2021 Moomba Max + Boatmate trailer - "Trailer not connected"

[shaggymatt]

I bought a new tow vehicle over the winter and when I took the boat out of storage last week, I received a "Trailer not connected" error message on the factory trailer brake. Today during lunch, I hooked up my utility trailer which also has trailer brakes, and it works as expected. My old truck, I was using a Curt Bluetooth trailer brake controller and I don't know if this is a new problem or was a problem at delivery and the Curt perhaps didn't report the error. Trailer lights, and everything else works as expected. Fuses are fine, not that I'd expect any issues since everything works on another trailer.

What I found interesting is that my second driveway where I parked the boat has a downhill slope. I hopped out and checked all four rotors and they were warm enough that I couldn't keep my finger on there for more than a second. That tells me that the brakes were applying.

My dealer is an hour and a half away and I'll have to leave the boat there, making it six hours of driving. I'd love to have someone say, yes this is a simple fix to save the trip. Does anyone have any ideas?

[larry_arizona]

When I got my 21 Boatmate to a 21 F150, the connection flaked out.

My dealer had me spray WD40 on the trailer plug, plugged it back into the truck connector and has worked fine ever since.


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[HFarr]

WD40 and Duct Tape! Ya just can't beat em!! LOL!

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[shaggymatt]

Thanks everyone, I'll give the WD40 a try.

I should really keep a can in my truck, still finding useful things to put into the Ram boxes!

[shaggymatt]

Thanks everyone, I'll give the WD40 a try.

I should really keep a can in my truck, still finding useful things to put into the Ram boxes!

No luck with the wd40.

[Tommy2slow]

My F150 was giving me a similar message. Turned out the hitch wiring on the truck was missing a relay.

[larry_arizona]

Can you share what your tow vehicle is?

Perhaps a bent pin not making contact? Blown fuse?


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[Mxmark4]

My ford even though its ancient had a factory 4 wire. When I changed it to a 7 pin that used the factory wiring at the back of the truck I had to add relays and a fuse to make it work.

[shaggymatt]

It's a 2017 Ram.

My tandem axle car hauling trailer with electric brakes works fine, it's not an issue with the truck.

[2in2out]

It's a 2017 Ram.

My tandem axle car hauling trailer with electric brakes works fine, it's not an issue with the truck.

Just because the electric brakes work on one trailer doesn’t mean that either trailer, or your truck are wired correctly. I found this out the hard way. I had two different brand new travel trailers hooked up to one of my trucks on the same day. Lighting was wonky on both, and brakes worked on on, but not on the other. Hooked both to friends truck, and lights worked right, but braking issues swapped.

After lots of circuit testing we figured out that my truck had the wrong relay, braking circuits were miswired in one trailer, and a short in the harness on the other.

Truly aggravating day when the assumption is that factory and dealer installed options weren’t put in correctly.


Making my new SA build come true!!!

[shaggymatt]

Just because the electric brakes work on one trailer doesn’t mean that either trailer, or your truck are wired correctly.

Well there's nothing actually wrong.

I did some digging last night, watched some YouTube videos and ultimately reached out to BoatMate. We don't have electric over hydraulic brakes, the trailers have hydraulic surge brakes. Braking is determined by the force of the trailer continuing forward and the resistive pressure exerted against the ball from your tow vehicle. This is why my rotors were warm coming down the driveway.

[HFarr]

Makes perfect since! Glad to know the mystery is solved. I can see the confusion, because they do come with both options!

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[2in2out]

Nothing cuts deeper than Occam’s razor.


Making my new SA build come true!!!

[shaggymatt]

Nothing cuts deeper than Occam’s razor.


Making my new SA build come true!!!

Would've been really nice if the dealer told me this when I reached out to him. :mad:

[mmandley]

I noticed the same thing in my Ram truck when I bought it, its completely due to the trailer does not have electric brakes, the computer is tied to the electric brake adjustment and its lookin at that.

Moomba - boatmate trailers only tie to the reverse signal to bypass the lock up feature on the trailer going backwards due to the tongue being compressed in reverse.