2019 Ford F250 Integrated Trailer Brake Controller issues

[gulfcoast john]

2019 Ford F250 Integrated Trailer Brake Controller issues

Hi Friends!

I trailered the boat from the dry slip across base to add some air to the trailer tires for an upcoming trip in the cold and noticed that the manual ITBC lever would sometimes stop the rig at a stop light (at 2 MPH or so), and sometimes not work at all.

We hooked up the rig in Park (‘Trailer Connected’). The Titan EOH pump activated immediately if the breakaway plug is pulled, and immediately if Eileen squeezed the Manual lever, but would take between 10-15 seconds (by stopwatch, not an estimate) to start up with her pressing the brake pedal in the cab with truck brake lights 'on'. The pump stays on as long as she presses the brake pedal, then stops. But it always takes an avg of 12 seconds for the pump to start up after pressing the cab brake pedal (but instantly for the manual lever or breakaway switches). This makes me think the issue is not in the pump, but in the ITBC system. Google contributors say the Ford F250 is so smart that it ‘knows’ that if you’re in Park and mashing the brakes that ‘you’re not serious unless you keep it up.’ In Drive at walking speed it still did not activate with brake pressure for over 10-12 seconds based on my walking and listening for the pump to activate. There are a lot of Ford truck complaints on the web about it’s ITBC.

Titan Brakerite instructions say all three methods will activate the pump and hydraulic calipers within under 0.4 seconds. Brake fluid level is in spec. There is no ‘spongy’ braking, it’s either full on or none at all so I don’t think it’s air in the hydraulic lines. The entire 2015 system was replaced in Marathon in Dec 2019.

Tonight I ordered a P3 aftermarket inertia brake controller to simply override the ITBC (though some Fords ‘require the CPU to be flashed for it to be recognized’).

In 3 days we fly to Ft Lauderdale to meet Eileen’s sister for a horse race, and return very late Jan 24. If I can install the P3 on Jan 25, and it works, we can trailer down to Marathon Jan 26 for a rental house shared with my brother then Faro Blanco marina, fly back to PNS Feb 4 to get Covid shot #2 then fly back to Marathon Feb 5, then trailer up to Hontoon March 5 or so. Logistics in our travels is NEVER easy.

The trailer guy in Marathon was sure that the trailer brakes were not working on the way down, although that was not obvious to me (a salute to Ford, I suppose). We have no mountains in FL and no real use for the Manual trailer brake lever except to test it.

We welcome any suggestions or options in further troubleshooting this problem!

Happy Trailering!
John

[thataway]

John, The best trailer shop in Pensacola is Robb's Hitches just off Jackson. But they were super busy last lime I checked with them.

The Ford controller is very sophisticated...and I have not spent time looking up issues. We checked ours right after Hurricane Sally, to be sure the trailer pump was OK--and the pump came on right away for both brake pedal and controller manual "squeeze" manual activation, even with the truck in :"Park".

I would start looking at simple issues, such as corrosion, in the connector, or a loose wire to give intermittent issues...

I installed the P3 on our RV for the 22's E/H brakes. Worked fine. There it meant cutting and splicing into various wires, since no adaptor plug available.

It is possible that the Ford dealer has a quick diagnostic and solution?

Looking quickly on line, it appeared that it was older trucks that seemed to have the issues.???

[Avidmagnum12]

My 2020 F-250 will not engage the brakes in park with the Ford Controller. It does seem to work fine on the road. Could be programming? I’d also recommend checking with Ford as your truck should still be under warranty.