NHTSA Complaint #11031826 — 2016 RAM 1500

THE OEM TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH BRAKING POWER TO A TOWED TRAILER. THE TOWED SINGLE AXLE TRAVEL TRAILER WEIGHS JUST UNDER 4,000LBS FULLY LOADED. ALL GAIN AND TRAILER TYPE SETTINGS ON THE CONTROLLER PRODUCE THE SAME LEVEL OF BRAKING TO THE TRAILER AT ANY SPEED FROM IDLE TO 25-30MPH OR FASTER WHEN USING THE MANUAL BRAKE LEVER ON THE CONTROLLER. FACTORY OWNER'S MANUAL DESCRIBES THE PROCESS FOR SETTING THE GAIN IS TO MOVE THE MANUAL BRAKE LEVER TO FULL BRAKING SO THE WHEELS ON THE TOWED TRAILER LOCK UP AT 25MPH AND THEN REDUCE THE GAIN UNTIL JUST BEFORE TRAILER WHEELS LOCK UP. RAM DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE CONTROLLER WILL NOT LOCK UP THE TRAILER WHEELS WITH THE MANUAL BRAKE LEVER BECAUSE THE COMPUTER READS THE SPEED OF THE TRUCK, AND IF FULL BRAKING ISN'T NEEDED, IT WON'T APPLY IT. THIS IS IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION WITH THE INFORMATION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE OEM BRAKE CONTROLLER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, AND THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE TRAILER BRAKES ARE NOT GETTING THE PROPER AMOUNT OF POWER TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE WHILE TOWING. THE CONTROLLER WILL BARELY SEND ENOUGH BRAKING POWER TO SLOW AND STOP THE VEHICLE AT IDLE ROLLING SPEEDS OF 5-10MPH. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE FORUMS, NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR RAMS MANUFACTURED IN MODEL YEAR RANGES FROM 2010 TO 2016.