Electric brakes problem

Fortunately if everything is under warranty then your only option is to ask for another brand controller and module. If VW arranged it then call them, if not call the people that did. What brand / model is the controller etc, that might help some of the experts in this forum.

VWs are incredibly compicated when it comes to trailer and brake controller wiring - they sense blown bulbs, disable reverse sensors, and I believe have something to do with the VSC. Our Tiguan has a dealer fitted factory towbar and wiring (costs about $2000 and most of that cost is the electronics), but we bought it 2nd hand, so don't know whether any issues were sorted before we bought it.

But I fitted the controller and to overcome any potential hassles, I ran the brake controller sensing wire all the way back to the 7 pin trailer plug, so I bypassed the complicated stuff and received the same signal as the brake lights on the trailer. Seems to work fine, but only fitted the controller a couple of weeks ago, and you have me worried that something might fry when we take it away next week.

The VW watercooled forum is worth a look as well - electric controller wiring issues are common in most VWs. http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/forums/forum.php

HI Scott, does your trailer have batteries/power source in it by any chance?If so can you disconnect the wire to the battery from the trailer plug and see if this helps(dont need to cut it- just remove the wire from the socket and fold it back).doc.

I think they got there wires crossed.
There are two power wires one from the battery that should go to a 20 Amp auto re set circuit breaker that shouls be a 6MM wire!!!!! goes to the controller.

Then one from the brake light of the tow vehicle back to the controller another 6mm wire, then from the controller to the blue wire 7 pin plug and then to the trailer all should be 6mm.

If they crossed these wires, there might be your problem with the controller reading brakes have voltage when there not actually on.

Also might be the problem as to why it's cooking the controller.

Cheers.

hi scott p1
the electician who you say made a connection to the rear tail light has made a very wrong connection as i have had serious problems due to this been done to my 2005 golf by a towbar installer in adelaide who claimed to know what he was doing and that connection eventually after several thousand km's and a lot of weird things going on within
shut down my vw golfs cpu engine management system on road and vw evenually traced the problem to the fact that wiring connections were made directly to the back of the rear lights it was all disconnected and the proper wiring modules were installed for the vw and have had no more issues
so i would get that wire disconnected quick smart

you can not connect any wiring to the leads that are on tail /park/reverse or turn indicators left or right side in the boot like used to to be the way it was done in the past years on vw at all....
wiring connections have to go through the special computor modules that vw supply with the towbar system and i had to buy an extra one so i could tow my 6x4 trailer its an inline module with plugs attached for that purpose any accessories that i have put in for my camper trailer come directly off the battery through a relay and it own master switch i have installed heaps of extra wiring this way with out any problems including twin charger for camper trailer and several 12v sockets for auxillary lights /gps/ phone chargers etc you cannot take a connection off the vw key either without a computor module being inline first so be warned
my vw has 95000km's on the clock so i speak from experience
my guess is the electrian who installed your brake controller has made an error in connections and the others who have looked at it cant see the forrest for the trees and are just agreeing with each other which is so often the case if none of them really know about vw systems
but probably wont admit to it
there are electricians and there are electrians as i found out the expensive way mine wasnt covered by warranty because of the wrongful connection and cost me $900 yes ouch!
cheers barry