How to Wire a Brake Controller on a 1999 Chevy Suburban K1500

Question:

My 1999 K1500 Suburban is wired for towing with brake connections, but I cant find where I wire in the Brake controller. I cannot find the electronic junction box near the brake pedal. Any ideas?

asked by: Kevin T

Expert Reply:

Your 1999 Chevrolet Suburban will need to be hard wired for installation of a brake controller. The Suburban did not get the wiring update that the pickup did until the 2000 model year, so the Universal Brake Control Wiring Adapter, item # 3025-S, will not work on your Suburban.

You will need to splice the red wire from the back of the brake controller to the wire at the back of the brake pedal switch that carries power only when the brake pedal is pressed. You will also need to wire the brake controller power wire and ground wire to the vehicle battery. A 20 or 30 amp circuit breaker is required inline with the brake controller power wire. If your vehicle has a brake wire that goes back to a 7-Way connector at the rear of the vehicle, you will attach the blue wire from the brake controller to this wire.

If you do not have a 7-Way trailer connector at the rear of your vehicle you will need the Brake Controller 7 & 4 Way Installation Kit , item # ETBC7. We have detailed instructions on line for installing this kit, see link.

If you do not have a working 4-Way connector you will also need the # C55319 wiring harness.

We have a brake controller installation video for a 1993 Suburban that should prove helpful, see link.

expert reply by: Robert G