Mopar factory trailer brake controller - my impressions and review

[ShadowsPapa]

Jeff was going to test - the Tekonsha cable he had ordered was the one for Mopar with the diode in the brake lamp line. I'll assume it works - however, am going to wait to see if any wires need swapped as with the Redarc controller and their Ram cable, which I used with the Redarc controller I have, there IS a diode - but you have to swap two of the wires. It's weird because they use the same connector shell but Ram trucks have two wires switched around in that shell so you have to swap wires in the Redarc harness.
With the diode it works fine.

Something I'd also like to know if any forum members here want to TRY it -
If you have the Mopar controller installed and you do NOT have this issue, can you connect to the trailer, push the manual button in the controller (the one that messed things up for some of us) and have someone look to see if the trailer BRAKE lights come on with ONLY that button pushed???

I'd like to see if your trucks are doing what Jeep needs for California law - will pushing that button to apply trailer brakes ALSO turn the trailer brakes on?? (without your truck brake pedal pressed)

If not, then this isn't compliant with CA state law.

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[Solidaxle]

I have the Mopar trailer brake controller if I test it and it sets off the trouble codes are they stored in the computer do I need to scan tool to clear them?

 

[Whiteknight]

Thanks for the write up.

I wanted to order the Mopar brake controller, after several delays and months; however, I was told that an additional part was needed on My Launch Edition. The part had no number so I could not order it. Funny thing a customer of mine who has the Sport S with max trailer also order one and when the vin was checked it did not have the ability to completely hook it up correctly. Please let me know if anyone would be willing to check if their Gladiator and if it needed another electric part to ensure the brake controller would be hooked up and work properly. I want someone to tell me what I found was true, and if they checked by vin number if the brake controller would work without any additional parts. Thanks

 

[HemiMagnum1]

I will test my Max tow install with a trailer in the next day or 2. I also have the Tekonsha harness to test if the Mopar included harness does not work...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I wanted to order the Mopar brake controller, after several delays and months; however, I was told that an additional part was needed on My Launch Edition. The part had no number so I could not order it. Funny thing a customer of mine who has the Sport S with max trailer also order one and when the vin was checked it did not have the ability to completely hook it up correctly. Please let me know if anyone would be willing to check if their Gladiator and if it needed another electric part to ensure the brake controller would be hooked up and work properly. I want someone to tell me what I found was true, and if they checked by vin number if the brake controller would work without any additional parts. Thanks

VIN check? Don't tell me that they were looking for that ADH sales code.
It doesn't exist for the Gladiator! They'd never find it on any Gladiator.
A Sport S MAX TOW JT ABSOLUTELY has everything needed.
Work properly - no one can tell you that because it works on some, not on others and we find no pattern SO FAR.
If you have a tow package, you have the connector at the left kick panel.

That mystery harness - that's for Wrangler.

Dealers should not be looking up VINs for ADH sales codes on the JT.

Bottom line -
DEALERS don't have any clue - at least the shops. Most have never seen or installed these.
There is no ADH sales code for Gladiator - so any shop tech that looks up your VIN and tries to find that ADH sales code will ALWAYS come up blank.
The instruction books is WRONG.
It will connect but no one can tell you it WILL work correctly. The connector is there, but that doesn't mean successful operation.
Some find it does fine, others no, and I baffled my dealer's shop, and another forum member had his installed by a dealer, it caused the codes and lights on the cluster, so he had them take it back out.
It's about 33% or so non-working to 66% working unless people aren't actually trying things out and just assuming since it's installed that it's ok.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have the Mopar trailer brake controller if I test it and it sets off the trouble codes are they stored in the computer do I need to scan tool to clear them?

Dealer cleared mine - I have not tried jscan to see if there are still codes there from my test yesterday.

 

[JeepCares]

Hello everyone, thank you for sharing the concerns that you've faced with Part #82215652AB. We have escalated your feedback to the appropriate teams. We apologize for the inconveniences that this may have caused you, thank you for your patience as we look into this further.

Kathryn
JeepCares

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hello everyone, thank you for sharing the concerns that you've faced with Part #82215652AB. We have escalated your feedback to the appropriate teams. We apologize for the inconveniences that this may have caused you, thank you for your patience as we look into this further.

Kathryn
JeepCares

THANK YOU. Please feel free to use the info in my star case started by Dewey Dodge/Jeep/Ram in Ankeny Iowa and any info needed - ANY info. |
Below are the codes - at least these - that it kicks, when you try to use the button for manual trailer brake application.
I can even put a scan of my dealer ticket in here if it will help.
ANYTHING that will help, just ask.

 

[jwilson2899]

Good news! I confirmed the Tekonsha 3073-P will fix the issues. Verified all the pin outs are the same and the resistor is there. Did the same test as before when I had the issues and no dash lights or warning this time. This is the fix for now if you have issues.

 

[FR33DOM]

Good news! I confirmed the Tekonsha 3073-P will fix the issues. Verified all the pin outs are the same and the resistor is there. Did the same test as before when I had the issues and no dash lights or warning this time. This is the fix for now if you have issues.

This is good news! Where does it go? Between the controller and OEM harness?

 

[jwilson2899]

This is good news! Where does it go? Between the controller and OEM harness?

Correct, it connects between controller and truck instead of the one in the box

 

[ShadowsPapa]

This is good news! Where does it go? Between the controller and OEM harness?

It replaces the other harness you already paid for when you bought the Jeep trailer brake controller LOL
You unplug that 3 foot harness that connects the controller box to your Jeeps gray plug at the kick panel. You remove the one that came with the controller and buy one from Tekonsha and use that one to hide the problem.
In other words, you buy another harness to fix Jeep's defective setup.

This is no surprise as with the Redarc controller you used the Ram harness to prevent similar issues.

So unless they take until April to fix this - I'm still pushing Jeep to fix this under warranty and for FREE since I literally bought a defective product that wasn't fully tested or supplied with correct parts.
I can't see spending 30 bucks more when I already paid over 250 for a product that didn't work out of the box.

 

[FR33DOM]

It replaces the other harness you already paid for when you bought the Jeep trailer brake controller LOL
You unplug that 3 foot harness that connects the controller box to your Jeeps gray plug at the kick panel. You remove the one that came with the controller and buy one from Tekonsha and use that one to hide the problem.
In other words, you buy another harness to fix Jeep's defective setup.

This is no surprise as with the Redarc controller you used the Ram harness to prevent similar issues.

So unless they take until April to fix this - I'm still pushing Jeep to fix this under warranty and for FREE since I literally bought a defective product that wasn't fully tested or supplied with correct parts.
I can't see spending 30 bucks more when I already paid over 250 for a product that didn't work out of the box.

I need this by about Feb 1st. Do you think they can cut in new production harnesses and deliver to meet demand that quickly?

 

[danielspivey]

It replaces the other harness you already paid for when you bought the Jeep trailer brake controller LOL
You unplug that 3 foot harness that connects the controller box to your Jeeps gray plug at the kick panel. You remove the one that came with the controller and buy one from Tekonsha and use that one to hide the problem.
In other words, you buy another harness to fix Jeep's defective setup.

This is no surprise as with the Redarc controller you used the Ram harness to prevent similar issues.

So unless they take until April to fix this - I'm still pushing Jeep to fix this under warranty and for FREE since I literally bought a defective product that wasn't fully tested or supplied with correct parts.
I can't see spending 30 bucks more when I already paid over 250 for a product that didn't work out of the box.

But wasn’t your truck close to 50k? It’s a $30 harness... just get that thing working and move on!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I need this by about Feb 1st. Do you think they can cut in new production harnesses and deliver to meet demand that quickly?

I'd laugh but this whole thing isn't too funny.
First - Jeep appears to have NO CLUE AT ALL that there is even any problem.
They don't realize that the instructions are full of crap, that the controller kicks errors in about 30% of installs. Until they figure out there's a problem, there's no reason for them to work on any parts.
We need everyone - every single JT owner who has a problem to contact Jeep customer care and complain.
Since I'm the only person to have even taken it to a dealer and tried - my bet is that they still have no clue.
They likely think oh, one guy in Iowa has a problem with this, he messed up, not our problem.
Why would they start working on a part when they aren't aware there's a problem -
As of my visit to the dealer here, as of that time, Jeep was unaware and their response - there's a harness coming in February - the problem is - that harness isn't a fix!

Since it comes from Mopar, the Gladiator trailer brake comes with a two-year/unlimited mile warranty from the date of purchase or up to the remainder of the new vehicle’s warranty of three years and 36,000 miles.

And that's what I'm going to be pushing.
But am I the only one trying to complain to Jeep?

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