Trailer fault issues

[just Mike]

My 2014 SCREW has had an annoying problem since I got it. At seemingly random times, while driving at various speeds on road, and even sometimes while parked, the center display will show the "trailer connected" blue screen. It then within 1-3 seconds flashes to the "trailer disconnected" orange screen and gives the alert tone.

I have not connected a trailer to it ever.

This is not a major problem, but it's getting to be annoying as hell. ITo at the dealer for the second time now, and they "have a call in to ford" but can't duplicate the fault or, so they see no way to fix it.

There's a good chance that I'm overlooking something very basic, but it seems to me that there is an abnormality in my trailer wiring setup.
Any thought/ advice would be greatly welcomed and will be forwarded to my tech.

Thanks.

 

[t_j]

That sounds like a short or moisture in your trailer connector or in the harness on route to it.

 

[Nv Guy]

That sounds like a short or moisture in your trailer connector or in the harness on route to it.

Yep, most likely some moisture in the trailer plug. Shoot some WD40 or other moisture dispersant into both ends of the trailer plug.

 

[Ingot SVT]

Could also be a software glitch in a corosponding control unit that is part of the trailer recognition.

 

[FordService]

My 2014 SCREW has had an annoying problem since I got it. At seemingly random times, while driving at various speeds on road, and even sometimes while parked, the center display will show the "trailer connected" blue screen. It then within 1-3 seconds flashes to the "trailer disconnected" orange screen and gives the alert tone...

Let's get this into the hands of your regional customer service manager, just Mike; they'll work with your dealership to get this resolved. Send me a PM with your full name, best daytime phone number, VIN, current mileage, and servicing dealership; I'll do the rest.

Crystal

 

[just Mike]

Well, the dealer had the truck for a day and a half, and never duplicated the problem. Sure enough, the next day it started again. I'm going to clean the trailer connector out thoroughly and hit it with some WD-40 as suggested here.

 

[just Mike]

WD-40 idea didn't do much.

I get the general consensus that this is a moisture issue. However, I live in NW Washington, so it rains basically always.

This silly little annoyance is the only blemish on an otherwise incredible vehicle, but now it is just bugging the crap out of me.

 

[just Mike]

Well, 3 months later... this thing continues to have this "trailer disconnected" issue. I finally got it to the dealer I bought it from with the fault active, and after making it through the front desk bouncers to the service manager (who never called me back), I managed to convince him to pull whatever codes were active, since Ford says we have to duplicate the fault before doing anything. The active fault was related to the steering wheel position indicator, or some such thing.

Upon leaving the dealership, within a quarter mile... "trailer disconnected."

I tried the WD-40 technique as recommended here. At this point, my "servicing dealer" (and I use that term loosely) seems to be all out of sh!ts to give.

Anybody got any other ideas before I have to lemon law this truck? That's my worst case scenario, because I doubt I'm going to find another 2014 built how I want it.

 

[Icecobra]

I have to be honest something or an event very obscure to you is probably taking place and every time in the right sequence it comes on. I had a door latch issue and every time I opened the door the latch would not release upon pulling the handle. I took it to the dealer and said its a TSB and they said not for my vin number. After leaving the dealer they said we can not duplicate the issue. I said wait on the forum there is a TSB for this problem. So I looked and sure enough I was missing you have to lock it with remote and unlock it with remote. Then it happens and you have to pull twice to open the door. So I would think about if anything comes to you that is a sequence and that pops up on your screen.. Such as hit the brake, open window, hit the brake and the screen pops up... I know its asking a lot to think about any sequence that you can replicate or duplicate the problem. If not try to record mileage and see how far you have to go to get it to happen. This is never easy and it is painful but does not make the truck un-drivable. I would suggest talking to the dealer and get them to keep it for a week and give you a rental at no cost. One thing you might try is connect a trailer and dis-connect it and see if it gets better worse or the same..

 

[Huck]

I've had that fault with no trailer attached