Brake controller issues
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
From: Vandalia illinois
Brake controller issues
As noted in multiple threads I too had ITBC that fried itself and locked the electric brakes. My problem occurred 1400 miles from home and 200 miles from the nearest ford dealer. The following symptoms preceded the issue: the dash display showed " trailer disconnected" at highway speed three times while the trailer was connected and all functions operating properly including trailer brake gain. The warning cleared by pressing OK. No wiring or connection issues existed. After the third display notice and after parking the vehicle the brakes locked completely upon starting and the brake controller began to "smoke".
Had I not been in the vehicle I believe it would have flamed.
To get home with lights and turn signals I had to disconnect the blue brake wire in the break away box. They worked fine just no brakes to trailer.
Upon getting home all fuses and wiring in both the truck and trailer checked out as Ok but the truck was applying voltage to the brakes constantly.
THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FORD has refused to do a recall on and is VERY DANGEROUS.It is a basic design flaw that no fuse blows before the component burns up! The dealer said had I not caught this it was likely it would have started a fire.
I have filed a report with NHSTA.
There are several threads on this forum identical to this. I believe it to be a software malfunction causing the brake line sensors to send too much voltage back to the controller. Again no fuse, wiring or connection issues were found on either the truck or trailer upon dealer inspection.
The dealer has replaced the ITBC on warranty and said I was correct in my assessment that the problem was in the truck and that indeed the controller had got hot enough it melted. THIS ISSUE NEEDS RECALL.
Had I not been in the vehicle I believe it would have flamed.
To get home with lights and turn signals I had to disconnect the blue brake wire in the break away box. They worked fine just no brakes to trailer.
Upon getting home all fuses and wiring in both the truck and trailer checked out as Ok but the truck was applying voltage to the brakes constantly.
THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FORD has refused to do a recall on and is VERY DANGEROUS.It is a basic design flaw that no fuse blows before the component burns up! The dealer said had I not caught this it was likely it would have started a fire.
I have filed a report with NHSTA.
There are several threads on this forum identical to this. I believe it to be a software malfunction causing the brake line sensors to send too much voltage back to the controller. Again no fuse, wiring or connection issues were found on either the truck or trailer upon dealer inspection.
The dealer has replaced the ITBC on warranty and said I was correct in my assessment that the problem was in the truck and that indeed the controller had got hot enough it melted. THIS ISSUE NEEDS RECALL.
mikes 09 red f150 4x4
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 1
From: northern ontario,canada
mine did the same ...first showing trailer disconnected for a couple of days on and off then trailer brakes came on full by itself for about 10 seconds then no more electric brakes at all but lights still worked on trailer , didnt have smoke or smell in the cab though ...drove another 800 miles to get home with no brakes on trailer just took it easy...went to dealer and they said they change a few of these all the time and ford is working on a fix...yeah right.