OT 2001 chevy brake control

nisse · Jan 4, 2023

I have a 2001 half ton Silverado with a Tekonsha Primus IQ brake control that is giving me problems. The moment you touch the pedal the control will go to a certain level and never change even with more pedal applied. I bought a new controller and still have the same problem, also have tried multiple trailers with no change, any ideas?
Thanks
John

Blackhole49 · Jan 4, 2023

Can't tell what model it was, but the controller on my 08 Silverado would only brake at the set level no matter how hard you pushed from day one until I passed it on in 2021. The built in controller on my 2018 goes to the set level when you touch the brakes and increases with pressure.

Hotflashjr · Jan 4, 2023

I had one of these in the past and if it is not mounted horizontally level and with the direction of travel they will not work right. I think that is true for all of the Tekonsha including the Prodigy P3. I have switched to using the P3 since it can be unclipped easily and the unit can be moved between vehicles.

nisse · Jan 4, 2023

Just to add a little more info, the controller had been working with no problems since I installed it when I bought the truck about 8 years ago. I also cleaned the ground connection near the hitch.
Thanks,
John

Steve@Advance · Jan 4, 2023

Are you applying the brake sitting still?

It depends on inertia to adjust the braking power.

All applying the brake does is send the unit power via the stop light switch, it doesn't know how much pedal pressure you are applying beyond that.

DoubleO7 · Jan 4, 2023

Many have a pendulum inside and maybe it is gummed up, sticking or stuck, cobwebs and dust inside, etc.
As mentioned, they must be mounted level in all positions and lengthwise.

Nevermind since you have same problem with new one.

This post was edited by DoubleO7 on 01/04/2023 at 09:40 am.

Blackhole49 · Jan 4, 2023

That probably explains my 08. It was never mounted level. There was no good place to put it level where I could
easily reach the hand control. My son still has the truck, I might try something different. I just set it where it
would grab hard without sliding the tires and caller it good. Never had a problem pulling my tractor hauler or 24'
travel trailer.

nisse · Jan 4, 2023

That certainly makes sense and yes I was sitting still the last time I messed with it. The original issue I had this fall when things acted up were the brakes locking up. Sounds like I need to dig trailer out of the snow and hook it up to do some more troubleshooting.
Thanks,
John

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 4, 2023

(quoted from post at 08:53:46 01/04/23) I have a 2001 half ton Silverado with a Tekonsha Primus IQ brake control that is giving me problems. The moment you touch the pedal the control will go to a certain level and never change even with more pedal applied. I bought a new controller and still have the same problem, also have tried multiple trailers with no change, any ideas?

The truck has nothing to do with the amount of braking applied to the trailer. All it does is provide the signal to the controller through the brake light wire. The amount the brake applied is entirely done by the sensors inside the controller, and as someone else said, if the truck is not moving that style of brake controller will not apply more than the base setting of brake power.

Pendulum and even accelerometer based brake controllers sense the motion of the vehicle to determine how much brake to apply. You would need a brake controller that pulls a pressure off the master cylinder in order to have one that applies brakes based on how hard you're pushing the pedal.

DoubleR · Jan 4, 2023

Your controller is working the same as the one in my 07 Chev 2500. The amount of pressure on your peddle makes no difference to the controller. My controller has a knob on it to adjust the pressure with a little digital light with numbers on it 1 to I believe 6. My flat bed mty I run it at about 2 or it will lock up the trailer tires when brakes are applied. When loaded I move it up to about 3 or 4. 4 is where I usually run it with a loaded trailer. I run it at 5 with my loaded dump trailer. Mine has worked that way since I put it in when I brought the truck new.

Steve@Advance · Jan 4, 2023

And you do have your initial sensitivity adjustments to give it a starting point.

That's where you make a series of 20 mph stops while adjusting so to feel them work and not to lock up. That will vary with each trailer and the load.

Koolaid · Jan 4, 2023

You really want to find a manual for the specific controller and set it up according to that. As others have said - these are getting a digital on/off signal from your brake lights - all of the proportion is being figured out in one manner or another inside the controller box. Sure are nice to install compared to the old ones.

I don't know about all, but some of the Tekonsha's have a very wide range of attitude adjustment for mounting as long as they are in line with the direction of travel.

OT 2001 chevy brake control

nisse

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Blackhole49

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Hotflashjr

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nisse

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Steve@Advance

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DoubleO7

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Blackhole49

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nisse

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BarnyardEngineering

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DoubleR

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Steve@Advance

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Koolaid

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