CURT 51180 Echo Mobile Electric Trailer Brake Controller with Bluetooth-Enabled Smartphone Connection, Proportional, Black PLastic, 9 x 9 x 3 inches, BLACK PLASTIC

I got this after realizing that I didn’t have a brake controller in my 2003 Toyota Tundra, which I needed to tow my travel trailer. U haul wanted 500. to hard wire a controller and actuator.It’s a simple plug in with Bluetooth. I installed it and it gave me a code that said it became unattached. I unplugged it and plugged it back in and it worked perfectly. It was fairly easy to install, however the blue indicator light was under the flap, so hard to see. Nifty product and a time and money saver. I use it with an IPhone.

This item worked great. Have to use a different app now but that was simple. My 2023 GMC factory brake control system is having issues with codes and after I plug this thing in and synced it with my phone, it blocks the connection to the factory brake controller, so it quits annoying me with messages on the dash. This is so much easier of a fix than trying to work with the dealership to play the blame game. Thanks for the great design by Curt!

The controller works great, pairs well with my phone, but the strap to hold it in place is horrible. The little button to hold the strap falls out so easily it’s ridiculous. I’ve spent hours searching for where it falls. And of course a black button on asphalt is well camouflaged. Once you’ve got it attached, the unit is easy to adjust in the app and does its job well. Curt, you’ve got a great product with a major fail. Fix the strap and it would be 5 stars all the way.Update March 21, 2024; Curt killed their app and now send you to One Control Auto. Which will not work on my iPhone. It gets to a screen saying you need to give location permission, but there is no link to give those permissions. It is off the bottom of the screen and no way to scroll. I know what it should be, because I got it to work on my iPad, but there is no way to hang my iPad on my dashboard. No longer recommended. I will update this if they fix it.Updated March 21, 2024: I contacted customer service. They will not say why it needs location service. Why would the app need it to activate the brakes? They will not say if they are collecting your location data. They give no option to opt out. They are probably collecting your location data to sell. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

This is an easy substitution for the more common interior mounted-dash brake control. You will need a 7-pin connector that has the same light/turns/signal and brake functions. In addition, a 30amp 12v Power lead will be required from the alternator or battery for the unit to draw power.Pros:Flexibility to move across various tow vehicle and trailer solutions.App very simple to use, pretty intuitive once you've setup the initial bluetooth connection.Cons:Has the possibility to wiggle free from either the 7-pin vehicle mount, or from the 7-pin trailer plug.The retainer strap to wrap around the unit/7-pin protective door uses a rubber stretch hole over a round pin type of secure method. The problem I have is that the hard round pin is part of the stretch strap, and does not easily allow the hole to lock to the pin. In my case, the hard pin literally pulled itself from its anchor. I am looking at using a velcro computer cable strap to become the "lock" band. It's plastic, can adjust to a proper length and will grip better than a stretchable rubber pin (YMMV).Overall - this works well enough and is a cheaper solution that doesn't require any mechanical work to use the controller itself.

This thing works perfectly, not sure why there are so many bad reviews. I used this with an iPhone 16Pro w/ iOS 18.3.2 and had ZERO problems connecting to Bluetooth. Also, if you lose connection to Bluetooth, it doesn't matter, the unit will continue to work independently of your phone, so again, not sure why there are so many complaints about that. I also never had an issue with the unit disconnecting after driving around 1,200 miles with this unit. I also bought the Curt Bluetooth Sway Bar Controller and connected both the units together. It's a great system. I installed this on a 2023 BMW X5M. I used a stealth hitch. Had zero problems with the entire system. My trailer is 2025 14x7 dual axle with electric brakes. Again, no issues whatsoever.

Super easy. Works well. The bluetooth reconnects automatically as soon as you return to the vehicle. Easy to adjust the sensitivity and power on the braking.

READ...INSTRUCTIONS...CAREFULLY.If you do, it works amazingly well and you won't have to wire it into your vehicle (obviously) because it's wireless. I was hesitant to rely on a bluetooth connection for my trailer brakes but here's the thing I didn't know; once the unit is set up and properly calibrated to your rig, it doesn't matter if bluetooth is connected or not, the controller remembers all the settings. Personally, I never had a bit of trouble with the app or the signal strength, and my tow vehicle is a large/long GMC cargo van -- lots of distance and sheet metal between my phone and the controller and I don't recall it dropping out ever. On a long trip, I did let my phone battery die once, but (again) the controller doesn't NEED your phone connected, so no trouble.

I'm not sure why there are comments saying this doesn't work. It was super easy if you can read. It works extremely well. I was skeptical at first. But no issues at all and super easy to use app. Works great if you have to switch tow vehicles and one doesn't have a brake controller. Also is great if you don't want to mess with your trucks wiring.