Trailer brake message

[2Amy4805]

Hello all

I am having an unusual problem and hoping someone has run across this before and can help me out. I am on a cross country trip and one day my DIC display on my truck chummed in saying "trailer brake wiring disconnected". I pulled over and checked my 7 pin plug. I pulled it out and reconnected it and made sure it was locked in. I hit my dismiss button and it went back to normal. A few miles down the road and again it chimed in saying "trailer brake disconnected". This time with an annoying ding. The radio display said "trailer brake gain recalled". I hit the okay button and it starts all over again. The annoying chime. After 500 miles it quit.

I stopped at a trailer shop and they said it could be your ground. They checked all wiring in my 7 pin junction box to see if anything was loose. They checked underneath the trailer and checked all visible wiring. They checked to see if the wires that run through the axles if it was cut or scraped. All was well. They did add another trailer ground from the 7 pin adapter.

Back on the road again and everything was okay because after 300 miles everything seemed normal. I was actually proceeding down a 7% steep grade when it started all over again with the messages and the chime and the ding. I know I had trailer brakes because it was keeping me at 35 mph.

So i took the truck without the trailer into the GM dealer. They scanned and found a fault code for the trailer brake control solenoid. They inspected the harness and found no problems with it. checked the trailer brake control solenoid. They installed a trailer simulator tool. (apparently its a special tool that simulates as if a trailer was attached) They test drove the vehicle 30 miles and checked to see if there was any codes. No codes were found. They let it sit a while and connected the 7 pin tool to the outside bumper plug and drove the vehicle another 60 miles with no problems. They scanned the vehicle and no fault codes.

Back on the road and after a few hundred miles we start all over again with the messages and the annoying ding and chime.

Has anyone had this problem before? I really don't know what to do next.

 

[trailrydr]

Not sure if this is related to the same issue... but apparently GM has had issues with OEM trailer brake modules.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2023/0...-suburban-trailer-brake-control-switch-issue/

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f439/2024-silverado-and-trailer-brake-issue-246693.html

 

[uwskier]

There was a brake control module issue on the 2024s that would do this if it detected a higher voltage from the trailer than from the truck charging system. This would commonly happen when the trailer has solar power or a running generator. This has been solved with an updated trailer brake control module for the 2024s. You can also fix the issue by wiring in a diode so the 12v from the trailer can't feed back to the truck.

Not sure if you have a late build 2023 and/or if they ever used the problematic module on any 2023s, but it sounds exactly like the issue many of us 2024 owners had.

 

[msutoad]

Hello all

I am having an unusual problem and hoping someone has run across this before and can help me out. I am on a cross country trip and one day my DIC display on my truck chummed in saying "trailer brake wiring disconnected". I pulled over and checked my 7 pin plug. I pulled it out and reconnected it and made sure it was locked in. I hit my dismiss button and it went back to normal. A few miles down the road and again it chimed in saying "trailer brake disconnected". This time with an annoying ding. The radio display said "trailer brake gain recalled". I hit the okay button and it starts all over again. The annoying chime. After 500 miles it quit.

I stopped at a trailer shop and they said it could be your ground. They checked all wiring in my 7 pin junction box to see if anything was loose. They checked underneath the trailer and checked all visible wiring. They checked to see if the wires that run through the axles if it was cut or scraped. All was well. They did add another trailer ground from the 7 pin adapter.

Back on the road again and everything was okay because after 300 miles everything seemed normal. I was actually proceeding down a 7% steep grade when it started all over again with the messages and the chime and the ding. I know I had trailer brakes because it was keeping me at 35 mph.

So i took the truck without the trailer into the GM dealer. They scanned and found a fault code for the trailer brake control solenoid. They inspected the harness and found no problems with it. checked the trailer brake control solenoid. They installed a trailer simulator tool. (apparently its a special tool that simulates as if a trailer was attached) They test drove the vehicle 30 miles and checked to see if there was any codes. No codes were found. They let it sit a while and connected the 7 pin tool to the outside bumper plug and drove the vehicle another 60 miles with no problems. They scanned the vehicle and no fault codes.

Back on the road and after a few hundred miles we start all over again with the messages and the annoying ding and chime.

Has anyone had this problem before? I really don't know what to do next.

I had this exact issue on a 2020 GMC, and it was related to the braking magnets on the trailer. The trailer needed a brake job... However with your Solitude being a 2022, I would highly doubt that is the case. The only other issue I had also related to your exact scenario was that the hot wire from the brake controller into the 7 wire on the trailer came disconnected to the blue wire for the brakes on the coach. Have you checked to see if you have brakes working at all despite the DIC message?

 

[reubenray]

This is good info to know being my 2023 2500HD did this one time last year. I checked it and found not issue. My trailer at that time did have a solar system on it. My new trailer has a bigger solar system on it. If this happens again I will turn off the solar switch to see if it resolves it.

 

[Wileykid]

There was a brake control module issue on the 2024s that would do this if it detected a higher voltage from the trailer than from the truck charging system. This would commonly happen when the trailer has solar power or a running generator. This has been solved with an updated trailer brake control module for the 2024s. You can also fix the issue by wiring in a diode so the 12v from the trailer can't feed back to the truck.

Not sure if you have a late build 2023 and/or if they ever used the problematic module on any 2023s, but it sounds exactly like the issue many of us 2024 owners had.

Last I heard, the current factory fix is replacing the '24 brake controller with a '23 one.

 

[2Amy4805]

Thank you for all your information. I am going to turn my solar panel off while I am driving.

 

[coltss]

Hello all

I am having an unusual problem and hoping someone has run across this before and can help me out. I am on a cross country trip and one day my DIC display on my truck chummed in saying "trailer brake wiring disconnected". I pulled over and checked my 7 pin plug. I pulled it out and reconnected it and made sure it was locked in. I hit my dismiss button and it went back to normal. A few miles down the road and again it chimed in saying "trailer brake disconnected". This time with an annoying ding. The radio display said "trailer brake gain recalled". I hit the okay button and it starts all over again. The annoying chime. After 500 miles it quit.

I stopped at a trailer shop and they said it could be your ground. They checked all wiring in my 7 pin junction box to see if anything was loose. They checked underneath the trailer and checked all visible wiring. They checked to see if the wires that run through the axles if it was cut or scraped. All was well. They did add another trailer ground from the 7 pin adapter.

Back on the road again and everything was okay because after 300 miles everything seemed normal. I was actually proceeding down a 7% steep grade when it started all over again with the messages and the chime and the ding. I know I had trailer brakes because it was keeping me at 35 mph.

So i took the truck without the trailer into the GM dealer. They scanned and found a fault code for the trailer brake control solenoid. They inspected the harness and found no problems with it. checked the trailer brake control solenoid. They installed a trailer simulator tool. (apparently its a special tool that simulates as if a trailer was attached) They test drove the vehicle 30 miles and checked to see if there was any codes. No codes were found. They let it sit a while and connected the 7 pin tool to the outside bumper plug and drove the vehicle another 60 miles with no problems. They scanned the vehicle and no fault codes.

Back on the road and after a few hundred miles we start all over again with the messages and the annoying ding and chime.

Has anyone had this problem before? I really don't know what to do next.

Had the exact same problem with our 2022 Solitude 2930 RL. Of course we were on the road but found a shop to look at it and what was found that he removed the rear drivers side tire and hub there was a wire that came loose and was shorting out. I was lucky he found it on the first tire removal since I was getting charged by the hour. He also found that my brakes were metal on metal which is crazy since we have very few miles on this RV. This is our 5th RV we have owned over the years and never had brakes give out this quickly. Right now it is at the dealership to have the brakes evaluated and repaired. Initially the dealership said the rig is over a year old and out of warranty for the brakes. I contacted GD and they issued me a "Case Number" and to have the dealership take pics and evaluate the braking system and to contact GD with their findings. I am waiting to hear what is said, also I have a 2020 Dodge Ram 3500 so I dont believe the truck has anything to do with trailer brake coming disconnected but that is just my opinion and since the shop repaired the lose wire I have not had that problem. Good luck with your issues but I would definetly look for loose wires behind the hubs and obviously your brakes.

 

[phalconfixer]

Our situation with our 2020 GMC 1500 sounds similar. We got a trailer brake message while on the road with our previous trailer. The fix was replacing the brake wiring that ran through the axles to the right-hand brakes. I didn't use a meter, however, the message never returned so I assume it was shorted wiring.

Jim

 

[Dutchman2]

Hello all

I am having an unusual problem and hoping someone has run across this before and can help me out. I am on a cross country trip and one day my DIC display on my truck chummed in saying "trailer brake wiring disconnected". I pulled over and checked my 7 pin plug. I pulled it out and reconnected it and made sure it was locked in. I hit my dismiss button and it went back to normal. A few miles down the road and again it chimed in saying "trailer brake disconnected". This time with an annoying ding. The radio display said "trailer brake gain recalled". I hit the okay button and it starts all over again. The annoying chime. After 500 miles it quit.

I stopped at a trailer shop and they said it could be your ground. They checked all wiring in my 7 pin junction box to see if anything was loose. They checked underneath the trailer and checked all visible wiring. They checked to see if the wires that run through the axles if it was cut or scraped. All was well. They did add another trailer ground from the 7 pin adapter.

Back on the road again and everything was okay because after 300 miles everything seemed normal. I was actually proceeding down a 7% steep grade when it started all over again with the messages and the chime and the ding. I know I had trailer brakes because it was keeping me at 35 mph.

So i took the truck without the trailer into the GM dealer. They scanned and found a fault code for the trailer brake control solenoid. They inspected the harness and found no problems with it. checked the trailer brake control solenoid. They installed a trailer simulator tool. (apparently its a special tool that simulates as if a trailer was attached) They test drove the vehicle 30 miles and checked to see if there was any codes. No codes were found. They let it sit a while and connected the 7 pin tool to the outside bumper plug and drove the vehicle another 60 miles with no problems. They scanned the vehicle and no fault codes.

Back on the road and after a few hundred miles we start all over again with the messages and the annoying ding and chime.

Has anyone had this problem before? I really don't know what to do next.

Had the same issue with our previous 2015 GMC2500HD. Turned out as others on this site pointed to being the tabs on the 7-pin being bent and not making good contact. Once they were bent back into position and good contact made - no more issues.

Dutchman2

 

[redfernclan]

Anybody else have that message while just driving with no trailer?

 

[coltss]

Anybody else have that message while just driving with no trailer?

No only when the RV was connected.

 

[Capt Bob]

Anybody else have that message while just driving with no trailer?

Several times over the last 5 years but…
I drive a 2018 1500.
I have never experienced it while towing.

Just one of several electrical gremlins in GM trucks. I have purchased a 2024 Silverado and hope to pick it up before Christmas. I’ll have something to look forward too.

 

[redfernclan]

Mines a 2016 Canyon. Started 2 years ago and does it intermittently while towing and empty. Already checked the connections behind the spare tire and added dielectric grease. Getting ready to put it on the market and would really like to get this fixed first.

 

[Wileykid]

Mines a 2016 Canyon. Started 2 years ago and does it intermittently while towing and empty. Already checked the connections behind the spare tire and added dielectric grease. Getting ready to put it on the market and would really like to get this fixed first.

Have you checked inside the trailer plug on the truck? I had a 2016 Chevy 2500, and found that the inside of the truck plug, there was some corrosion (replaced under warranty). Chevy had problems with the plugs during that year.

 

[redfernclan]

I will give it a check and I can see that causing a problem, but not when nothing is hooked up.

 

[Jwalthall]

Hello all

I am having an unusual problem and hoping someone has run across this before and can help me out. I am on a cross country trip and one day my DIC display on my truck chummed in saying "trailer brake wiring disconnected". I pulled over and checked my 7 pin plug. I pulled it out and reconnected it and made sure it was locked in. I hit my dismiss button and it went back to normal. A few miles down the road and again it chimed in saying "trailer brake disconnected". This time with an annoying ding. The radio display said "trailer brake gain recalled". I hit the okay button and it starts all over again. The annoying chime. After 500 miles it quit.

I stopped at a trailer shop and they said it could be your ground. They checked all wiring in my 7 pin junction box to see if anything was loose. They checked underneath the trailer and checked all visible wiring. They checked to see if the wires that run through the axles if it was cut or scraped. All was well. They did add another trailer ground from the 7 pin adapter.

Back on the road again and everything was okay because after 300 miles everything seemed normal. I was actually proceeding down a 7% steep grade when it started all over again with the messages and the chime and the ding. I know I had trailer brakes because it was keeping me at 35 mph.

So i took the truck without the trailer into the GM dealer. They scanned and found a fault code for the trailer brake control solenoid. They inspected the harness and found no problems with it. checked the trailer brake control solenoid. They installed a trailer simulator tool. (apparently its a special tool that simulates as if a trailer was attached) They test drove the vehicle 30 miles and checked to see if there was any codes. No codes were found. They let it sit a while and connected the 7 pin tool to the outside bumper plug and drove the vehicle another 60 miles with no problems. They scanned the vehicle and no fault codes.

Back on the road and after a few hundred miles we start all over again with the messages and the annoying ding and chime.

Has anyone had this problem before? I really don't know what to do next.

Nothing worse than an intermittent problem! My F250 occasionally tells me "trailer disconnected" and a quick look in the mirrors tells me the opposite. I find that I just go and wiggle the connector and it goes away (for days). It isn't as bad as yours but I think there is possibly a poor connection in the cable plug and twisting it makes it regain continuity. Good luck!

 

[Rossfischer]

Try some Dieletric Grease on the 7 pin plug. Like this: https://a.co/d/fOx5kHK

It worked for me last year. Would get an intermittent message if I maneuvered in a way that might wiggle the connection a bit.

 

[jeririgged223]

Had the same issue with our previous 2015 GMC2500HD. Turned out as others on this site pointed to being the tabs on the 7-pin being bent and not making good contact. Once they were bent back into position and good contact made - no more issues.

Dutchman2

Simplest answer is usually the right one. If GM could't reproduce it with the simulator plugs and its doing it with the trailer attached I'd say you have a 7 pin plug that needs replacement. They carry a good bit of weight with the cord dangling out and bend the pins and break the internal wires. In other words they are cheap pieces of equipment.

 

[marine6805]

I have a 2018 RAM 3500 and went through the same events during the summer of 2023. At the time it started I had roughly 33K miles pulling my 2019 Imagine 2250RK. I inspected (repeatedly) the entire electrical system, to include the 7 Pin connection to no avail. So, after closing my eyes and imagining, I came to the conclusion that I had a problem with my RV Power Converter and had it replaced at the Camping World near North Glen CO (Aug-2023). I have 2K + miles pulling that RV since the repair, and that annoying (quite intermittent) ding does not exist any longer.
It is NOT always as it seems.