CROSS PATH BRAKING IN REVERSE

[Jimmy07]

My truck shows a trailer connected indicator on the dash even when using a 4-pin on a small utility trailer. I had always thought it was detecting the trailer through the 4 pin plug. Are you saying the trailer is detected by the rear view camera?

The rear view camera is only used to calibrate and operate trailer reverse steering control.

The only way a trailer can be detected in order to automatically shut off the rear park assist system, and to use the factory integrated brake controller, is if some type of resistance is going across the 7-way trailer connector’s brake feed and ground pins.

There is no telltale indicator that shows a trailer connected to either of the trailer connectors, but there is a telltale showing trailer disconnected if you plug a 7-way in, and disconnect it while the truck is still running.
What you are seeing is the indicator for trailer merge assist, and it has auto detected a trailer behind you in order to extend the blind spot further back. Nothing needs to be plugged into either trailer connectors in order for this to happen. In fact, if someone is tailgating you while driving on a tight winding road, such as in the mountains, trailer merge assist will auto detect the tailgater as a trailer, and that light will illuminate.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

I'm on the fence with the front/rear braking sensors.

On one hand, I bought the truck and the advanced safety package for that purpose. A little over a year ago, I rear-ended an old lady and it became a fiasco. She stopped in the middle of the intersection and I was checking my shoulder to make a right. I would've appreciated the truck stopping on its own, would've saved me a lot of money.

On the other hand, I usually don't panic brake for people. If someone brakes in front of me, I'm going to use up every inch of space I have. Sometimes to give the person behind me more space, sometimes just to light a fire under the other person's ***. Some good examples: YouTube. It's so automatic for me to NOT react to someone (knowing I won't hit them) that I forget my new Ram WILL react for me.

I've only owned the truck for a month. The forward warning has probably gone off 5 times and it has auto-braked 2, which always makes me jump out of my socks. In reverse, the rear sensors are so overly-cautious that the system has locked up about 3 or 4 times, usually because it sees a curb or shrubs coming up as I'm backing into a parking space. It hit so hard, one time, my wife thought I hit the tree behind us.

 

[Nels]

The rear view camera is only used to calibrate and operate trailer reverse steering control.

The only way a trailer can be detected in order to automatically shut off the rear park assist system, and to use the factory integrated brake controller, is if some type of resistance is going across the 7-way trailer connector’s brake feed and ground pins.

There is no telltale indicator that shows a trailer connected to either of the trailer connectors, but there is a telltale showing trailer disconnected if you plug a 7-way in, and disconnect it while the truck is still running.
What you are seeing is the indicator for trailer merge assist, and it has auto detected a trailer behind you in order to extend the blind spot further back. Nothing needs to be plugged into either trailer connectors in order for this to happen. In fact, if someone is tailgating you while driving on a tight winding road, such as in the mountains, trailer merge assist will auto detect the tailgater as a trailer, and that light will illuminate.

Very interesting. Thank you for your explanation.