1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Trailer brake error message on Tundra- Tekonsha P3

Discussion in 'Towing & Hauling' started by Tundracow, Apr 27, 2021.

  1. Apr 27, 2021 at 6:59 AM
    #1
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
    I have a 2018 Tundra and just had a shop hard wire in a Tekonsha P3 and there was no error message when I left but I was playing with the manual brake lever on the P3 and now have a message that says “trailer brake error”. Do you know how to get rid of this message? Did I get the message just because I was playing with the manual lever? Do other people have the Tekonsha P3 on a 2018 or later Tundra? Any problems or does it work good and without error messages? I attached a photo. Thanks!

    4861E5CF-3070-4262-B916-15CEC3E4FC4A.jpg
     
  2. Apr 27, 2021 at 7:17 AM
    #2
    shawn474

    shawn474 Lego connoisseur

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2019
    Member:
    #33569
    Messages:
    2,108
    Gender:
    Male
    MoCo, Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2019 Cement Tundra crew max TRD Off Road
    Was there a trailer attached to the truck when you were adjusting the lever? If not, that may be the reason. Disconnect negative battery terminal for a few minutes and see if it resets
     
    NewImprovedRon likes this.
  3. Apr 27, 2021 at 7:53 AM
    #3
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
    No there was not a trailer attached when I was messing with it. I’ll try disconnecting battery to see if that works. Thanks!
     
  4. Apr 27, 2021 at 11:35 AM
    #4
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
    This did not work. Does anyone here have a Tekonsha P3 on a 2018+Tundra?
     
  5. Apr 27, 2021 at 11:55 AM
    #5
    JohnLakeman

    JohnLakeman Burning Internet Daylight

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2019
    Member:
    #26430
    Messages:
    3,008
    Gender:
    Male
    Outside of Weird, TX
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM DC TSS 4.6L
    TRD Pro grille, 2018 LED Headlights, Undercover Flex bed cover, Neoprene seat covers, Bed/tailgate mats, Power tailgate lock, auto headlights, illuminated key switch
    So what became of the original IBC controller? Is it stuffed back in the dash behind the P3?
     
  6. Apr 27, 2021 at 11:59 AM
    #6
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
    IBC was taken out and P3 was hard wired in its place.
     
  7. Apr 27, 2021 at 12:22 PM
    #7
    JohnLakeman

    JohnLakeman Burning Internet Daylight

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2019
    Member:
    #26430
    Messages:
    3,008
    Gender:
    Male
    Outside of Weird, TX
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM DC TSS 4.6L
    TRD Pro grille, 2018 LED Headlights, Undercover Flex bed cover, Neoprene seat covers, Bed/tailgate mats, Power tailgate lock, auto headlights, illuminated key switch
    The 2018+ IBC controller harness has a connector on the passenger side upper dash that has all the wires that go to the trailer receptacles, and to the ECU for annoying messages.

    I don't know where your installers made their connections, but I don't think you can simply unplug the wires at the IBC and the truck "forgets" that it had an IBC. Every time you turn the switch to ON, that harness connection on the passenger side reminds the ECU that the truck had an IBC, and you'll get irrelevant messages.

    You might try disconnecting the ground cable terminal at the battery, then unplugging that connector (it is empty when the truck has no IBC). Then reconnect the battery ground cable. That should stop the fake messages, but you may have to relocate the +12V (black) and brake output (blue) wires to the trailer side of that connector to get P3 output to the bumper receptacles.
     
  8. Apr 27, 2021 at 12:33 PM
    #8
    JohnLakeman

    JohnLakeman Burning Internet Daylight

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2019
    Member:
    #26430
    Messages:
    3,008
    Gender:
    Male
    Outside of Weird, TX
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM DC TSS 4.6L
    TRD Pro grille, 2018 LED Headlights, Undercover Flex bed cover, Neoprene seat covers, Bed/tailgate mats, Power tailgate lock, auto headlights, illuminated key switch
    This thread (link below) will provide more background, and show you where to find the harness connector. It's for a 2018 4.6L installation, so the IBC harness connector is empty (no tow package on 4.6L):

    https://www.tundras.com/threads/2018-tundra-with-4-6-engine-trailer-brake-install.25884/

    If you need additional information, type "Tekonsha P3" in the search window. That will provide you plenty of reading, with some threads exactly identical to your problem.
     
  9. Apr 27, 2021 at 12:34 PM
    #9
    frichco228

    frichco228 Valued Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2020
    Member:
    #40952
    Messages:
    4,467
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Frank
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2016 Crewmax 4WD, TRD Offroad
    Eibach Pro Truck Stage 2 suspension, HD RAS, 285/75-18 Nokian Outpost AT, LoPro bed cover, TRD rear sway bar, DD 10 inch exhaust, and various other goodies
  10. Apr 27, 2021 at 1:20 PM
    #10
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
    Ok thanks for the help! He hard wired it in but not sure where or how he did it.
     
  11. Apr 27, 2021 at 1:22 PM
    #11
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
  12. Apr 28, 2021 at 9:15 AM
    #12
    sckottty

    sckottty New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2021
    Member:
    #62302
    Messages:
    3
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ts
    Vehicle:
    2018 5.7 TSS
    Stock
    The aftermarket controller is back feeding signal into factory brake wire, make sure brake wire from aftermarket controller only goes to trailer plug and is disconnected from Trailer Brake ECU located under passenger dash behind the glove box.

    when you hit your breaks, the aftermarket will send a signal down the brake wire to see if the trailer is attached which will fault OEM IBC if connected to Brake ECU.
     
  13. May 24, 2021 at 10:42 AM
    #13
    TigerTanker

    TigerTanker Tyranny doesn't leap, it creeps

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2016
    Member:
    #4929
    Messages:
    346
    Gender:
    Male
    Tacoma WA
    Vehicle:
    2016 White Platinum Edition Tundra
    none so far
    Did you get this resolved? I'm having the same problem, going to dealer for the third time. This started on about 4/15/2021, I see that others have had similar issues.
     
  14. May 24, 2021 at 11:01 AM
    #14
    Tundracow

    Tundracow [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2021
    Member:
    #62370
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5 Tundra
    Tow mirrors, Tekonsha P3
    I took to my friend who is a mechanic and all he has to do was plug in the factory brake controller and the error went away and Tekonsha P3 was working when I tested it last weekend.
     
    WVI and TigerTanker[QUOTED] like this.
  15. Sep 20, 2022 at 9:58 PM
    #15
    619Tundra

    619Tundra New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2017
    Member:
    #9393
    Messages:
    974
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    George
    San Diego, Caifornia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Black Tundra Double Cab SR5
    Interesting
     
    WVI likes this.
  16. Sep 21, 2022 at 8:43 AM
    #16
    619Tundra

    619Tundra New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2017
    Member:
    #9393
    Messages:
    974
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    George
    San Diego, Caifornia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Black Tundra Double Cab SR5

Products Discussed in

To Top