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  1. Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
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  4. 1997
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FITS 1997 Ford Escort
Hopkins Tail Light Converter with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector

Hopkins Tail Light Converter with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector

Item # HM48925
Retail:$40.33
Our Price: $24.26
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Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
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1997 Ford Escort

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Call etrailer.com at 1-800-940-8924 for expert service. We are your Ford custom fit vehicle wiring experts, and offer a great price. etrailer.com carries a complete line of Hopkins products for your Ford Escort 1997. Hopkins Tail Light Converter with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector part HM48925 from Hopkins can be ordered online at etrailer.com. Complete custom fit vehicle wiring installation instructions and technical support.
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1997 Ford Escort - Hopkins Tail Light Converter with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector

  • 4 Flat
  • Trailer Hitch Wiring
  • Hopkins
  • Converter

This tail light converter with a 72" 4-way flat harness converts your Ford Escort's lighting system to match your trailer's. Designed for Ford Escorts that have amber turn signals. Installation hardware sold separately.


Features:

  • Provides a 4-way flat trailer connector at the back of your vehicle to power your trailer's signal lights
    • Compatible with 5-pole, 6-pole, and 7-pole adapters (sold separately)
  • Ensures that your vehicle's wiring matches that of your trailer
  • Designed with safety in mind
    • Guards against electrical shorts and mis-wire situations
  • Splices into your vehicle's wiring
    • Color-coded wires clearly labeled in 3 languages - high contrast for easy reading
    • Wire connectors sold separately
  • Includes durable, molded-rubber, female output socket with protective dust cover


Specs:

  • Application: vehicles with 3-wire electrical systems
  • 4-Way harness length: 72"
  • Ground wire length: 36"
  • Splice-in wire length:
    • Brown, red, yellow: 12"
    • Green: 72"
  • Max amperage:
    • Turn lights and brake lights: 2.1 amps per circuit
    • Tail lights: 2.1 amps per circuit
  • Wire gauge: 14
  • 90-Day limited warranty


Do I Need a Tail Light Converter?

Difference between 2 wire systems and 3 wire systems

Some vehicles operate on a 3-wire system, wherein the brake signal and the turn signals run on separate wires to illuminate different lights. (Typically, these vehicles have amber turn signals.) But most trailers run on a 2-wire system, which means the brake and turn signals travel along a single wire. You'll notice that, on your trailer, the brake light will flash for the turn signals.


If your vehicle operates on a 3-wire system, it will need to be converted so it will be compatible with the wiring system of your trailer. This is where a tail light converter comes into play. This converter lets you combine the brake and turn signal functions of your vehicle so they run on a single wire to properly activate your trailer's tail lights.


Converter Wiring Configuration

Wire Color Wire Function
Green Right turn
Brown Tail lights and parking lights
Red Brakes
White Ground
Yellow Left turn


Tail Light Converter Installation

To begin the installation, use a circuit tester (sold separately) to double-check the function of each wire on your vehicle's tail light wiring harness. The color/function of the splice-in wires on this converter may not match the color/function of those on your vehicle, so you'll want to be sure to check all of the wire functions first. Once you've figured out the functions of your vehicle's wiring, use quick-splice or butt connectors (sold separately) to connect the corresponding wires on the trailer connector.


Use double-sided tape to stick the converter box to a flat surface inside your vehicle near the tail lights. It's helpful to clean the surface first so the tape can adhere fully.


How to find a grounding point

Find a raw, unpainted metal surface to use as a grounding point and secure the white ground wire with a self-tapping screw (sold separately). Cleaning the surface prior to securing the white wire will ensure the converter is fully grounded. Finally, secure the converter wires to your vehicle using cable ties (sold separately).


Quick Tips:

  • Butt connectors - especially heat-shrink ones - provide the most secure, longest-lasting connection, so we'd recommend you grab a few for this installation.
  • Use a circuit tester on the plug terminals once the harness is installed to make sure everything's working. There's nothing worse than figuring out that you have a bad ground or a faulty connection right before you're about to hit the road.
  • Be sure to put a little bit of dielectric grease on the 4-way plug to protect the terminals from dirt, grime, and corrosion.


48925 Hopkins Ford Escort Wiring Harness with Ford Escort End 4-Pole Connector and Tail Light Converter - 6' Long

Installation Details HM48925 Installation instructions

California residents: click here


Customer Satisfaction Score:


Customer Reviews

Hopkins Tail Light Converter with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector - HM48925

Average Customer Rating:  4.7 out of 5 stars   (110 Customer Reviews)

This tail light converter with a 72" 4-way flat harness converts your vehicle's lighting system to match your trailer's. Designed for vehicles that have amber turn signals. Installation hardware sold separately.

by:

Works with L E D lights

Jason

9/9/2023

Everything worked after I patched it into my car. Not exactly plug and play but it works. Have a meter available.

Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

11/2/2023

@Jason Yes, the Hopkins # HM48925 is a universal-fit trailer wiring harness that will need to be tapped into the vehicle's taillight wiring.


by:

Outstanding! Solved my motorcycle to trailer wiring nightmare easily. My hats off to Sheila for finding a great solution. My old Gold Wing now can safely tow our equally old Bushtec, which we also updated with new LED lights from etrailer.



by:

This Hopkins light converter works great, is small and simple. I used it to create a converter cable from a Euro 13-pin plug to a US 4-pin flat plug. Works great and is small enough to keep the cable compact.



by:

Still works great



by:
Saturn Relay

Installed easily. Wire colors were not the same as my car, but it wasn't hard to figure out what hooked to what. I would have given 5 stars had the four required tap connectors been included with the harness. Trailer lights and flashers worked just fine on the first attempt - didn't even need to change the turn signal relay to prevent high speed flashing.

Jemecad

8/4/2017

Fine and dandy!



by:
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle

This kit was just what I needed for my situation. With the variety of vehicle light combinations, and various power requirements, trailer connections can get complicated. But etrailer seems to have exactly what is needed in each situation.
Once you choose the correct Hopkins kit, ordering is easy, and shipment is quick.

Nm_bob

3/28/2019

The unit is still performing flawlessly. I highly recommend where this particular unit is suitable.



by:

Not only was I pleased with the speed and efficient manner this was shipped, but due to age had a company install this unit for me. They wanted to know where I got unit for this old of an automobile and we're glad that everything they needed was right there to be installed. In this day and age it's nice to deal with such professional companies like etrailer.com....



by:

Perfect product, perfect for the job I needed

Les C.

4/29/2023

Was the perfect choice



by:
2002 Volkswagen Eurovan

I bought this for my 2002 Eurovan to wire up some safety lights for my hitch bike rack, and it was exactly what I needed! I appreciate that eTrailer has reasonable prices, unlike some VW van specialty sites.



by:
2006 Honda Element

Installed on a 2006 Honda Element. Found an etrailer video on youtube to help me with the wiring and everything was perfect. The device installed behind my left tail light, and I had to use a butt splice connector and some extra wire to lengthen the wire to reach the right turn signal. Even those steps were spelled out in the video.

Great website and support. Would order again from etrailer.



by:
2004 Ford Escape

etrailer provided me with a great experience ordering a trailer hitch, a wiring kit and accessories at a competitive price. I found their web site is easy to use for finding all the components I needed to purchase and they delivered them when promised.



by:
2015 Volkswagen Jetta

Not worth the money. It does do the job, but u're better off searching for one that has the splicing connectors for the same or less .

Etrailer Expert

Sierra K.

5/18/2022

We do not have any quick connects for your 2001 VW Jetta Sedan TDI unfortunately.



by:

It wired up nice and easy. It’s very compact the instructions are very clear. Great customer service. Though it was a bitch to figure out which wires deadwood on my particular cars taillights, I had to test each wire to figure out what its function was in order to hook the correct wires together. A lot of people on YouTube were using quick splice Connectors, I soldered all of my connections. I recommend doing that



by:
2004 Volkswagen Golf

The wiring harness works perfectly on my 2004 VW golf TDI. Not sure why I needed the electronic controller for my car, but this is what was recommended, and it works.



by:
2000 Buick Park Avenue

Product was exactly as described. Only thing that i encountered different than the instructions listed ,, Stated match wiring color to color. Well it is hard to connect green to green for right turn signal when there is NO green
wire for my right turn signal. It is actually tan. So color codes don't always match. The product works great and is used to supply power to my Jazzy hauler. Does what i purchased it for. Very happy with the product and excellent service from etrailer.



by:
2001 Nissan Xterra

Just what I wanted. The right part every time. Thanks etrailer.com

Scott D.

6/13/2018

Just fine, no problems.



by:

Ease of installation, good directions, works perfect from start, would get one again in future.

Tom S.

6/26/2020

all in good working order



by:

Installed fairly easy. Fit was exact. The carriage bolts for this frame need to be an inch shorter. Would have been nice to include a splice kit for the electrical. Installer should have adequate mechanical ability. Good product. Arrived promptly. Would shop here again.



by:

etrailer is the real deal. The hitch and inverter package I purchased is high quality. heavy duty and built to last. Shipping was free and speedy during this time of so many slow downs.
I would definitely recommend to others. Thnx!



by:
2016 Toyota Tacoma

Converter replaced the original U-Haul unit that was installed with new hitch when my 2001 Toyota Tacoma was just purchased. I guess the old unit had an internal failure as the RH brake light quit working on my trailers. The new one works as it should and I hope to get another 16 years or so from it



by:

Took all of 40 minutes to install and wire up. My suggestion is to make sure to have a deep well 3/4 inch socket and an impact. It will save a bunch of time. Also get quick splices for easy wiring of your harness. Other than that pretty east stuff.



by:
2005 Toyota Echo

Very good company to deal with. This tail light converter kit works really good on my toyota echo,also at a very good price.Thanks.



by:

Easy install. Great service.



by:

I verified the signals coming from my motorcycle and the colors didn't match up to the standards but doing that and using solder pellet shrink connectors made it a neat and easy install.



by:
2002 Nissan Xterra

You have the right part and ship fast.I now am able to get my wiring done for trailer lights. Thanks


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Info for this part was:

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