Brake control says "SH"

txdon · Feb 10, 2009

That stands for "short" on my Tekonsha Prodigy electronic trailer brake control in a 2008 F150.

I have a new trailer plug and installed all new wiring on the trailer and it still give the "SH" code when I connect to the trailer.

What should I check next????

Thanks,

jd2320 · Feb 10, 2009

My first suggestion would be to check all your grounds very carefully for good metal contact! Do you know anyone else witha trailer you can plug in to eliminate the truck side?

JohnDeere4300 · Feb 10, 2009

txdon said:
That stands for "short" on my Tekonsha Prodigy electronic trailer brake control in a 2008 F150.

I have a new trailer plug and installed all new wiring on the trailer and it still give the "SH" code when I connect to the trailer.

What should I check next????

Thanks,

It could be two wires touching together.

Diamondpilot probably would know on this.

jimainiac · Feb 11, 2009

To try to diagnose the problem, you could take a couple of jumper wires to connect each individual circuit and ground between the truck and the trailer connectors. Seems like you could narrow it down to the offending circuit, then trace it to the problem.

Diamondpilot · Feb 11, 2009

Since its a new truck and controller I would suspect the trailer. Like others mentioned, find another trailer to plug into and see if it does it. My guess is its either in your plug on the trailer, a chaffed wire on the trailer going to ground, or actually inside the brakes itself.

Trace the wires back from each brake to the plug and look for a short. If no problems noted take apart the plug and check the internals. If all else fails you may have a wire pinched inside the brakes themselves. The problem here is you must remove the tires, pull the bearings, and then remove the drums to trouble shoot.

Chris

txdon · Feb 11, 2009

Thanks guys, I'll first hook it up to another trailer to make sure it's not the truck's problem. I hooked all the wires to this Trailer Wiring Junction Box 38656 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com junction box and I ran a separate wire to each brake. I did not replace the ground wire that goes from each brake to the trailer frame. I'll check that connection for corrosion.

Does any part of the electric brake itself ever short out?

edit: Diamondpilot we were posting at the same time, I'll pull the bearings (that I have just packed) and check those wires and terminals last. Thanks.

Diamondpilot · Feb 11, 2009

It could be a magnet but that would be my last guess. Like you said pull the drums and bearings last. Did the brakes work before you did the repack? Maybe you pinched something putting one back together?

Chris

txdon · Feb 11, 2009

Diamondpilot said:
Did the brakes work before you did the repack? Maybe you pinched something putting one back together?

Chris

I do not know if the brakes worked before. Whenever I used this trailer before it was for light loads and I used a 4 way plug and did not use the trailer brakes. This is the trailer I wanted to borrow from my Dad but the tires were bad so I got new ones. When the tire were off the wheels I sanded and repainted the wheels and while I had the tires off I repacked the the bearings. The new tires and painted wheels look so good that I had to sand, prime, and paint the rest of the trailer. Some of the lights were not working and most were cracked so I put on a new light kit and new wires and changed the 5 way plug out with a new 7 way (to the new junction box) which will connect to both our trucks with the new 7 way. When I attached it for the first time to my new brake control (which I have never used) the SH came on so I ran two new wires one to each wheel.

A month has passed since I started and I'm beginning to think that maybe I should have just bought my own trailer.

(But he sure is happy!)

Soundguy · Feb 11, 2009

clip the wires for the magnets near the back.. they may alread be but connector'd together anyway.. clip at the connector see if the short goes away. Check where the wires feed across the axles .. or thru them. i found chaffed wires in my dexter axles and pulled new wires thru and added grommets tot he holes.

soundguy