[DRanger]

Well now things got a lot more interesting.

My fuse box did have a blown fuse. The blown fuse was one labeled 'radio' and it was actually blown before the breakaway switch event. I just didn't pay it any attention because it didn't bother me not to have the radio.

Turns out I should have paid it some attention after all. Here is where things stand:

I thought maybe the power to the radio and the brake lines were one and the same and so I thought to replace the radio fuse. As soon as the fuse made contact at both terminals I got a bright spark.

There was also a lit-up led next to the fuse. I was assuming all along that the LED meant that the fuse was blown, but now I am wondering whether it means there is a fault in the circuit. I measured the voltage across the two terminals and it was reading 10v.

Anyways, after scratching my head a while i pulled the radio and disconnected it. The red LED light on the distribution board immediately went dark and voltage across the terminals went to 0. I was also able to replace the fuse while the radio was disconnected without any issue. I am now measuring 12v at one of the two breakaway lines.

In short ... there's a short in the radio!

However, even now that I am reading 12v on one of the two breakaway wires, I still don't hear anything happening at the brakes when I connect the two lines. So ... still need to dig in further there.

Kinda feeling like warranty service is ... warranted ... now.