Brake controller

[MinnesotaJill]

We are picking up a 2010 17' Eggcamper soon and I just ordered a brake controller online. Our TV is an Acura MDX. Do we really need a brake controller? Do you have one?

[Carol H]

Check the owners manual on your Acura it probable states in it that you need to have brakes on the trailer when towing over x so many pounds.... most SUV's do. You cant use the brakes on the trailer without a controller.

Brakes on a trailer are one safety feature no one I know has every been sorry about having. Not to mention that the cost of the controller will be a lot cheaper than replacing the brakes on your Acura way more frequently than you would otherwise.

[MinnesotaJill]

So, I bought a "proportional" controller. Is that what most people here use?

[BCDave]

Yes- those are the "ONLY" kind to get. Which one did you get?

[MinnesotaJill]

Tekonsha P3 Electronic Brake Control

[BCDave]

The very same one I use!

[MinnesotaJill]

Cool .... Then you must recommend it. Did you install it yourself?

[BCDave]

Yes, installed it myself

[MinnesotaJill]

I'm hoping we can do it with not too much trouble. Thanks.

[Roy in TO]

It should come with and installation mini CD/DVD, mine did.

[cpaharley2008]

make sure after installation that your 7 way plug is "live" in that the brakes/lights/12v accessory are all working. I got one of these. Available at most rv places

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaJill

Tekonsha P3 Electronic Brake Control

That controller gets my vote as well.
If your vehicle came with a tow package it may already have all the wiring in place for the controller making it pretty easy to install - plug and play. Even if it has a tow package it may be missing the blue brake wire that runs from the controller to the trailer connection so the brake wire may still need to be added - not sure why some manufactures include it and some dont. If its already there you should be able to see a blue brake wire going into the tows hitch plug harness at the back of the car. If your missing the brake wire and your not comfortable running the wire yourself a place like U-haul can do it for you pretty fast.

BTW keep us posted as to how the Acura MDX tows.... its high on my list of a possible replacement vehicles sometime in the future. They are a very popular vehicle in my area and have a smaller Acura for years so I know they are reliable.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Even if it has a tow package it may be missing the blue brake wire that runs from the controller to the trailer connection so the brake wire may still need to be added - not sure why some manufactures include it and some dont.

If you have to run a new blue wire, double check to make sure you don't have to run one for the 12V as well. Even if you don't connect it just yet.
A few extra $ for the wire is not much when you consider the labour.
Pulling one wire or two from point A to B is almost the same.

[MinnesotaJill]

Thanks all for the helpful advice. I will report on our first camping/towing experience when we get back on July 16. Possibly even pics of the TV and camper because I know you love the visual ..... (I do too).
Jill

[rgrugg]

FWIW...the Egg Camper comes with brakes from the factory and Jim Palmer, pres of the company says DO NOT use a weight distributing hitch with it. We love ours.

[MinnesotaJill]

For those that have installed their own brake controller (specifically the Tekonsha P3) we could use some advice. We thought it would come with an installation DVD, but it didn't. Our Acura has a factory installed hitch and wiring, but the sub-harness for the brake controller is not "plug and play". There are bare wires at one end of the Acura sub-harness and there are bare wires at one of the controller wiring. So what connects these bare wires together?

[Carol H]

Jill, sorry cant help you but you might find the answer here

Edit: Here is another link that may help you.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaJill

For those that have installed their own brake controller (specifically the Tekonsha P3) we could use some advice. We thought it would come with an installation DVD, but it didn't. Our Acura has a factory installed hitch and wiring, but the sub-harness for the brake controller is not "plug and play". There are bare wires at one end of the Acura sub-harness and there are bare wires at one of the controller wiring. So what connects these bare wires together?

You do.

There should be a harness that is specific to your Acura so that it becomes a case of "hook the red wire to the red wire, the yellow one to the yellow one, etc. If you do not have the Tekonsha harness for the Acura, then you should go back to where you bought the Tekonsha and acquire one

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaJill

Our Acura has a factory installed hitch and wiring, but the sub-harness for the brake controller is not "plug and play". There are bare wires at one end of the Acura sub-harness and there are bare wires at one of the controller wiring. So what connects these bare wires together?

I think the DVD contents are on this page:
http://www.tekonsha.com/content/products.aspx?lvl=3&parentid=0&catID=1435&part=901 95
The basic tekonsha installation is here:
http://www.tekonsha.com/content/downloads/installation/N90195.pdf

They may have supplied you with a generic connector, if it looks like the one on this page there is an installation video:
http://www.etrailer.com/p-20127.html

This page shows you everything that should have come with your P3 and has links to installation on a number of vehicles.
Tekonsha P-3 Trailer Brake Controller - Proportional Tekonsha Brake Controller 90195

And this might help
How to Install Prodigy P3 Brake Controller to a 2009 Acura MDX with a Factory Tow Package | etrailer.com

[MinnesotaJill]

Originally Posted by BCDave

You do.

There should be a harness that is specific to your Acura so that it becomes a case of "hook the red wire to the red wire, the yellow one to the yellow one, etc. If you do not have the Tekonsha harness for the Acura, then you should go back to where you bought the Tekonsha and acquire one

When I talked to Tekonsha at the time I ordered, they asked my what kind of vehicle I had. When I told them Acua MDX, they said they didn't have any plug and play parts for that car.