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Old 04-30-2022, 07:50 AM   #1
jubzexcel
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Trailer brake “ding ding”

We have been having trouble with our trailer brakes off & on for sometime. We plug our 2010 5er into our 2012 Dodge. We can drive for days, hours or minutes & nothing, then we get ding ding, dash says check trailer brakes. Goes off immediately. It will do this continually for an hour and then nothing for days. Has anyone had this trouble.
 
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Old 04-30-2022, 08:37 AM   #2
Daryles
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We have had intermittent "trailer disconnected " light come on then reconnects immediately.
I took the pin box junction apart looking for bad wiring junctions, especially the white ground wires.
All the wiring was good and tight.
I tore off a piece of fine grade sand paper and rolled it up, then used it to clean the male and female plug contact pins.
I took a pliers and squeezed the female contacts so they made a tighter, better grip.
We drove from DC to Philly, no problems.
In fact I think the brakes are more responsive now.
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Old 04-30-2022, 08:55 AM   #3
jsb5717
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We had the same problem with our last 5er and TV. Over time I found a couple issues. As stated, the connections in the plug can corrode so cleaning those might help. However, on the TV I ended up also finding a partially broken wire. It was the brake wire for the trailer plug. I fixed that wire and replaced the plugs connections on both the TV and the 5er. No more issues.
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Old 04-30-2022, 08:59 AM   #4
rames14
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At the age of your truck and trailer, I suspect as Daryles found that you have corrosion in your truck/trailer connection. Take the junction box cover off, make sure your ground and other wires are tight, then clean your trailer connection. It’s easy to get oxidation in there in ten years.
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Old 04-30-2022, 10:51 AM   #5
Carl n Susan
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A less common cause (than the frequent ones pointed out above) is a chafed wire inside the axle. This is a lot more work to find. There are many previous posts about the process. Basically the solution is to run new wires on the outside of the axle (use zip ties to hold them to the backside of the axle) to the brakes on the other side.
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Old 04-30-2022, 11:58 AM   #6
jimcol
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Agree with Carl that it is a lot more work to pinpoint but it is a quick and inexpensive change to make. If your problems persist, I'd just make the change on a hunch. You know that old process of elimination.
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Old 04-30-2022, 12:10 PM   #7
Half Fast Rusty
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When I was having this trouble, I started at the TV and worked backward looking for an obvious problem. It turned out to be a loose wire in the brakes themselves shorting the system out. I had to have the wheels packed anyway so I had the tech look (which I think he would have anyway) at the breaks while the wheels were off. There was the problem.
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Old 04-30-2022, 07:31 PM   #8
Randy E
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We had the exact same problem. Took all summer to find it. But once we found it I couldn’t believe what I saw. The wiring inside the brake assembly comes loose and rubs on the brake drum. There were bare wires all over inside the drum. Dexter sent me 4 new brake assemblies for free. I installed them. Shortly after the same warning came on in my truck. I took it back home. Pulled the brakes apart and had the exact same problem. Bare wires. The spring clips that hold the wires fall off. Allowing wires to rub on the drum face. I fixed the wires. Added some epoxy to the wires to hold it like glue to the brake arm. So far it has worked perfectly. You must contain the wires inside the drum.
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Old 04-30-2022, 07:40 PM   #9
twindman
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I had this trouble with my 2006 - not sure about my 2013. It was intermittent. Usually right after I started towing - within 3-5 miles. Read something on here and said to clean the connections. I just plugged it in and out about 3 times before taking off each day and problem fixed. Apparently cleaned the plugin and fixed it.
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Old 05-01-2022, 06:47 AM   #10
DadsHemi
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Mine did that right after be bought it in 17, ended up being the magnet wires in the break hub chaffed because they where wrapped around the spindle. It was aggravating as heck.
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Old 05-01-2022, 09:43 AM   #11
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Probably not you issue but... I helped a friend with an issue getting his SOB fiver to be seen by his new to him TV (a 2018 Ford). Usual troubleshooting wasn't yielding much and when we were reconnecting to move rig from in front of his shop (we were giving up) I found that the retainer catch on the 7 pin cover (on the truck) and the mating catch on the plug were leaving the plug about a 3/16 to a 1/4" shy of being fully plugged in after they had "caught". Not sure what he "MacGivered" when he towed, but it worked thereafter.
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