Tekonsha Prodigy NC code

[curryp]

I bought a used 2001 Coleman Tacoma and had a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller installed at UHaul at the beginning of June. I just hooked up the camper to the tow vehicle and get a NC (No Connection) code. The NC continues even after holding the manual knob on the controller for more than 15 seconds.

Obviously the brake controller is not recognizing the trailer being hooked up. Here is some other information that may help someone diagnose my problem and help me.

*The previous owner said he never used the electric brakes.
*The prodigy was hard wired into the tow vehicle because my Tundra didn't have tow package.
*UHaul said they tested the prodigy and it was working fine.
*The NC codes stays on until I apply the truck brakes and then I get the double dots.
*All the trailer signal, brake and tail lights are working.

Any guidance anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated.

[aw738]

I know that my brake magnets buzz when I apply the brakes, you could listen for this. If you can't hear them the first thing I would do is test for power at the 7 pole contection on the TV with the brake pedal depressed. If you have power there then I would bet you have a problem in the wiring between the camper plug and the wheels. If you don't have any power then the problem may be in the wire coming along the frame of the TV.

[wavery]

That's a good way for a seller to get out of telling you that something is wrong with the brakes :p ........that's the old, "Oh...I never used that feature" routine. :J

Even if he did "Never use the brakes" that in itself could be an indication that the magnets are frozen up from non-use. However, as aw738 stated, you should start at the tow vehicle with a test lite and make sure that you have power to the brakes (when depressed) starting at the vehicle and working your way back to the backing plate. If you have power there and you can't hear the magnets, you'll have to take off the wheels and brake drums and try to free up the magnets. You may find that you have a rusted up mess in there, if he's never used those brakes for 6 years. I just find that hard to believe because that is a relatively heavy trailer (over 3,000 pounds loaded) and it is illegal to tow that trailer without brakes.

[curryp]

Thanks aw738 and wavery for the replies.  I really do believe the seller was telling the truth about not using the brakes. I knew him through a mutual friend and he would have no reason to misrepresent the truth. I too was dumbfounded that he towed without electric brakes. As you can see from my profile I live in the Adirondacks and that means traveling on lots of hills. Spending $200 for the sense of security of being able to brake was important to me.

Okay, now to the problem. I went online to learn the blue wire in the 7-way connector is for the electric brakes. I then crawled under the trailer and looked for the blue wire coming out of the wheel drums. I found the blue wire fully intact but did find a white wire that had somehow become spliced.  I connected the wire back together and now everything is fine.

I took the camper for a drive on a back road to play with the brake controller some. I was glad to find that the brakes did work. I was able to adjust them fine and even locked them up once. I braked at slow speeds on level road quite a few times knowing the brakes had not been used by the previous owner.  I am glad I did all this before traveling 175 miles next weekend to go camping.

As a woman who finally diagnosed this problem and repaired the wire, I am thinking this thread should be changed to Mr and Mrs. Fix It.  :p

Oh, about electric brakes being legally required - very true! I know a guy who was going to buy a used PU from a dealer but they wouldn't let him take it from the lot because he didn't have a brake controller in his vehicle. For the safety of everyone on the road it is good to know that dealers are doing this.

[wavery]

Well done............congradulations :!

Now....I would highly recommend that you get the wheel bearings serviced on that trailer. Wheel bearing failure is the most dangerous thing that can happen to your trailer. Unless you know otherwise, you should probably assume that the bearings have never been serviced.
http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/bearing1.html#wheel

[curryp]

"I would highly recommend that you get the wheel bearings serviced on that trailer."

Do you mean clean and grease the bearings? I did this on our boat trailer and know how to take apart the bearings and grease them reassemble with races. Is that simple or should I have a mechanic do it? Also, what is the recommended grease to use?

[wavery]

"I would highly recommend that you get the wheel bearings serviced on that trailer."

Do you mean clean and grease the bearings? I did this on our boat trailer and know how to take apart the bearings and grease them reassemble with races. Is that simple or should I have a mechanic do it? Also, what is the recommended grease to use?

Click on the link in my last post. If you've done it before, it should be easy.

Two tips.
1. Use a bottle or floor jack to jack-up the trailer. Place it on the frame, just bihind the spring.

2. ALWAYS use new cotter pins and hub seals.

You can pick up a can of wheel bearing grease at any auto parts store. Some parts stores carry very inexpensive bearing packing cups.

[AustinBoston]

2. ALWAYS use new cotter pins and hub seals.

Very good advice.

The cotter pins are maybe a buck.  The seals less than $10.  The only reason for re-using either is because the nearest auto parts store is over 200 miles away.

Besides, I've never been able to remove a seal without destroying it.

Austin