Engine brake - NO stop/brake lights please

[Newmar 4310]

You DONT need to mess with the ECM. You need to find the wire on the solenoid on the engine, wen the engine brake is activated it senses the back pressure and activates the brake lights. Yes this is a new thing, I to found d it annoying. It makes the people behind you, think your constantly hitting the brakes. By the way the dealer should do it for you, as long as you DONT live in a state that requires it by law. PS I put a toggle switch is,so if I do go through California I can turn them back on.
Good luck.

[Michael57]

NowGo, I understand where you’re coming from. I wouldn’t want my brake lights coming on either every time the exhaust brake activates. I never heard of the brake lights coming on when the engine brake is employed. Maybe it’s a new thing, well not real new, but I’ve never had a unit newer than ‘06. In my mind it seems that there would be wire from a switch on the engine brake that goes to the brake lights that could be disconnected. 🤔 nope that’s the way it would have been in the ‘90s 🙄😄 not now with all the gov regs and such. Hopefully you can find an easy way without having to reprogram the ECM.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by Michael57

NowGo, I understand where you’re coming from. I wouldn’t want my brake lights coming on either every time the exhaust brake activates. I never heard of the brake lights coming on when the engine brake is employed. Maybe it’s a new thing, well not real new, but I’ve never had a unit newer than ‘06. In my mind it seems that there would be wire from a switch on the engine brake that goes to the brake lights that could be disconnected. nope that’s the way it would have been in the ‘90s not now with all the gov regs and such. Hopefully you can find an easy way without having to reprogram the ECM.

My 2002 American Tradition on a Spartan chassis does. Didn’t realize it until a friend was following me and commented on it in the Ozarks. He thought I was riding my brakes down the hills.

[Gasman 2]

Originally Posted by Newmar 4310

You DONT need to mess with the ECM. You need to find the wire on the solenoid on the engine, wen the engine brake is activated it senses the back pressure and activates the brake lights. Yes this is a new thing, I to found d it annoying. It makes the people behind you, think your constantly hitting the brakes. By the way the dealer should do it for you, as long as you DONT live in a state that requires it by law. PS I put a toggle switch is,so if I do go through California I can turn them back on.

Good luck.

Maybe you can tell us where that wire is.
Been on the forum since 2013 and no one has discovered the wire yet on a Spartan Chassis that I know of.
I had discussion with Spartan on this issue in 13 and was told it required programing of something…. Probably the Spartan control module….I forget now.
But away I’m in the camp of “no brake light with engine brake”.
I do respect the opinions of others.

Richard

[dbircky]

Originally Posted by T_Roy

Which Motorhome and year model do you have?

2009 Monaco Camelot.

[NowGo]

Originally Posted by Newmar 4310

You DONT need to mess with the ECM. You need to find the wire on the solenoid on the engine, wen the engine brake is activated it senses the back pressure and activates the brake lights. Yes this is a new thing, I to found d it annoying. It makes the people behind you, think your constantly hitting the brakes. By the way the dealer should do it for you, as long as you DONT live in a state that requires it by law. PS I put a toggle switch is,so if I do go through California I can turn them back on.
Good luck.

We are also dealing with signal being provided to the trailer brake controller, nit just the coach brake lights so stopping the illumination of the coach brake lights may not solve the problem as related to trailer brake controllers or TOAD brakes.

Still, any guidance you might have on the location of the wire from the engine brake may be helpful. I have found the pursuit for information down one path, even when it does not provide the answer, can render information that turns out to be helpful.

[jeff.herren]

I've been told that the brake lights are on when engine brake's engaged but when I would apply the service brake the lights would blink three times as a means of additional awareness.


DW observed that while following me going down Wolf Creek pass. Mostly the VGT (Reatta XL's engine brake) did well but a few sharp switchbacks I also applied the service brakes and I asked her later and that was the story.

[Dmars]

Originally Posted by jeff.herren

I've been told that the brake lights are on when engine brake's engaged but when I would apply the service brake the lights would blink three times as a means of additional awareness.


DW observed that while following me going down Wolf Creek pass. Mostly the VGT (Reatta XL's engine brake) did well but a few sharp switchbacks I also applied the service brakes and I asked her later and that was the story.

I had a 2006 Bounder Diesel with Freightliner chassis and always tried to get the lights from coming on. Never got it done. Now I just purchased a 2014 Newmar Ventana with ISB 6.7 and would love to get this resolved. It is on freightliner chassis too. We have hills here out West that are 5 miles long and the lights are on the whole time. I think it’s ridiculous. Glad to see there is someone else that thinks like me. I asked the freightliner reps at a FMC Rally and they were extremely rude like I was crazy for wanting to do it. I know this post was for Spartan chassis but if someone knows how to achieve it on Freightliner I would sure appreciate it.
Thankyou
Dennis

[BobGed]

Originally Posted by Dmars

I had a 2006 Bounder Diesel with Freightliner chassis and always tried to get the lights from coming on. Never got it done. Now I just purchased a 2014 Newmar Ventana with ISB 6.7 and would love to get this resolved. It is on freightliner chassis too. We have hills here out West that are 5 miles long and the lights are on the whole time. I think it’s ridiculous. Glad to see there is someone else that thinks like me. I asked the freightliner reps at a FMC Rally and they were extremely rude like I was crazy for wanting to do it. I know this post was for Spartan chassis but if someone knows how to achieve it on Freightliner I would sure appreciate it.
Thankyou
Dennis

It can be achieved on a Freightliner chassis using the Cummins Insite program which most, if not all, Freightliner and Cummins locations have access to. The attached matrix shows the parameters available. I only have an exhaust brake, but the settings description for an engine brake apply. Here is what I had changed:

Cruise Control - Start maximum engine braking in in cruise control: from 5 to 2 MPH - When in cruise control my exhaust brake is activated when road speed exceeds set speed by 2 MPH

Engine Brake Control - Engine brake lamp: from enable to disable - Brake lights are not on when my exhaust brake is active.

Service Brake Activation - My exhaust brake switch is on all the time, however the exhaust brake is activated by applying or tapping on the service brake. It is deactivated by stepping or tapping on the throttle.

The challenge is finding a Freightliner or Cummins shop that will modify the Engine Brake Lamp setting, the other two shouldn't be a problem for them.

[LETMGROW]

For those who said the brake controllers are connected through the turn signals. This is not true. The brake controller is activated through the brake lamp switch the power is sent by a separate wire in the 7 pin connector in the trailer plug.
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...1&d=1395785163

[mike5511]

Disabling a safety device. Yeah, that's a good idea!

[n2zon]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

For those who said the brake controllers are connected through the turn signals. This is not true. The brake controller is activated through the brake lamp switch the power is sent by a separate wire in the 7 pin connector in the trailer plug.
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...1&d=1395785163

True. And I had a similar realization today while sheetrocking (long story). That led me to wonder whether an inertia switch could be rigged to only turn on the brake lights when a set value had been reached for deceleration. One could then adjust the amount of retardation needed to turn on the brake lights and the trailer brakes.

[n2zon]

Originally Posted by mike5511

Disabling a safety device. Yeah, that's a good idea!

From this thread and its parallel thread, I think the OP is trying to balance the safety of:

1. Getting to the bottom of a hill with overheated trailer brakes; and,

2. Failing to notify other drivers that something is keeping the coach from speeding up when that "something" happens to be the engine brake and it's being used solely for speed control on descent and not to slow the coach appreciably.

I think the OP's goal is both reasonable and prudent. What am I missing?

[wolfe10]

Please, would like a link to a government site that says that an engine compression brake or exhaust brake but not service brake MUST illuminate the brake light.


Two of our three coaches, from the factory, did not illuminate the brake light with application of the engine brake.