Ford truck brake module

[Jimbo8259]

Has anyone else had problems with the ford truck brake module. I was using the trailer last week an got these messages again. It has been replaced 3 times already under warranty. I stopped at the dealer again and the service writer told me I'm out of warranty and I would have to pay this time. I told him it doesn't pay to keep putting in faulty ford parts and I would look for something aftermarket. Then the lady service writer next to him came over, looked at the last time it was replaced and said it was less than a year ago and ford covers parts for a year. So, I take it back on Friday to get replaced again. Is there an aftermarket option? 

[stronger800]

I have a 23 and a 25, I’ve gotten recall letters in the mail about that, but haven’t taken them in, and haven’t had trouble.  Ram and GM have the same thing going on right now 

[Diesel Doctor]

Why do we need a module for something as simple as trailer brakes?

 

[Rawleigh99]

I just received a recall notice on the one for my 2023 Maverick hybrid. I'm not too worried about it as I don't think I will ever be telling a trailer with brakes behind that little truck. That's what I have my real trucks for. The Maverick is really a commuter car for me, but it has been a very good vehicle.

[vtfireman85]

If you keep having module failures and are towing the same trailer I would give that trailer a closer look, faulty or improperly wired trailers can cause all sorts of issues with lighting/ brake modules. Personally, and knock on wood I tow a lot of different trailers and haven’t had any module issues, but I have seen them due to the trailer end. 

[5088]

I don't know if this relates but we (Ram) have a trailer brake module recall going on, and there are issues with some of the new modules right out of the box, and as far as I'm aware, no fix yet.

[stronger800]

Yes, I was talking fairly new trucks.  ‘23-26, I know of 7 now, all brands, with that issue going on.  The fancier your truck is, the more stuff is tied into that module I believe.  Buddy with new ram was actually told by his dealer Not to tow his big camper until his truck was fixed…but they don’t have the parts. Or know When they might get them.

[jass1660]

I got a recall notice on my 21 150 about this. 

[Finney]

I get a trailer fault with my gmc(08) without the trailer, none with the trailer.

[Cattech]

I got the recall notice as well, no problems yet knock on wood. My 19 Kia Sorento had a trailer light module hidden up in the left rear behind the inner fender. I got a recall notice for that one as well. Before I had a chance to have the dealer look at it I noticed my trailer lights were dimly illuminating with the car off while it was parked outside the camper one night.... the recall notice had said fire hazard, so I went out and pulled the fuse for the trailer lights - the fuse nearly burnt my fingers. I later got a look at the spot the module was mounted - the plastic was deformed from heat. 

[stronger800]

Ka ka Kia. 
I put a hitch on one of those for my neighbor a few years ago. I think it was a year old. Had to get a thread chase to straighten out the factory deformed and pre rusted threaded holes on the “frame” tubes.   I put the wire harness in too, it tied up into that module mentioned above.  Think I took an interior panel off to get at it though 

[New Englander]

8 hours ago, Finney said:

I get a trailer fault with my gmc(08) without the trailer, none with the trailer.

I that one time and thought what the heck? I opened the connector cover and flushed it out with some brake cleaner that was close at hand and that made it happy. Has not reappeared and trailer brakes work fine, best brake controller ever. Salt belt issue? '13 GMC

[Binderoid]

22 hours ago, Diesel Doctor said:

Why do we need a module for something as simple as trailer brakes?

 

So Ford will have another  part to discontinue as soon as everybody  needs one.

 

[vtfireman85]

Is there a way to bypass the module and install a regular controller like we all used to have for years? Even just disconnecting the wires at the truck side of the plug in? 

[yellowrosefarm]

49 minutes ago, vtfireman85 said:

Is there a way to bypass the module and install a regular controller like we all used to have for years? Even just disconnecting the wires at the truck side of the plug in? 

I was just thinking the same thing. Hot, ground, brake light tap, key on tap, wires to the back and a new socket.  Then, get the least "smart", most basic controller you can find. 

[vtfireman85]

1 hour ago, yellowrosefarm said:

I was just thinking the same thing. Hot, ground, brake light tap, key on tap, wires to the back and a new socket.  Then, get the least "smart", most basic controller you can find. 

DrawTite activator 3

[stronger800]

I had told my ram buddy the same for his camper, that I could snip the brake and charge wires on the front/truck  side of his factory plug and re feed them through a traditional controller, but he didn’t really want me cutting into his 100k truck either.  I said yea, but I can make your camper Stop, opposed to your dealer that said not to tow it. 
Or maybe these newer fancy trucks would have a stroke if I did that.  Hooking to a trailer turns the blind spot monitors off, deletes the backup sensors,  maybe does things with the trucks hill decent and or engine braking features too (diesel) idk…lot going on in the new stuff.  I hot wired an accessory relay in  my ‘19 to be able to run interior cattle trailer lights with the truck off, but when I tried it on the ‘24 (same truck for the most part), the truck didn’t like it and was giving me a trailer fault code when a trailer wasn’t attached.  Same relay as the ‘19….but something was different 

[Matt Kirsch]

I doubt if there's anything aftermarket to take the place of the factory module. Proprietary Ford computer system, and simply not enough market for such a doodad to make it worthwhile for anyone to reverse-engineer it.

Sure you can wire in an aftermarket controller, but that won't solve the problem of the constant warning message and chime. I don't know if the dealer can do a delete of the factory integrated controller, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

[vtfireman85]

2 hours ago, Matt Kirsch said:

I doubt if there's anything aftermarket to take the place of the factory module. Proprietary Ford computer system, and simply not enough market for such a doodad to make it worthwhile for anyone to reverse-engineer it.

Sure you can wire in an aftermarket controller, but that won't solve the problem of the constant warning message and chime. I don't know if the dealer can do a delete of the factory integrated controller, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

It could probably be over ridden with Forscan, worth while? Only he can decide. I still wonder about the trailer. 

[Gearclash]

48 minutes ago, vtfireman85 said:

It could probably be over ridden with Forscan, worth while? Only he can decide. I still wonder about the trailer. 

I have a trailer that made every controller hooked to it issue forth more vituperations than Greta protesting tar sands oil.  Could never find a problem with the wiring until I yanked on the brake wires that went through the axle tube from left brake to right brake and found that the factory had wadded about a foot of extra wire in there and the road vibration had worn through the wire coating in several places where the wires where folded and it at least one place the conductors themselves were about worn through. Was never a consistent short given the constant jiggling and the rust and dust coating the inside of the axle but it was shorting.  Fortunately no controllers were harmed in the process.