Factory Trailer Brake Controller releases ...EDIT: STILL WAITING

[DesertDog]

I hate to even ask but has anyone received an update on the Mopar controller? I was hoping once the 2021 order ability was turned on that we may see something but as usual that dream was smashed

I just got off the phone with them. They’re now saying December 1. They have had the part number for a while but as you know, the delays keep mounting. Frankly, I would be very skeptical of December 1. that will be two years and three days since the trailer brake controller was shown and photographed at the LA auto show. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. Two years! Seriously?

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[Russler]

I just got off the phone with them. They’re now saying December 1. They have had the part number for a while but as you know, the delays keep mounting. Frankly, I would be very skeptical of December 1. that will be two years and three days since the trailer brake controller was shown and photographed at the LA auto show. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. Two years! Seriously?

Interesting. Not sure if I should laugh or be completely po’ed but either way they don’t seem to care.

 

[maxds]

New member here. Thanks everyone for the tons of helpful info on towing capacity and brake controllers. I just installed my Curt controller. I actually broke one of the crimps putting it together and Curt was awesome. They sent me a new dial no charge. Went with the “stick it on the dash somewhere” option.

 

[DesertDog]

My letter to Jeep today:


2020 Jeep® Gladiator - Towing and Storage Utilities.png

I’m a loyal Jeep customer. 2019 Rubicon JLU for wife’s Mother’s Day last year followed by 2020 Wrangler Sport for my son’s Christmas. I was at the Gladiator unveiling at the 2018 LA Auto Show. The biggest news to me was Best-in-class towing capability of the Gladiator. We are now about to pass the two-year mark since the promised trailer brake controller was shown. My current truck is getting really old and I keep waiting to buy a Gladiator as soon as I can actually pull a small trailer. At this time I would like to respectfully request that the depicted trailer brake controller be removed from the Gladiator website. The depiction is simply untrue and two years is long enough.

Thank you

Sincerely

Lance Weekley

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I just got off the phone with them. They’re now saying December 1. They have had the part number for a while but as you know, the delays keep mounting. Frankly, I would be very skeptical of December 1. that will be two years and three days since the trailer brake controller was shown and photographed at the LA auto show. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. Two years! Seriously?

the virus has thrown a lot of these things into a tizzy. I was shown a dealer order sheet for a number of brand new vehicles ordered the first week of July - estimated build time is sometime the END of September. Dealer lots are EMPTY around here. Even Karl Chevrolet - who normally had many hundreds of trucks and SUVS on acres of ground, a big big dealership - you see CONCRETE LOT - not vehicles. The can't build trucks because they can't get parts (and have limited staff to even work at the assembly plant - it's not 100% automation and someone has to maintain equipment)

I'm very unhappy myself - I was promised a brake controller when I bought the truck - that was a bit that helped make up my mind - VERY minor, yes indeed, but still, that was a tiny bit of the process- yes, you'll have integrated brake controller! Looked nice, integrated right into the design and wiring. Drive it home, hook up your trailer, done.
So Jeep is still at fault for not having it taken care of months ago before the virus threw the world off track. Had they fulfilled the promise of the controller even last January as I was told - then this would have had no impact. Now it's an even BIGGER impact because they'd sold thousands of vehicles - and that means even MORE people are waiting for this bloody controller.
How hard can it be?
Why could they not have one? There are at least 3 decent companies out there that make brake controllers, why couldn't FCA go to any of them and say please make us 100,000 brake controllers to fit this area with this connection. The technology was already there! It was only a matter of appearance and fit.
But the way things are now - don't count on one this year at all - I think even December will come and go with no controller - lucky to see one by spring 2021, IMO. Factories are operating at fractional staff.
You should see the empty store shelves all over - Lowes, Menards, grocery stores - "can't get product" is what I hear when asked. It's not the stores - it's the lack of supply.

 

[DesertDog]

I deeply sympathize with the impact COVID-19 has had on FCA. Still, They had one year and five months since first showing the controller before Europe had any viral impact.

I love Jeep’s products and they fit very well into my family‘s needs.

Had I known, however, that they would be unable to produce this, I could’ve gone another direction and saved a couple years of frustration.

just some honesty please. Enough “corporate speak”.

 

[TrailHiker]

Meanwhile, the Kurt Echo works great with the Gladiator, I go one to use whilst I am waiting for the Jeep controller. If the Jeep brake controller does not make it to market by the end of this year, I will get the Redarc controller, which mounts in the same spot as the OEM one is supposed to. It also has an off road setting, so perfect.
cheers

 

[DesertDog]

Didn’t someone say that they had an issue with an after market controller that didn’t surface until attempting to drive with the hazard lights on? I can’t seem to find the thread.

 

[TrailHiker]

Yes, the Echo will flash the trailer brakes when hazard lights are on. That said, you are norma stopped when using hazard lights. In many states it is illegal to drive with them on. But I am using the Echo as a stand in solution whilst waiting for the OEM or just getting the Redarc controller. For occasional rowing the Echo is fine.
cheers

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I deeply sympathize with the impact COVID-19 has had on FCA. Still, They had one year and five months since first showing the controller before Europe had any viral impact.
Enough “corporate speak”.

Exactly where I was headed with it - they had plenty of time BEFORE any impact from outside stuff.

 

[Riccochet]

Hopefully it's released with no issues. For like 3 years they had issues with the ITBC in the Ram's where it's wouldn't apply enough voltage to the brakes. The one in my '17 Ram is pretty much useless for towing my camper. Even with it cranked all the way up it fails to apply enough brakes. Ram service has been useless. FCA states it's operating normally. I wound up installing a Tekonsha P3. Can lock up my trailer brakes with the P3, if I wanted to.

 

[Tripy]

I was told it would be December before the factory brake controller was available. Also was told the factory controller would be installed where the 12V power outlet is located and I didn't want to give that up. I put a RedARC Elite brake controller in and all that shows is a 3/4 inch control knob. There is a good YouTube video on the installation process. So far it is working great.

 

[12BNNT]

I was told it would be December before the factory brake controller was available. Also was told the factory controller would be installed where the 12V power outlet is located and I didn't want to give that up. I put a RedARC Elite brake controller in and all that shows is a 3/4 inch control knob. There is a good YouTube video on the installation process. So far it is working great.

Same (sort of). Gave up waiting, camping season arrived. Realized that I use the 12v socket for my electric cooler when traveling anyway so I went with the curt spectrum and mounted the knob under the transfer case shifter. Works perfect.

Only thing I’ve noticed is it resets the self leveling deal when you start the vehicle so if I start the truck facing uphill while towing it resets the sensors so it applies a ton of braking on flat ground thinking you’re going down hill (or opposite if starting the truck facing down hill). IF I have to shut the truck off facing up or down hill when towing I just remember to pull off to the side of the lot where it’s flatter and restart the truck so it levels the sensors properly.

 

[BrightWhiteGladiator]

I’m late to the party on this one... does the unicorn OEM version just plug and play or does it require electrical surgery?

 

[Mr._Bill]

I’m late to the party on this one... does the unicorn OEM version just plug and play or does it require electrical surgery?

I don't think that can be answered accurately, until the unit or the installation instructions are made available. It should be plug and play, but it may also require a flash to integrate it into the system, or to activate dash display features.

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