How To Fix Chevy Service Trailer Brake System Warning. Common Problems & Failure Points Explained.

[@Jjuaxnnn]

No comments but this has to be one of the best videos I’ve seen on this

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for the great comment. A lot of problems can be diagnosed by a quick visual inspection.

[@craigandg]

Wholeheartedly agree with you!

[@NM4BxYUKE]

i agree!!

[@Markharv]

Excellent! Very helpful video without all the unnecessary chatter! Thank you!

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for the great feedback. I try to get as much info in my videos as possible without wasting people's time.

[@Charlie-ez5bq]

Thank you for this video. You saved me hours of ripping wiring out of my truck to find out it was just a 20 amp fuse under the hood.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Great to hear yours was an easy fix. Wonder if it was a trailer issue that blew the fuse? Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@BillFar]

Thank you for being so through with the problem spots from the plug forward, now were off to look for the issue.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Hope it's an easy fix for you. Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@garybaxter3212]

One of the best and informative videos that I have seen straight to the point and easily understood. Thank you very much.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for watching and the great feedback. I really appreciate it.

[@joeylai1653]

Thank you so kuch you have no idea how much of my sanity you've preserved for me

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Very happy to hear my video helped you. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@colin8532]

Excellent video! You've given me some great directions on where to look to find my problem, thank you

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Were you able to find your problem? Hopefully, it was an easy fix. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@MohawkNinja636]

Great video! This will definitely help me fix my 2016 Duramax 2500HD! The dealership wanted $700 just to diagnose the issue then $2,000 to fix it

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for the great feedback. Hope it works out well for you.

[@brianhoffman5611]

Had issues right where he said they would. Fixed the wire and cleaned both plugs an it worked! Thanks for the video it was vey informative.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching and the great feedback.

[@Mykeloven]

Amazing video straight forward. Thank you

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for the great comment. I really appreciate it. I try to get as much info into my videos as possible and keep them to a reasonable length. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@norain31]

best video i seen on the trialer system good job shaners !!!

[@someonethatwatchesyoutube2953]

Great and thorough tutorial! Thanks so much!

[@jonpos4671]

Entertaining! Not so much. But well done! And informative and thorough. Clear and precise, with no self adulation. Thank you sir.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Your welcome. Thanks for the great feedback and for watching.

[@chrissackett590]

Thanks for the video! My 2014 just started this. Ended up being a 2" hose clamp stuck between the tailgate and connector. Thanks

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Glad to hear my video helped and that it was an easy fix. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@IS-217]

Great video, straight to the point (or points lol). I have this message popping up mostly during start up, very rarely while driving. I had this message come up maybe a year ago. It started randomly, not too often, then turned into constantly while driving. I heard about the dash controller being an issue and it was very affordable on amazon and really easy to replace not even 10 mins to do. I also heard as a way to check if the dash controller is bad is, if you unplug it from the dash and turn on the truck and only get the message once at start up then not again while driving (only at start up) then that is a good sign the dash controller is the issue. So this is what I did. I unplugged the dash controller and I only saw the message at start up (if not unplugged I was getting the message every 10 seconds while driving). So I changed the controller and the message went away. Almost a year later now and I am getting the message again but only at start up (not continuously while driving). So I am going to investigate further with all of your suggestions hoping it will just be a blown fuse or loose wire easy to fix myself. Wish me luck. I will post back here if and when I solve the issue. Thanks for sharing!

[@RS-dc7wy]

Please update what worked, or didn't.. Struggling with this myself after changing the dashboard controller

[@bigga100]

Did you find out what the problem was? Any feedback is appreciated.

[@kathleendillon4712]

Looks super easy. This is a fix I'll try myself rather than pay the local Chevy dealer $400+

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Hope it works out for you. Let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jamesbrockman7930]

I agree with last comment. Short video to the point. I will let you know what I find.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I try to get as much info in my videos as possible and keep them short. I want to help people, not waste their time. Thanks for the positive feedback and for watching.

[@MrCodybrinkley]

So much help! Thanks

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

You're more than welcome. Glad it helped! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@NM4BxYUKE]

thank you so much!!! i hope you have more vids on this truck

[@willandrogrant]

Fantastic video. Thanks

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and the great feedback. It's greatly appreciated.

[@MikeNass-r9i]

Clear and precise.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for watching and for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

[@stevehipwell3805]

Great video. Thank you for the information

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Your very welcome. Have you had this issue with your truck? If so what was the fix?

[@CharlieHorse970]

This has happened to me twice in 2 years. Severe pain in the but, and both times when I was NOT hauling a trailer. Both times the issue was damaged wires under the truck and naturally in the area between the fuse box and the trailer brake control module under the spare tire. There’s got to be a better way for GMC to either route the wiring so that they are more protected or put a better sheath over them. These wires are very thin and are easily damaged. I do zero off roading and 90% of my driving is highway mileage Thing is, when this happens you can’t screw around, you can’t haul with no trailer brakes.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

A very common failure point and a frustrating problem for sure.

[@erikthered3601]

Didn't think it was, amazing, but, I was good, and quite informative!!!

[@molonlabe7750]

Be a hell of a lot better design for the green led's to be on the top of that 7 pin tester.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Good point. Thanks for watching.

[@travisbowers5991]

Sadly it’s the design of the connector. I have a snap-on tester with read lights and it’s upside down as well. Definitely connector design.

[@zachg6162]

Lmao that’s the only dumb thing in video. I bet GE (General Electric) made it or atleast advised to put wires on bottom. 😂that’s so funny

[@howismoneycreated]

Question - So I had some work done on my 2017. I got the tailor break msg multiple times while driving. I cleared it about 6 times and kept going. Breaks worked fine until I was backing up at a slow speed. I had to press the break peddle extremely hard to come to a full stop. When I returned back to the truck to drive, the breaks worked fine with no issues. Next day the same thing happen when pulling into the garage. I have no idea what is going on. This only happens at a slow speed.

[@stevenstair1068]

Periodically I spray the outlet with WD 40,, I only get that alert when driving without being hooked to trailer..

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Thanks for your feedback and tip. Tips involving something almost everyone has(WD40) are always helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@CaptCadillac]

Loved the video. However what computer are you diagnosing with? I’m not a mechanic so I did not drop heavy coin on a code reading diagnostic computer. My GMC was throwing this code, the reader and my phone Bluetoothed with the app never showed it. I’m gonna do all of these tomorrow though! Great information, easy to understand and helpful steps to follow. Appreciate the instruction!

[@ericlavoie7966]

2018 silverado I have replaced the switch in dash ac Delco , Trailer Brake control module ,all fuses good, power and ground going to both modules ,auxiliary and Trailer Brake module 7 pin socket good no Brake in wires no corrosion in connectors I'm baffled only thing I haven't replaced is auxiliary control module

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Have you been able to fix your truck? If so what ended up being the problem? I have heard of people replacing the entire harness. Thanks for watching. Keep me posted.

[@ericlavoie7966]

@@shanersmechaniclife3164 No sorry I haven't

[@ericlavoie7966]

@@shanersmechaniclife3164 And GM won't recall the issue

[@robingroulx9907]

Same here I changed brake controller and brake module, code still comes on every time I start it but goes away and comes back periodically while driving haven’t changed wiring harness yet not sure where I could get one without paying dealership prices?

[@steveevans9347]

I have a 2018 GMC 3500 Duramax, Dealership told me it a low voltage issue, I believe that is the case, it happens when my truck has been parked for a prolong period if I am driving it daily the problem seems to go away, just wish once it pops up and you acknowledge the error it would go away until the next engine start.

[@jpaul4595]

Nice Video, I'm having the same issue. Is the most common problem the plug in the bumper needs replaced?

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Not sure if it's the most common but a good place to look. Under the spare tire is another common place. Hope you find the problem, let me know what it was. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jpaul4595]

I checked the wiring going into the chassis control module & the trailer brake control module and didn’t find any broken or bare wires. I changed the bumper plug and will see if that works. The problem is an intermittent one, time will tell if it stops working again. When it did not work if I turned off engine & restated sometimes it would start working again

[@cityhomestead40]

Thanks our YT brother!

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

You are more than welcome.

[@gunnerranch]

Thank you!😊

[@michalmitcheson6366]

I never tow a trailer. Im getting these 'service trailer brake system' alerts at the same time as something seems to be running my battery down at night. Can I just pull the fuse? Or will that just send me constant alerts?

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

I would think you would get non stop warnings if the fuse is removed. Keep me posted if you find a fix. Thanks for watching.

[@Pockets996]

Did you find the issue?

[@AlexBrandenburg-x6v]

Isn’t the first control box under the truck you looked at your fuel control module?

[@chuckcts-v3460]

I would have sprayed some WD40-Water Displacement40, in all those connectors. Would not hurt anything, might help with better connections.

[@daisygoodloe]

Which wire do you splice the diode into?

[@isaackvasager9957]

The two modules near the spare tire...one of them you called the trailer brake module, but you didn't name the second one. What does that one do and how is it different than the first?

[@forgottenchild7935]

I just started having this issue on my 17 suburban.....I never will tow with this truck. can i just pull the fuses or unplug something to to disable it?

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

I don't think pulling fuses will turn the warning off. If anything, you might get more. If you find a way, let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@coltsfan4lif3]

What's the second module you showed in the video called? I've already replaced the trailer brake control module.

[@tnak41]

I just had this pop up before coming to work this morning. Would this also either keep the truck from starting or barely starting at all? I didn’t have the warning pop up yesterday but I had to jump the truck to get it to start.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

I think it could be the other way around. If you fix the hard start, the trailer message might go way. Module might be detecting a low supply voltage. Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@randyhilt3567]

I don't even have a trailer but the trailer brake warning still happens, can I somehow disable the whole trailer brake system?

[@karldavid3487]

is this only for 2015-2019 2500-3500 or does it translate to the 1500??

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Yes the truck in the video is a 1500. Hope it helps you find your issue.

[@delhatcher8347]

My truck did the trailer brake warning. Then it also made my Stabilitrak and ABS lights come on. They cleared themselves after driving a short distance without the trailer being plugged in. What coud be the problem ?

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Sounds like a poor connection or an intermittent short to power or ground. Intermittent problems are the absolute worst to find. Hope it works out for you. Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching.

[@JoeySueroads-b8p]

This gentleman really miss his stuff!

[@camco15]

Do you know what can cause driver side Bright light to stay on? if I use my brights and then turn my brights off The driver side stays on and I have to keep engaging the bright light switch until it turns off. When I did inspect the headlight the male and female connector was wet and I had them replaced but that didn't fix the problem.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Check your relays. Look and see if left and right are separate relays. Possibly a faulty relay? Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching.

[@camco15]

@@shanersmechaniclife3164 the 2015 GMC model doesn't have a relay for the brights I already searched it. It's wired straight to the control module

[@camco15]

@@shanersmechaniclife3164 if there is a relay it's not labeled in the fuse box and there is no information on where it is

[@drewjohnson6583]

Can this cause the break to give out. (Peddle looses pressure, gos to the floor) and rear breaks drags or lock up..??

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Hard to say without seeing it. I would check for leaks and the master cylinder first. Could be an electrical problem. Have you gotten it scanned? Any ABS codes?

[@MMedy10]

These trucks vacuum pump issues static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10167479-9999.pdf

[@Bdadd1225]

Would this cause any issues with the truck starting up? The day I started getting this warning on the dash, my truck started having a hard time turning over

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Could be the other way around. The hard starting may be the cause of the warning light. Low battery or corrosion could be causing low voltage to trailer brake modules. I would start with hard starting issue and go from there. Hope this helps. Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching.

[@Bdadd1225]

@@shanersmechaniclife3164 thank you

[@ricknichol260]

Omg Good video that's a lot to do And why is everything under the spirit's higher for come on really But what if on your dash the trailer thing is not lighting up it's staying black & white and everything's still good is it the switch

[@unfilteredleft]

The parts where you mentioned, "Check for corrosion. Looks like there is no corrosion here." But what if there is corrosion? Then what?

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Clean it out the best you can, dry it and see if your problem is fixed.

[@southwest5388]

Can this issue drain your battery?

[@Js-wd6dr]

Good question!

[@lisadaiek3691]

Been going back and forth with the Dealership and Gen.RV for a year and a half. Just off the phone with the Dealership again (still cannot find the issue with my 2020 Silverado). It's driving me NUTS. This was a helpful video for sure.. but can't find somebody who will check those items for me for free. 😕

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Have you been able to get your truck repaired? Hopefully what ever the issue is, it's covered under warranty. Keep me posted on how it goes. Thanks for watching

[@randyheard5474]

I didn’t see the fix ?

[@Fetherko]

My truck has intermittent error messages. No code found on the OBS port. Thanks for publishing this! 😊 You did not replace the dashboard control like the other video.

[@agsolis37]

I have a 2018 Silverado 1500 LTZ. I had the same issue, come to find out a had a few blown fuses. Once I replaced those fuses everything was back to normal and working. Haven’t had that issue again.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Great to hear it was an easy fix. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@wphh7272]

My 2008 trailer brake system works perfectly, as long as my trailer is connected to it. (The trailer brakes work and there are no warning messages). When I unhook my trailer, I get a chime and a message “service trailer brake system “. Since I bought it new, it would give this message after a wash, but go away after drying the plug socket. Now it stays on all the time. Message goes away and trailer brakes work perfectly when I hook up! Any help is greatly appreciated 😁😁

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Sounds like corrosion somewhere. If you had luck drying the socket, I would start there. Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@SuperTeebird123]

It’s crazy cuz I never planned on using a trailer and this thing comes on I be like what the hell ..

[@angelmarquez6000]

Just happened to mine, now to track down the problem. I went bogging, and I figure that has something to do with it. Exposed wires and mud are not a good mix. No corrosion or blown fuses. I need the trailer plug tester to see if I'm getting power. I spliced into the trailer hitch for my headache rack. There's lots of weak points on this system. All the wires are pulled back from the sleeving right before the connectors. Luckily, I don't really tow, but I can see this affecting the auto grade braking, and the warning keeps popping up.

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Were you able to get your truck fixed? Where did you find your problem? Keep me posted. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ivanyac5239]

2019 Chevy Silverado does not start on with the control

[@michaelhutlet5821]

My 19 does this without a trailer even hooked up to it.

[@frankycheechoo1126]

I tried all those and still not getting working properly

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Sorry to hear that. It's definitely a system that has been designed more complicated than it really needs to be.

[@martywouters5266]

having trouble no left turn on plug to the truck

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

I would start with cleaning the connection and checking the fuse. Are the truck signals working? Let me know what you find. Thanks for watching.

[@angelsolorio2423]

👍

[@googleaccount2637]

Service trailer brake system was dinging at me dozens of times every drive non stop for about a week then just stopped on its own... I also randomley get tire sensor warnings that just go away...

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Electrical gremlins can be very frustrating.

[@clayjohnson7816]

Anybody help me? I’ll hook my truck to my camper and sometimes it’s tell me “service trailer brakes” and then. I’ll loose trailer breaks .

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

I would start by checking all your connections on truck and trailer. Make sure they are clean and secure. Sometimes a trailer issue can show up in the truck. Hope this helps. Let me know what you find.

[@J810MFG]

Good thing she’s wearing stripes, so we can tell if she’s walking or rolling!

[@crockettsummers42]

297,000 miles and its still going

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

Great to hear. You're probably very regular with oil changes and other basic maintenance.

[@joshuakatz9134]

I don’t pull a trailer

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

You don't have to have a trailer hooked up for that to come on. It's just telling you there is an issue with that system.

[@claytonkr05]

So what happens if you do all of this and its still not fixed? Throw the whole truck away?

[@johnlucero3384]

😂

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

I've heard of people replacing the entire harness. It's a complicated system with a lot of different electrical parts involved. I guess it all depends on how much people want to spend. Hopefully the repairs are under warranty.

[@rotorav8]

You can buy a regular brake controller, that’s what the GM dealer here recommended to do.

[@claytonkr05]

Guess I should follow up on this, I ended up having to replace the entire chassis control module underneath the truck above the spare tire. Of course, it was the last piece I had to replace or check, and like every other failed part on the Sierra/Silverado, there was a "national backorder" on it. I found a used one eBay for $20 and took a gamble on it. Ended up fixing the whole issue.

[@eastboundndown4703]

Gm should be ashamed, 2024 at4x 900 miles and this light already on!

[@shanersmechaniclife3164]

That's not good. Definitely warranty, but who wants to deal with that on the 2nd tank of fuel. Let me know what they found the problem to be. Thanks for watching.