Factory brake controller issues.

After installing the factory brake control unit in my 15 tundra I finally was able to hitch up to our 20 foot travel trailer and go for a drive. I experienced huge problems setting up the brakes with the gain adjustments. It was an all or nothing issue. Even with setting things to 0.5 the trailer brakes would engage way to strong.

When I got home I hit the form threads and found confirmation that 15-16 owners were experiencing the same problems.

Read this for more details.

Who here has actually had success with their factory integrated brake control units?

 

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I just read several reviews about the brake controller on another forum site. All bad. I have a 2015 that I wanted to take out my P3 controller and install the factory one, but I think I will keep what I have. Atleast I know it will stop my trailer when I need it to. Nothing worse than having 6000 lbs behind you pushing you when you need to stop.
Drive safe.

 

Toyota knows about this problem and also the issue with the Entune bugs. But everyone needs to call them and file your case. The more people that do this, the faster they will get a fix. Unfortunatly, most guys don't even know this problem exists because they don't tow with their truck.
I would think this is a huge liability issue for Toyota if someone were to hook up to a heavy trailer without knowing it doesn't work and end up with a tragic event. The more guys that complain, the faster we'll get a fix.

 

Yea I agree but probably most guys would think that their new truck works the way it should. I just went to AZ., 850 miles to pick up a TT. Now I knew about the IBC issues so there wasn't any surprises but I could easily see a guy drive somewhere to PU a trailer, hook it up and hit the Hwy thinking his IBC is working correctly. Only quickly finding out it doesn't work at all. And maybe too late. The guy that gets into trouble is the guy that has never used one before and assumes everything is OK. I can't believe Toyota is taking such a huge risk not addressing this issue. I would think they would put out something alerting every new truck owner that the IBC doesn't work. At least that might give them some legal standing when someone gets killed. It's just a matter of time.

 

so is this an every truck has this problem thing? I have a 2016 and tow a 3000 pound TT I have a p3 from my old tacoma i may just put in to be safe before my first trip.

 

I towed my camper at the end of February (first time with new truck) and found the IBC to be completely lame. I took it in for service with my camper and after a test drive while it was hooked up to a computer they said it was working correctly. I didn’t hesitate to replace it with a P3 before I went camping again at the end of April. You know what they say: pulling a trailer is the easy part, stopping it can be a challenge.

 

Yes, none of the controllers work. The dealers do have a way to test them but their test is completely wrong. The controllers simply do not apply brakes. Period.

 

I towed my 16 foot all steel car hauler with 2 pallets of retaining wall blocks (3000+ pounds each), the brakes were not there on the trailer, even tried the manual lever and got a little drag with the boost on 10. Unloaded the trailer and hooked to my 2015 Tacoma with P2, the brakes worked as they should. Talked to a local Toyota dealer ( not where I purchased the Tundra but in horse country) they said they have not had any complaints, but they hadn't sold many new Tundras that were going to be tow vehicles. Going to my dealer for the 6 month service is a couple weeks, the drama begins. Thinking about putting the Tacoma on the trailer to make them eat the "controller is working correctly" answer by hooking up the Tacoma and showing them the trailer brakes work correctly with a real controller.

 

We should all band together and set aside a single day where we all contact Toyota USA or Canada and log out complaints all at once. Flood there system to let them know that there is a real problem.

 

This is good to know before I get a Tundra, as I tow a significant amount of the time.

 

Had the same issue with my 2016, but after reading some of the other forums, I came across a thread where some of the guys and gals were towing with the electric over hydrolic on, so I hooked up my 27 ft northtrail, set the settings on electric over hydrolic and after messing with the gain a bit, found my sweet spot at around 4.0. I was just about to install a P3 I had bought. I'm headed on a weekender, so I'll see if any issues arise. Going to bring my P3 along, just in case.

 

Let us know how your trip goes. I have five different trailers with electric brakes. None of them work properly.

I would highly suggest you read post #125 on this thread. Excellent info.
http://www.tundratalk.net/forums/tu.../562250-2016-brake-controller-problems-9.html

My dealer told me that taking your truck to the dealer will get Toyotas attention faster then just calling. I had my service manager read all the threads posted about the IBC issues on the link above. They called me back a few days later and said the regional guy was looking into it.

 

The manual slider works properly on my trailer so it will probably work if you need to use it until you get the P3 installed.

 

Took my 2016 in this week for its 6 month check up and to have the IBC looked at. Tech spent time with me and my truck, couldn't find anything on Techstream that indicated a problem. He called Toyota in California, he says that they have had reported cases like ours and found that if you follow the manual (page 240-242) step by step, the condition got better. I still have a pallet of blocks on the trailer, so after this weekend when I get them off, I'll try their suggestion. They did want a report back and was keeping the ticket open. If things don't go good, they want the truck and trailer to try to dig deeper in the issue. We will see, I'll keep you all posted.

 

New Member here, with a 2016 Metallic Gray Platinum 4x4 Tundra. I've been posting on another Tundra Forum, but wanted to come over here and offer some advice that I didn't see posted yet. It's been about a month since anyone's posted on this thread, and unfortunately nothing has changed. Lots of people are coming forward expressing their concerns/issues with the dangerous IBC, yet Toyota hasn't offered any support or updates to help address the issues. I personally tow an 8000lb race trailer, and it's downright terrifying how bad the OEM IBC is on my new 2016 Tundra. The directions say to turn up the gain until the wheels lock, but I couldn't even get my tires to lock up with the trailer empty, driving on gravel and the gain maxed to 10. That was with the manual slider, with the actual brake pedal it literally does nothing. I thought maybe it was progressive, but in my first situation that required me to hit the brakes hard I had to manually reach over and hit the manual slider because even with the brake pedal to the floor I was getting zero trailer braking. My truck is currently at the Toyota Dealership right now, just waiting on the call from them to tell me everything is working as designed and to come pick it up

Here is a link to the NHTSA complaint site. Currently, 11 of the 18 complaints are for the IBC, but that still hasn't been enough to get anyone to do anything about it. We need to start flooding this site and Toyota with complaints about this if we expect them to do anything to help us out. Even if you don't Tow anything, having this fixed on your truck will increase the resale value so it's still worth the 3 minutes it takes to file a complaint.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

 

Most definitely get your complaint in on this fellas. I still haven't heard any updates from Toyota on this, and I spoke with our regional rep about it. He hasn't heard anything either.

 

Hey guys! I am definitely new to this forum but seeing how others are quickly upset or even outraged by the lack of braking the trailer provides made me feel I am not alone on this.

Today, AUG 8th 2016, I was towing a trailer that is roughly 7500 lbs and my truck is rated to tow up to 9500 lbs. I had two close calls on the freeways because the brakes did not engage as well as it should and the setting was set pretty high. I definitely had to manually override on both occasions which did do much... Its definitely not safe to tow at all with these IBC and the wheels barely locked up when you held the switch...

I hope there will be a recall on this soon because I am assuming we all do a lot of towing and want something dependable and most importantly to be safe.

Thank you guys for starting this forum and letting me and hopefully new owners know about this on going issue.

 

I have a direct contact with an individual at NHTSA. Does an Administrator what to take over this issue first hand? I don't want to name drop on an open forum and he gets bombarded with trailer brake issues.

@Sean266

@csuviper

@Bob

@chris4x4

 

I have 5 trailers so I tow a lot. After a couple of times towing, it became real obvious to me that the IBC didn't work at all. I fixed the problem with my IBC by installing a T3. Sad that Toyota isn't even acknowledging that there is a problem. I guess very few guys are towing anything with their trucks so it hasn't been a big issue. The first time you guys tow something, you'll wish you had filled a complaint and had this issue fixed.

 

I added the IBC to my 2015. It does not work at speeds above 15mph! I learned this the hard way on my way down the side of the BigHorn mountains. The brakes on the truck were smoking and the brakes on the trailer were ice cold.

My dealer tells me that the 2015 does not have the correct software to send the speed signal to the brake control. However, it sounds to me like none of the trucks work properly. The service manager is going to dig deeper.

For now the P3 is going back in.

Mike

 

Toyota had my 2015 and compared all the digital electrical readings from the brake at the trailer harnes and confirmed the specs on my 2015 and the factory installed brake controller to be the exact same. There is no programming required or missing computing soft wear. The Toyota brake controllers simply do not put out high enough voltage to work as effectily as aftermarket units at this time. Keep harassing Toyota and call in and log a formal complaint. The problem will not be rectified until enough of us cry out or sadly someone gets seriously hurt.

 

I would agree that there is NOTHING different between the 2016 and the 2015. My service manager will be keeping his ear to the ground and will be letting me know when/if a fix is made for the 2016+.
For now Toyota will not support me since this is "not supposed to be compatible."
Someone is going to get hurt!

 

@Roman do want my NHTSA contact?

 

I can appreciate this answer IF it works on the 2016s and there was a legitimate change between the 2015 and the 2016. But from what I am reading there was not. Nobody at the dealer and dealer support network level will admit to a problem with the 2016. That is scary to me.
If my controller comes with a genuine Toyota warranty they will replace it with another part that according to the majority of people who I have talked to and read on here does not work.
Note to Toyota: Don't let this become another accelerator pedal issue. Admit that there is a problem. Admit that you are working on it and by all means let people know that you can't depend on the controller.

 

I have not heard anything about these, and I have let our regional rep know about the issue.

When you buy a part over the counter, it is covered under a one year parts warranty. Accessories are added onto the vehicle's warranty, if there is over 12 months of the warranty left. This part is not technically an accessory, but a replacement part. It's a gray area for sure, and one that someone within Toyota would make a determination on if/when the issue arises. If it were up to me, I'd make sure Toyota fixed the issue and swap out all of the brake controllers for you guys, BUT it isn't.