I have a 2012 F150 and have been towing a travel trailer with it for 3 years. We don't put a lot of miles on the trailer, but do tow it often within about 100 miles.
Last weekend we were pulling the trailer (7,200# Travel Trailer) in fairly windy conditions. I usually slow the vehicle down to about 55 mph in these conditions and everything seems to go fairly well. There were some gusts that I could feel fairly strongly, but overall everything was good at 55 mph.
At one time, during one of these gusts, the combination (F150 and TT) started braking on its own and I got a message saying something like "sway noticed, slow down". I don't remember the exact wording. I was paying more attention to the braking going on.
I have an integrated trailer brake controller.
When I was buying the truck, I was reading about the built-in sway control in the truck's design. I don't remember it saying anything about auto braking.
My question is, has anyone ever experienced their truck automatically applying brakes in a sway situation?
I have never had it happen in the three years I have previously towed with this truck.


EDIT: It actually felt like the trailer brakes were being applied automatically, not the truck brakes.

 

Your explanation is perfect. That is exactly how it is supposed to work.

 

 

Thanks for the feedback. I figured that was what happened. I'd just never had it happen before.

 

Do you have any sway control at your hitch?

 

Page 298 of your manual. Explains alerts on 24 and 27.

 

Darn good question. If you are in a situation where the truck is having to assert itself, you need to take a good look at your setup.

WD hitch?
Trailer tongue too high
Poor weight distrubtion in the trailer?

etc.

 

I do have a sway bar on the hitch.
The set up is OK.
Just traveling at 60-65 with a large gust of wind.
Should have been closer to 55 with the wind blowing as it was.
I've been in windy conditions before but never experienced the auto-braking.


And, Rick - I am up to page 184 in reading my manual cover-to-cover.

 

Never had it happen here.

All the times I've had heavy winds they seem to be coming right at me and just destroy my gas mileage!

Good to hear that the system works as advertised.

 

The feeling was the same as when you activate the trailer brakes manually, except you aren't activating them and it takes you a little by surprise.
It was especially surprising to me when I didn't know it would do that.