Brake Controller Question

[Dieselking]

Happy Day! I am picking my boys up from college, so I have emptied out my enclosed trailer and I am ready to go....except my GX550 keeps telling me the "Brake Controller is Off". I don't see how to turn it on...the manual slide does nothing... the plus (+) button to turn up the gain does nothing but give me the OFF message? (Truck acknowledged theirs a trailer connected, lights all work....I went into the menu and told the car it's 0-4999#) Any hints, tips or suggestions?

 

[jclaffee]

Is the trailer 7-pin plugged into the vehicle?

 

[Dieselking]

Is the trailer 7-pin plugged into the vehicle?

Yes, 7 pin.....running lights and turn signals work. On a trailer I know the brakes work (used it yesterday on a my 4runner).

 

[mlinkibikr]

Did you engage tow/haul? I’m just spitballing because I’ve only towed my trailer once, still figuring out stuff.

 

[Dieselking]

Lexus GX550 will not allow cruise when towing a trailer w electric brakes per the head tech at the dealer. He talked to the powers that be at Lexus.

So I can use cruise when pulling my 22’, 6,000# boat w surge brakes (but Lexus ASKS that you turn off all the safety features whilst towing???—see owners manual)…..because this trailer has surge brakes.

BUT—— My 5X8 enclosed trailer that weighs 800# will NOT ALLOW CRUISE because it has electric brakes. How’s that gonna work when I drive across the country????

I tested a work-around the other day.

I turned off the built in brake controller in the GX550.

I plugged in my Radio Frequency (RF) Tekonsha, on a trailer with electric brakes and viola……cruise works.

So I have to buy $500 brake controller to have cruise control available to tow an 800# trailer. Swing and a miss Lexus!!!

(This is me towing new trailer home from dealer. (I didn’t want the extra 700 miles on the GX so I used my 4Runner))

 

[jclaffee]

So wait, how did you get the factory brake controller to turn on?

 

[steveperry]

FWIW, we ran into this the first time we tried to pull our airstream. It seems that if it's under 4999# it doesn't want to use the controller. Set it to the next one 5000# and it'll work.

Also, I was able to get the GX 500 to work with cruise control with the trailer - just not adaptive cruise. If you tap the little cruise control button it'll cycle between normal and adaptive - it should work with normal. It did with mine for 900 miles last week anyway and it has electric brakes.

 

[Gunner]

Sounds logical steveperry! Thanks for the info.

 

[Dieselking]

So wait, how did you get the factory brake controller to turn on?

Between the tundra and GX owners manual I was able to decipher how to turn it off/on.

 

[CMRNYC]

Between the tundra and GX owners manual I was able to decipher how to turn it off/on.

Can you share with the rest of us, thanks

 

[SethGX]

FWIW, we ran into this the first time we tried to pull our airstream. It seems that if it's under 4999# it doesn't want to use the controller. Set it to the next one 5000# and it'll work.

Also, I was able to get the GX 500 to work with cruise control with the trailer - just not adaptive cruise. If you tap the little cruise control button it'll cycle between normal and adaptive - it should work with normal. It did with mine for 900 miles last week anyway and it has electric brakes.

That makes sense, the adaptive cruise has to manage a lot to keep the GX distanced from other vehicles and lane tracing to keep it in the lane, both of which would be sketchy with a trailer attached. But regular cruise is just speed based so that's on the driver to manage. Thanks for sharing that info.