Backing a trailer with tailgate down.

All right. Everytime I think I figure out how to keep the truck from randomly emergency braking while backing a trailer up in tow haul mode with the tail gate down it will randomly decide it’s going to hit something and slam on the brakes. Has anyone figured out how to prevent this?

 

not a good idea backing a trailer up with tailgate down. Byebye tailgate sooner or later.

 

Yeah, my experience has been that the tailgate will hit the jack.

 

Never going to happen unless I were to jack knife and not notice. But that won’t happen. Because my tailgate is down and I can see everything..

 

There may be a fuse you can pull? This is one of those 2022 fancy gadget things; my 2017 doesn’t have anything like that that locks up when I back up with the tailgate down.

 

Next thread "Where do I get a replacement tailgate because I jammed mine into my trailer tongue jack?"

Not sure, but maybe you can go through the settings and turn off rear parking assist.

 

Non issue. But yes that’s what I’m wondering. I have turned off a lot of setting but still it does it.

 

There is a button by your left knee that turns off break assist. I have to turn mine off when I park in the garage because the truck thinks I'm going to hit the wall. Maybe this will work for you?

 

How does the car know how long the trailer is to apply brakes?
Or does it use the rear bumper sensors to prevent you (the rear bumper) from hitting something. Like my '16 beeps if I get close to an object but doesn't apply brake!

So if the truck is going by the rear bumper proximity sensors and not the real end of your trailer, then maybe the tailgate down interferes with the sensor. Just a guess.
Also why tow-haul mode when backing up? I would turn that off to eliminate super sensitivity of the gas pedal.

 

that sounds like the button I’m looking for. I’ll have to check that out tomorrow thanks !

 

Idk just adding information. It’s slamming into the brakes because it senses the trailer as a object I’m going to hit. But when it does it, it seems very random. You would think in tow haul it would turn off something like that.

 

very good point about the possibility of tow-haul mode turning off that feature when backing up!

sounds like it doesn't know or care that you have a trailer and it's not smart enough ...
if that's the case, I'm guessing moving left for right when backing up can prematurely trigger the proximity sensors since you get closer to an object (right or left end of your trailer).

I've seen Ford commercial with backup cameras showing everything when towing and thought Toyota is doing the same thing now.
Toyota BSM for example can't handle towing. That's why Toyota tow mirrors don't or didn't come with BSM. Toyota doesn't spend much time on some advanced electronic features like American trucks do.

 

Genuinely curious, why back up with the tailgate down?

 

Not an issue for me since I have a larger boat, but I know for people with small jon boats or jet skis it is preferred because without doing so it can be very difficult to see what the trailer is doing.

 

Fwiw guys, some trailers have really long tongue lengths and also folding jacks so hitting the tailgate is not always a concern. If the trailer is small, there may not even be a jack at all, and a 4' wide trailer is difficult to see in the mirrors. Carry on!

 

So what exactly is the process for hooking up and pulling (including backing) a trailer? I have not gotten that far yet.

 

On my 2018 when I am backing up with the tailgate down I get random proximity warnings when nothing is there (like it temporarily senses the tailgate) maybe yours is doing the same and applying the brake. Is the camera useless when backing the trailer? Kinda seems like that was its purpose

 

When the tail gate is up I can’t see the wheels or most of the boat which makes a tight back up job more difficult. Specially when my boat is off the trailer and I can’t see it at all with the tail gate up. If I just open the tail gate I can back up around anything very quickly without issue because I can see everything.

 

You can use the camera but it’s very counter intuitive to me and much much slower then just turning my head and looking out the back window. I launch a boat about 40 times a year and am very good at it. When I’m at the launch I want to do my business as fast as I can and get out of the way. I don’t want to be one of those guys that’s spends 5 minutes trying to use his mirrors to back down a boat holding up the launch line.

then when I get home I have to back my trailer around a 90 degree corner up a driveway that it barely fits up. Again, being able to see my wheels while looking through the back window is huge. Not a problem with the tailgate down but the emergency brakes coming on a time or two every time is a huge pain.

For you guys that have never backed a boat trailer with the tailgate down allowing you to see everything you should try it.

 

unless i missed it mentioned...doesn't yours have cross traffic alert. it may be breakin because of that setting? i'm not 100% sure if it would apply breaks in that situation, but just a thought to see if it would help ya.

 

I’m pretty sure this is the button I need to push to turn off this system. Thanks I’ll give it a try next tow.

 

yep, that's it!

 

Have you tried backing up with the tailgate down and no trailer attached? Or tailgate up trailer attached? I'm curious as to the variable that is causing it to stop, is it the trailer, or the tailgate, or combination.

 

That's why I installed a rear camera up at my third brake light. When I back up I see everything in that camera.

 

See pages 19 and 299 for how this switch PKSB (Parking Support Brake) works in the owners manual.

 

Good question. Now that you mention it that sounds like a thing that has happened.

 

Take a look at pg 302 in the owner's manual (302 in the Canadian version so may be on a slightly different place in the US version) regarding the PKSB (parking support brake). One thing I read is that if you are using a 7-pin on your trailer, the PKSB will automatically be switched off along with the rear sensors. If you are using a 4-pin, you have to do it manually using the button found near the driver door.

 

I use a 7 pin truck connector that connects to a 4-pin trailer connector and the RCTA shuts off, but the PKSB did not.

 

Hmm. Maybe it needs to sense load on the reverse pin on the 7 pin which you wouldn’t have on a 4 pin /7 pin adapter. Either way that’s a pain because I have 4 pin connectors on my trailers and was hoping an adapter would do the trick.

 

I am using a 4 pin trailer with 7 pin converter also. It’s just easier to connect.

I think it does need to sense the 7 wires. Not just the plug.