Brake Controller Install Help

keeper15 · #1 06-09-2006, 04:16 PM

Has anyone installed a brake controller,I have a Popup trailer with electric brakes which involves installing my Tekonsha Prodigy unit.
Has anyone installed and can give me some direction to install?
Thanks

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blondboinsd · #2 06-09-2006, 04:43 PM

there is a DIY somewhere on this forum

hayaku · #3 06-09-2006, 04:45 PM

do a search, there's 2 pdf's with excellent pictures and i put up a wiring diagram that gives the gist of what goes on...

John Davenport · #4 06-09-2006, 04:50 PM

Use the search link! I found numerous suggestions on this. BMW was really no help. I do have some infor I can fax you if needed. I also called Land Rover since their vehicles prior to 2006 are the same and they even didn't know what I was talking about. I am going to make a hook up in the back via the battery and then make a hook up in the front for the brake both with a romex plugs, then when I do haul my trailer I will just plug in the line between. A trailer place in my area wanted $600.00 to run everything from front to back under my carpet but I didn't want someone tearing apart my car.

hopz · #5 06-10-2006, 09:23 AM

Keeper... this subject has received a lot of chatter... it is not a simple install, but then the dealer has no good options.
You can do it. Apparently the only hard part is getting the wires from the front to the back of the car, in a civilized manner.
Go to this page...http://www.xoutpost.com/ and read articles 18/19 (or is it 17/18?) in the miscellaneous section.

Just download and read the PDF's... should give you some helpful information.

chris_barry · #6 06-10-2006, 10:13 AM

I installed a Prodigy recently in my 06. When I mentioned electric brakes the BMW dealer mentioned he had to have another loom installed. when I got the car they had left a brake signal wire under the dash for me to use. I'm not sure where this came from other than it dissappeared over to the LH side of the dash (my car is RH drive).

I ran 3 wires to the rear of the car along the edge of the carpet after lifting the plastic kick plates. +12V, trailer brake and ground. Whatever the wire they gave me provides a 12V signal when the brakes are applied, and surprisingly also turns on the brake lights when I use the hand operated brake on the controller. Not sure what his extra loom was but the dealer said it was introduced to overcome problems with the electric brake controllers upsetting the bulb checking circuitry.

Good luck

Chris,

keeper15 · #7 06-10-2006, 08:22 PM

thanks to all that chimed in with some great info,now to gather all this and make some decisions,I have a hitch assy. coming and will know more when I get everything in hand.

dksavage · #8 06-10-2006, 10:22 PM

I fitted a prodigy to mine using the artices mentioned above (would have been a LOT harder without them). A solid 1/2 days work. Hardest part was finding a good spot for the controller. Ended up putting it just under the dash sort of above my right shin. (remember mine is RHD) - looks like it would be in the way but it is fine. Controller works really well. The other complication is to get the feed wire to the trailer through the standard plug / adapter cable. Bit of fiddling with a multimeter should get you on the right track. It is a bit tricky to measure the standard plug outputs as there seemed to be some pulsing of signals (checking for load I assume) with no trailer plugged in. Guess you could always use a second plug for the brake wire.

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