Parts Needed for Setting up a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 For a Trailer with Electric Brakes

Expert Reply:

If your 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 came with a 7-Way trailer connector from the factory it is pre-wired for a brake controller. If this is the case, all you would need is a brake controller and the wiring harness to plug the controller into the port under the dash. Our most popular brake controller is the Tekonsha Prodigy. It is a pretty easy controller to use and is quite effective. Part # 90185-3020P is the Tekonsha Prodigy and the proper wiring harness for a 2003 Ram with factory 7-Way. The whole set up would be plug and play in this case, no hardwiring involved.

If you have a factory 4-Way connector at the rear of the truck, you will use the same brake controller and harness, but you will have to add a 7-Way, part # 37185, to the rear of the truck. This will involved a bit of hardwiring.

If you do not have a factory 7-Way or 4-Way connector at the rear bumper of the truck, you will need some more parts and will need to do some hardwiring. You can still use the Prodigy, but you will not have a brake controller port so you will have to hardwire the brake controller. In this case you would order part # 90185 for the Prodigy without the custom harness. It includes a basic harness for hard wiring. You would also need 7-Way kit, part # ETBC7. This kit includes a 7-Way and all the wiring components you would need to get the truck set up for towing a trailer with brakes. You will also need a 4-Way harness to build off of. You would use part # 20251 and hardwire to the tail light circuits or if it has the tow package you could use part # 42145.

I have included some links to videos of brake controller installs on Dodge trucks. The first is on a 2005 Durango with a tow package. This would be the first scenario I outlined. I have included another video on a 1999 Dodge Ram that is related to the third scenario. If your truck fits in the second, write back and I can walk you through the process.

expert reply by: Patrick B