Question Was Asked By - Philip C

Brake Controller Installation on 2001 Toyota Sequoia

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Brake Controller Installation: Starting from Scratch

Question:

This SUV has never been used for towing and now I want to use it to tow a pop up camper about 4000 pounds in weight. The SUV came prewired with a 4 pin factory installed wiring harness. This would all be OK but for the fact that this wiring does NOT include the wiring necessary for the electrical brake connection which is necessary to provide synchronized braking power to the trailer wheels. The question is what should I do : 1. Is there some 4pin to 7pin adapter that may save the day : if so end of problem 2. should I run an additional similar wiring harness from the battery to the back of the SUV thru the firewall etc just to enable the trailer braking ? 3. OR should I totally replace the existing 4pin harness with the latest 7pin harness that provides for both brake lighting and braking ? Please provide the recommended kit along with your solution. Thanks.

asked by: Philip C

Expert Reply:

In order for the brakes on your pop up trailer to function, you will need to install a brake controller.
I would recommend a proportional brake controller, such as the Tekonsha Prodigy, part # 90185. A proportional controller will determine how quickly the tow vehicle is braking, and provide the proper voltage to the trailer brakes so that both vehicles stop at the same rate.
To install the controller, we offer a Brake Controller Installation Kit, part # ETBC7 which includes an adapter which will convert your 4-way connector to a 7-way. The Install Kit contains everything else you will need to complete your installation.
The 7-way has three additional wires that you would need to connect. The black wire, which is used to provide 12 volt accessory power to the trailer would run to the positive battery terminal by way of a 40 amp Circuit Breaker that is included with the kit. The purple wire is typically used when the trailer has reverse lights. If this circuit is needed, it would tap into the reverse light circuit on the tow vehicle which is accessible behind the taillight assembly. The blue wire would run to the passenger compartment, and connect to the blue brake output wire on the brake controller. Once the controller is mounted under the dash following the manufacturers instructions, the red controller wire would attach to the brake stoplight switch located at the top of the brake pedal. The switch can have several wires coming out of it, you will need to use a circuit tester such as part # 40376 and probe the wires exiting the switch until you locate the wire that only shows current when the brake pedal is pressed. Once the correct wire is located, tap that red brake controller wire into it. The black wire on the controller provides power to the brake controller. This wire would need to run to the positive battery terminal, using the proper circuit breaker (20 or 30 amp, depending on which brake controller you use). The necessary breaker is also included with the kit. The white brake controller wire provides the ground connection, and would run to the negative battery terminal.

expert reply by: Mike L

Products Referenced in This Question

Circuit Tester Kit