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Thread: Trailer brake controller question

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    Default Trailer brake controller question

    so , after fitting a Redarc brake controller to my new Prado ( the old Prado was replaced under the lemon laws ) I am wondering if anyone knows if the brake controller will work with the Adaptive Cruise Control feature , fitted to this or a similar car. To my knowledge the adaptive cruise does not activate the brake lights so therefore the Redarc may not sense that the brakes have been applied.
    The Redarc rep said they require a brake signal input first , then the internal 3 axis sensors take over.

    any ideas?



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    The way I see it if the Adaptive cruise system had to slow the vehicle down by applying the brakes the the brake lights would have to also have to get illuminated
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    yeah i agree ,but i know that for sure ,i'll ask the dealer and see if they know.

    ive also thought thats probably not a good idea to use the cruise control system while towing anyway

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    I know the redarc brake controller works with the the ford ranger crash avoidance system.

    The biggest problem faced by installers of the brake controllers is the stop light switch at the brake pedal is no longer a simple on/off switch and is now has a variable output to detect how far the pedal is been depressed and the brake lights are controlled by the body control module and with some of the euro style vehicles have a single filament brake/tail light globe that require a can bus interface to work.
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    Quote Originally Posted by SS Dave View Post
    I know the redarc brake controller works with the the ford ranger crash avoidance system.

    The biggest problem faced by installers of the brake controllers is the stop light switch at the brake pedal is no longer a simple on/off switch and is now has a variable output to detect how far the pedal is been depressed and the brake lights are controlled by the body control module and with some of the euro style vehicles have a single filament brake/tail light globe that require a can bus interface to work.
    Yes modern brake switches also have a cruise control circuit on them integrated into the CANBUS, switch failure often causes a system melt down.

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    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    Yes modern brake switches also have a cruise control circuit on them integrated into the CANBUS, switch failure often causes a system melt down.
    Not to mention the start inhibit for keyless start a toyota has 3 separate circuits and 7 wire's on the brake switch assembly.
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    ok all sorted now gents , thanks for the advice. Turns out that radar cruise does activate the brake lights for slowing down events , and its also best not to use it while towing as it can apply a bit too suddenly in some circumstances.

    thanks for the tip about the brake light switch, i did see multiple wires going to it when hooking up the brake controller so i ended up running an extra wire to the back of the car. There is a small ECU there which acts as a high current / short circuit safety interface between the cars body ECU and the trailer plug. I connected the brake controller to the Red wire which goes to the brake signal pin in the trailer connector.

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    Quote Originally Posted by VroomVroom View Post
    ok all sorted now gents , thanks for the advice. Turns out that radar cruise does activate the brake lights for slowing down events , and its also best not to use it while towing as it can apply a bit too suddenly in some circumstances.

    thanks for the tip about the brake light switch, i did see multiple wires going to it when hooking up the brake controller so i ended up running an extra wire to the back of the car. There is a small ECU there which acts as a high current / short circuit safety interface between the cars body ECU and the trailer plug. I connected the brake controller to the Red wire which goes to the brake signal pin in the trailer connector.
    I would have wired it the the cars brake light wire or the input to the trailer ECU other wise when/if the fuse for that ECU has blown from faulty trailer wiring that would prevent the electric brakes from operating automatically.
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    Quote Originally Posted by SS Dave View Post
    I would have wired it the the cars brake light wire or the input to the trailer ECU other wise when/if the fuse for that ECU has blown from faulty trailer wiring that would prevent the electric brakes from operating automatically.

    yes that makes sense as well , but luckily the toyota trailer ECU also has individual fuses for each circuit , so if one goes out it doesnt affect the others. I wired the Redarc to the output of the brake controller , just in case of failure of the Redarc then nothing will affect the body ECU. I had that happen to the last Prado, the redarc crashed and kept activating the brake lights giving me flat batteries. although a diode in the brake circuit would fix that as well.

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    Quote Originally Posted by VroomVroom View Post
    yes that makes sense as well , but luckily the toyota trailer ECU also has individual fuses for each circuit , so if one goes out it doesnt affect the others. I wired the Redarc to the output of the brake controller , just in case of failure of the Redarc then nothing will affect the body ECU. I had that happen to the last Prado, the redarc crashed and kept activating the brake lights giving me flat batteries. although a diode in the brake circuit would fix that as well.
    The OE trailer ECU's I have fitted to the 2019 landcruiser's only had the one fuse for all the trailer circuits so I doubt that the Prado would be any different unless they have changed in the last 6 months

    There was/is a recall on redarc brake controllers due to a firmware issue so yours may have been one of that batch.
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