Do Tesla cars come with a brake controller for trailers?

[cybrtrk_maybe]

I recently bought a camper. The vehicle I am going to use to tow it with came with the "towing package"; It has a tow hitch receiver and both the 4 pin and 7 pins connectors... However, I guess the "tow package" doesn't include a brake controller and I had to pay additional to have one installed. This leads me to my question. Do Tesla cars come with a brake controller for trailers?

 

[ajdelange]

The cars? No (but they do have the harness). The truck? We don't know but think something built in probable.

 

[kev12345]

my guess is they'll have something built in to the touch screen and maybe use the steering wheel rollers instead of the usual squeezy thing? independent trailer brake requirements vary by location. it's required where i live if you're pulling anything more than 6000 lb. it would be a huge oversight to not include it. having an aftermarket part hanging off the dash goes against their minimalist design.

 

[ajdelange]

The thing with the CT is that they'll have the inertial sensor, torque values for the two rear wheels, wheel angular velocity and vehicle angular momentum data available to them. I really hope they put a load cell in the trailer hitch. Combining it's info with that from the other sensors they have a golden opportunity to produce a system which combats sway very much more effectively than anything available today that depends on a pendulum and whether the brake pedal is being depressed or not. That's why I am so sure something will be built in.

 

[SwampNut]

I recently bought a camper. The vehicle I am going to use to tow it with came with the "towing package"; It has a tow hitch receiver and both the 4 pin and 7 pins connectors... However, I guess the "tow package" doesn't include a brake controller and I had to pay additional to have one installed. This leads me to my question. Do Tesla cars come with a brake controller for trailers?

The controller is plug and play on all modern vehicles with a tow package. It's sometimes included but not usually, because people have a variety of preferences and needs. I installed mine myself in ten minutes right in the parking lot of the trailer dealer when I bought it. You just plug it in and attach it. The plug is under your dash typically near the steering column.

Back to the CT, it already has all the data needed to provide brake control. I would be shocked if it wasn't just there, done. An add-on controller would just be duplicating the existing inertial and pedal data to provide a variable voltage output to the brakes.

it's required where i live if you're pulling anything more than 6000 lb.

Holy crap, 6k is absolutely insane!! In my state brakes are required above 3k, and even that is pretty high.

 

[TomGriff]

The controller is plug and play on all modern vehicles with a tow package. It's sometimes included but not usually, because people have a variety of preferences and needs. I installed mine myself in ten minutes right in the parking lot of the trailer dealer when I bought it. You just plug it in and attach it. The plug is under your dash typically near the steering column.

Back to the CT, it already has all the data needed to provide brake control. I would be shocked if it wasn't just there, done. An add-on controller would just be duplicating the existing inertial and pedal data to provide a variable voltage output to the brakes.



Holy crap, 6k is absolutely insane!! In my state brakes are required above 3k, and even that is pretty high.

I would assume that the CT will have an integrated brake controller.

6K is really high, I would never tow a trailer anywhere close to 6K lbs without trailer brakes. A quick look through the attachment found most states have requirements in 2-3K range with Alaska at 5K. A few states don't seem to have a requirement (which really surprised me) - https://www.rvia.org/system/files/media/file/Trailer Brake Requirements.pdf

 

[SwampNut]

I would assume that the CT will have an integrated brake controller.

6K is really high, I would never tow a trailer anywhere close to 6K lbs without trailer brakes. A quick look through the attachment found most states have requirements in 2-3K range with Alaska at 5K. A few states don't seem to have a requirement (which really surprised me) - https://www.rvia.org/system/files/media/file/Trailer Brake Requirements.pdf

AK and TX have super lax laws on towing. You can even do road trains. I've had a 2500 pound trailer attached to a 9k motorhome that pushed me all over the road when an idiot pulled out in front of me. Guess what trailer got brakes immediately? It was LEGAL, but not safe. And I would say, unethical to put on the road.

 

[Crissa]

Yes, the Cybertruck tow package will come with it. The Model X does, the Model Y didn't last summer. It's not actually a brake controller as much as a plug adapter.

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/model-y-brake-controller.204627/

-Crissa

 

[cybrtrk_maybe]

Thanks for the replies. It would appear that the Ram 1500 promaster does NOT come with the wiring and it needs to be spliced in. https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/bbg/pdf/2016/van/docs/vf/tbc.pdf

 

[SwampNut]

Ah yeah, didn't realize you got a van. I was thinking truck. Very weird that Chrysler would choose to exclude that when it's standard on their trucks though. Isn't that thing on a truck chassis? Or is it more like a unibody van?

 

[kev12345]

Holy crap, 6k is absolutely insane!! In my state brakes are required above 3k, and even that is pretty high.

turns out i read the rule wrong. 3000lb + brake is required. 6000lb is brake + brakeaway brake. this is in BC

 

[Doug McAllister]

Most half ton trucks come standard brake controls. Just bought a Ram 1500 hemi and it was standard. Just bought the Ram because now I’m at least 4 years out.

 

[kev12345]

Most half ton trucks come standard brake controls. Just bought a Ram 1500 hemi and it was standard. Just bought the Ram because now I’m at least 4 years out.

that must be new because it's always been an option in the past.

 

[SwampNut]

that must be new because it's always been an option in the past.

Different packages and vendors have varied. My 2020 came with the tow package as well as 100% of all other options, and all I needed was a $20 plug and play harness to add the controller. Mine did NOT have any OEM controller options, the 2021 has an OEM controller option but not standard. I guess many people tow things that don't have electric brakes (either no brake, or surge brake).