
Bob

Diamondpilot · Jul 22, 2015

Something doesn't add up. No way your trailers brakes wore that much unless you smoked them last use.

I would test it behind a buddies truck.

As far as brake adjustmen, it's dead simple.

Chris