Plug-N-Tow (R) Vehicle Wiring Harness
(53 reviews)
Price: $20.96
Plug-N-Tow (R) Vehicle Wiring Harness
Item # 40455
Retail:$32.59
Our Price: $20.96
You Save: 36%
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- All Info
- Reviews (53)
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Hopkins Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring - 40455
- Custom Fit
- Trailer Hitch Wiring
- 4 Flat
- No Converter
- Hopkins
Plug-N-Tow (R) Wiring Connectors provide a no-hassle, quick and easy way to wire your vehicle.
- Each vehicle specific connector is pre-wired and uses original OEM connectors for watertight protection, a guaranteed fit, and a great look
- No cutting or taping
- 16 gauge wire
- 4-Pole connector includes dust cap
- Easy to follow instructions with pictures are included
Can be used with 5-pole, 6-pole or 7-pole adapters.
Install: Connection point is located behind the bumper near the driver's side tail light. The 4-pole trailer connector will be stowed underneath the vehicle close to the trailer hitch. A mounting bracket is recommended.
Please Note:Vehicles using this wiring may need to see a local Ford or Mazda dealer for a relay. The relay is needed to activate the tow package wiring circuit.
Tech Tip: It is always a good idea to apply a small amount of grease to all electrical connections to help prevent corrosion.
11140455 Plug-N-Tow (R) Vehicle Wiring Harness
Replaces 40455
This Product Fits The Following Vehicles
- 2005 - 2007 Ford Escape with factory Tow Package
- 2005 - 2007 Mercury Mariner with factory Tow Package
- 2005 - 2006 Mazda Tribute with factory Tow Package
California residents: click here
Customer Satisfaction Score:
94% were satisfied with this product
6% of customers were not satisfied
- Wrong item was ordered
- Alternate product found
- etrailer mistake
Customer Reviews
Plug-N-Tow (R) Vehicle Wiring Harness - 40455
Average Customer Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (53 Customer Reviews)
by: Eric10/21/2022
Excellent service but doesn't fit my 2007 not the fault of etrailer my escape is not set up for it. My 2007 Ford escape does not have any extra places for relays in the kitchen and the few spot number one for trailer brakes will not accept fuse
by: Randall 05/15/2023
2005 Ford Escape
Exactly what I needed, plug right into my 2005 Ford escape and all at a fair price.
by: Randall04/01/2019
2010 Mercury Mariner
Perfect Fit for my 2006 Mercury Mariner 4X4 Premier. My truck did not come with the hitch installed but it did have the tow package. In most cases if you buy the high end model they come with everything. Check your fuse box inside the truck if you have fuse #1 installed you have a tow package and it will work. install time about 3 minutes. Testing time 3 minutes. Done in 6 minutes. Hooked up my Boat and off to the lake in less than 10 minutes. Super fast shipping it actually showed up a day early!
by: Larry12/19/2017
2006 Ford Escape
This wiring harness is only usable if your Ford Escape has fuse #23 (40 amp) in the under hood fusebox AND fuse #1 (15 amp) in the interior fusebox. If there is no terminal in the fuse panel for fuse #1 this wiring harness cannot be used. The seller's product description states that a relay may need to be purchased from the Ford or Mercury dealer. This is NOT true. If the towing package was not included from the factory originally this harness is useless. This information should be made clear in the product information so potential buyers don't waste their time and money.
Heather A.
12/22/2017
Larry,Some Ford Escapes come with the plug at the back of the vehicle but the wiring may not be completed for the towing package. The best way to find out if your vehicle has a complete towing package is to call your dealership and give them the VIN number. You also may need to have relays to activate the tow package if you have spots in the fuse box for these relays. If you do not have spots for these relays you may not have the complete towing package.
by: Bill Priest10/02/2017
2005 Mazda Tribute
The adapter works very well and has been installed on the vehicle for more than a year.
This adapter only works if the vehicle is already factory wired for trailer towing. My vehicle was not factory wired so I also purchased and installed a trailer towing kit. Upon completion of the modification, the vehicle and trailer brake lights, turn signals and running lights all worked as advertised.
by: Nathan H.03/02/2011
2005 Ford Escape
I ordered this part for my 2005 Ford Escape. Although, the vehicle does have the wiring for this harness it does not work due to the fact that Ford decided not to make it an active plug. Do not waste your time buying this for any Ford Escape, since it will not work unless you buy a 50 relay switch from Ford directly. The relay is a pain to replace since it is located in the dashboard. Take my word for it. I did my research and everyone has the same complaint about that wiring harness. Bad news is, most Ford mechanics are not even aware of this problem and have no idea how to fix it.
Patrick B.
11/21/2012
This harness is listed in our FitGuide as working for models with the Tow Package from the factory. If the Escape did not come with a tow package from the factory, then this harness will not work. Most vehicles that do not have a factory hitch, also do not have the tow package, though the port may still be there.
by: Perfect fit!08/01/2017
2005 Ford Escape
2005 Ford Escape XLT. Plugged into to factory wiring harness behind driver's side rear bumper.
Ray K.
8/1/2018
Great!
by: Justin N.11/07/2014
2005 Mazda Tribute
My Mazda Tribute had the towing light connection underneath the bumper so it was an easy install. What it did not have is wired power to the connection. If you look at the fuse panel there is no fuse for trailer lights and there is no way to put a fuse in that slot. So be warned before buying this look to see if you have or can put in a trailer light fuse
by: Ronald 09/16/2022
Good instructions and product worked fi ne.
by: June06/22/2018
2005 Ford Escape
The product we ordered came in just a few days, packaged so that it could not be damaged in shipping. Although the item ordered fits the lighting pigtail on our 2005 Ford Escape, we are not getting any power to the new unit we purchased. We apparently need a fuse slot in our fuse block to make it work, as our car did not originally come with a tow package.
by: George B.06/19/2017
2012 Ford Escape
Needed a new trailer connector for my Ford Escape because my original connector was corroded from 12 years of New England winters. etrailer provided a very competitive price. The ordering process was very easy. A couple of emails informing me of the status of my order was great. The item arrived quickly, was packaged very well to prevent damage.
by: Jess 09/02/2022
The harness was a perfect fit .
by: Otto P06/19/2017
2007 Ford Escape
It plugged right into the factory plug and with the old clips just like original. The only problem was it did not fit where the original flat plug was held but not a deal breaker happy to have trailering lights again.
by: Pat M07/31/2017
2005 Mazda Tribute
Perfect fit but will not work unless your Tribute has tow package installed, just because wire connector is their behind bumper does not mean it is active.Total waste of money in my case! They should explain how to test connector ahead of time to verify that this product will work on your car.
by: Mike09/03/2014
2005 Ford Escape
Product seems fine but it needs to be noted in the product description that this item ONLY works if you have a factory trailer towing package installed in a 2005 Ford Escape. If not... the receptical for this product has NO POWER GOING TO IT.
by: Joe G06/20/2017
Ford
Finally found the part we needed after trying looking everywhere!! Perfect fit for my vehicle. Just put it on and we were good to go!! Now we can tow our rowboat to the lake with my little Ford Escape
Joe G.
6/20/2018
Great. Excellent product. Would purchase again
by: Jim06/19/2019
2005 Ford Escape
The OEM trailer pigtail (40455) for the factory installed tow package in my 2005 Ford Escape was a perfect match.
Quality seems to be ok as well.
by: Jack M10/24/2019
2004 Ford Freestar
I bought this because the plug looks like the plug on my 2004 Ford Freestar. Unfortunately it was not a match. My mistake. Looks like a well made harness though.
by: Duane E.10/21/2014
2005 Ford Escape
Excellent service it was good way to put trailer lights on my 2005 ford Escape
by: Ron W.04/20/2015
Product arrived well within the time promised. Product was exactly what was represented, and came with installation instructions. I installed the product without any difficulty.
Ron
by: Dennis05/08/2018
2005 Ford Escape
The wiring harness was exactly what I needed. Thanks so much!
by: Christopher 01/09/2021
2005 Ford Escape
Ordered a hitch & harness for my 2005 Ford Escape. Great service, affordable pricing and fast delivery!
by: Stan H05/17/2015
2006 Ford Escape
Simply plug and go. Easy installation , very happy with product. Highly recommend.
by: Tobby01/02/2021
works great, installation was simple... ......
by: Gerald03/14/2018
Once again thank you for a great product with lighting fast shipping A+
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Show More Reviews
See what our Experts say about this Hopkins Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
- Only Running Lights on Trailer Work After Installing Hopkins Wiring Harness on 2007 Mercury MarinerVehicles using trailer wiring harness # 40455 may need to see a local Ford or Mazda dealer for a relay. The relay is needed to activate the tow package wiring circuit. It sounds like your 2007 Mercury Mariner is missing that relay. Also check to make sure that the trailer side connector is clean and free of corrosion because that can cause lights to not work.
view full answer... - Recommended Trailer Wiring Harness for 2005 Ford Escape It sounds like your 2005 Ford Escape features the factory towing package that simply needs to be activated. For a vehicle wiring harness that is confirmed to fit your vehicle that has the tow package, I recommend the Hopkins Plug-N-Tow # 40455. If the connector you found on the vehicle looks like the one in the picture I have attached, you can be sure that this is the correct harness. In order to then activate the tow package wiring circuit, you may need to simply visit a local Ford dealer...
view full answer...
- Trailer Wiring for 2005 Ford Escape without Towing PackageIf your 2005 Ford Escape does not have the towing package then the trailer wiring harness you need is the part # 118426 which installs easily by plugging inline with the taillight connectors of the vehicle. If you can handle a hitch install this won't be hard at all! I attached an install video that would walk you through the install too.
view full answer... - Trailer Wiring Parts for a 2006 Ford EscapeTrailers, in essence, directly connect to the vehicle wiring. If your Escape was not built with a tow package from the factory, it will not have the necessary converter that combines brake light and turn signal lights on the same circuit. The 2006 Escape has amber turn signals and red brake light, whereas a trailer will have one red light that does both. If your Escape does have a tow package, you would use connector part # 40455. The converter is wired into the vehicle. If you do not...
view full answer... - Which Fuse of 2005 Mazda Tribute with Tow Package for Activating CircuitsFrom customers we've learned that the fuse slot number 1 is the one associated with activating the factory trailer wiring circuits of your 2005 Mazda Tribute when installing wiring like # 40455.
view full answer... - Recommended Trailer Wiring Harness For 2005 Ford Escape Without Factory Tow PackageIt sounds like your Escape is not equipped with the Tow Package even though the connector is still there. The correct wiring harness you need for your Escape is the T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness, part # 118426. This harness will plug into the back of your taillights and the hot lead wire must be run to the positive battery post at the front of the vehicle to power the trailer lights. This harness has a Modulite which protects the tow vehicle from any electrical shorts or any wiring problems.
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Plug-N-Tow Wiring Harness Part on 2005 Ford EscapeThis harness is listed in our FitGuide as working for models with the Tow Package from the factory. If your Escape did not come with a tow package from the factory this harness will not work. Most vehicles that do not have a factory hitch, also do not have the tow package, though the port may still be there. If your Escape is not equipped with the Tow Package, your best bet would be to use the T-1 Vehicle Wiring Harness, part # 118426. This harness would plug inline behind the tail light...
view full answer... - How To Get Power To The Factory Tow Wiring Harness On A 2006 Ford EscapeYou might want to make sure that your 2006 Ford Escape has the factory tow package. If the vehicle did not come with a factory tow package the connector might still be there but the wiring may not be completed to the front of the vehicle. You might call the Ford dealer and if you give them your VIN number they should be able to tell you if you have the factory tow package and if you will need any additional fuses or relays in the fuse block to activate the tow package. If you do not have...
view full answer... - Trailer Wiring Harnesses for a 2006 Ford EscapeHopkins trailer wiring harness # 40455 is designed to fit a 2006 Ford Escape that came with the factory tow package. If you are not sure how your Escape is equipped a Ford dealer should be able to look up the VIN and tell you what options it has. The other option is to use wiring harness # 118426 which plugs in line with the vehicle tail light wiring and can be used on an Escape with or without the factory tow package.
view full answer... - No Power Going to 4-Way Trailer Connector on Hopkins Wiring Harness 40455 on 2007 Ford EscapeThe wiring harness # 40455 is designed for the 2007 Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner with a factory tow package. Some tow packages need more fuses and/or relays to function or wiring that runs from the front of the vehicle back to the port. If your vehicle did not come with a factory tow package, this harness will not work. Adding a fuse is a step in the right direction, but additional fuses, relays, or wiring may be needed to make it fully functional. If you look through the owners manual...
view full answer... - Installation of Plug-N-Tow Vehicle Wiring Harness on 2005 ford Escape With Tow PackageIf your vehicle has the tow package then the Plug-N-Tow (TM) Vehicle Wiring Harness, item # 40455, should be the correct part for your vehicle. If you have a connector in the proper place that usually indicates that there is a tow package setup on the vehicle. I spoke with my contact at Hopkins and can not find any information on a different plug on any of the Ford Escape vehicles. Be sure that you have removed the protective cap when testing for power to the factory connector. Since you...
view full answer... - No Contacts in Fuse Box Relay Location When Installing Trailer Wiring Harness in 2012 Ford EscapeJust about all the Ford Escapes of that model year are equipped with the connector right behind the bumper on the driver's side, but unless the vehicle was actually equipped with the tow package, the wiring won't be ran to the fuse box and there won't be contacts in the appropriate fuse/relay locations, as you've found. So, you'll need to use the Tekonsha # 118551 wiring harness. The installation is a bit more involved, but not terrible as you'll see if you watch the installation video...
view full answer... - How to Determine if a 2006 Mercury Mariner Has a Factory Tow PackageThe best way to find out if your 2006 Mercury Mariner has a factory tow package is to have the dealership run the VIN number of your vehicle. They will be able to tell you all the installed factory options the vehicle has. If you are trying to decide if the Hopkins Wiring Harness, part # 40455, will fit your Mariner, there is another way that might help you determine if you have the factory tow package. You can look at the rear of the vehicle for the tow package connector that would be...
view full answer... - Trailer Wiring Options for a 2011 Ford EscapeIt is possible that the relays and fuses where not installed on your 2011 Ford Escape, even if it has the tow package. It is not uncommon for this to occur, but in order for the Draw-Tite Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring, # 118251, to work, the tow package relays and fuses will need to be installed. In order to determine if your Escape came with the tow package, the best way is to have the dealership run the VIN number. They will be able to tell you all the installed factory options the vehicle...
view full answer... - Trailer Wiring Recommendation for 2006 Mazda Tribute That Doesn't Require Finding Relay LocationWhile I have a much easier trailer wiring solution than the # 40455 that you referenced for your 2006 Mazda Tribute there is a good chance you'd have to have a relay installed behind the dash board of your vehicle to have the circuits active for this kit to work. Since most of our customers have come back and stated that finding the relay was a headache the much better option is to go with a harness that installs by plugging inline with the taillight circuits of the vehicle. For that I...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Plug-N-Tow Wiring Harness Part # 40455 on 2006 Ford EscapeMy guess is that your Escape was not equipped with the Tow Package from the factory. The plug for the Hoppy wiring harness will be present behind the bumper, but unless the Escape has the tow package it will NOT be active. To activate, a relay will need to be placed into the wiring block located behind the dash. From what I understand, the relay would need to be obtained from your Ford Dealer. If your Escape is not equipped with the Tow Package, your best bet would be to use the T-1 Vehicle...
view full answer... - Which Wiring Harness Fits a 2005 Ford Escape?The plug you have pictured will actually not be the one for a wiring harness on your 2005 Ford Escape. If the vehicle was indeed pre-wired from Ford, there will be a connection point located behind the bumper near the driver's side tail light. It is pretty well hidden and can be a bit of a pain to get to, so you will have to feel around to find it. It is typically capped off as well, so that will need to be removed. I included an install video we did of the Hopkins # 40455 being installed...
view full answer...
- Trailer Wiring Harness for 2005 Ford EscapeThe # 40455 will only work if your vehicle is equipped with the factory equipped tow package. If the plug is present, it can be found on the drivers side of the vehicle, between the tow hook and the bumper as shown in the video I have linked you to. The plug is difficult to see once a hitch is installed, it is pinned to a bracket up behind the bumper. The connector is white in color, and will need to be pulled away from the bracket in order to access it. If you do not have the plug shown...
view full answer... - Recommended Trailer Wiring Harness for a 2005 Ford Escape Without a Factory Tow PackageI would actually recommend Tow Ready wiring harness # 118426, as it pulls power directly from the vehicle battery instead of from the tail light circuit. This protects the wiring on your 2005 Ford Escape from overload. Since this wiring harness is custom fit for your vehicle, the installation is fairly uncomplicated. You would simply need to access the back side of your tail lights by pulling out the housing from the outside, unplug the factory connector, and plug the # 118426 harness...
view full answer... - Factory Trailer Wiring Harness Does Not Work on a 2008 Ford EscapeIf your 2008 came with the factory tow package but not the relays then the dealer should furnish those and maybe just charge labor to install them. But that is up to the dealer. Using a replacement harness # 118251 would not help because you would still need the relays and any fuses to make it active, just like on the factory harness. The other option is to install a wiring harness for models that do not have the factory tow package, # 118551. It plugs in line with the vehicle tail light...
view full answer... - Ford Trailer Wiring For Non-Tow Package Connection on a 2006 Ford EscapeThe Hopkins Plug-N-Tow Vehicle Wiring Harness # 40455 is a quick connection to the factory wiring already present in your 2006 Ford Escape. If you don't have the factory tow package, you will need to add a relay into the wiring block located behind the dash from what I've gathered. I reached out to Hopkins and they said that wiring harness is for vehicles that already have that relay so Ford would need to tell you that relay part number for your vehicle. For the non-tow package (no...
view full answer... - What are the Custom Vehicle Trailer Wiring Options for a 2007 Ford EscapeThe Hopkins Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring, # 40455, will fit your 2007 Ford Escape if it has a factory installed tow package. If you are not sure, look for the connector behind the bumper near the drivers side taillight. The factory tow packet is already wired properly so you will not need to add any fuses, converters, or relays. If you cannot find the connector there, or anywhere else, chances are you do not have the factory tow package. If there is a connector, you should check to make sure...
view full answer... - Brake and Turn Signals are not Working when I Connect the # 40455 Harness to my 2007 Ford EscapeYou will want to make sure that your 2007 Ford Escape has the factory tow package. If the vehicle did not come with a factory tow package the connector should still be there but the wiring may not be completed to the front of the vehicle. You might call the Ford dealer and if you give them your VIN number they should be able to tell you if you have the factory tow package and if you will need any additional fuses or relays in the fuse block to activate the tow package. If you do not have...
view full answer... - Wiring Harness for a 2005 Ford Escape With a Factory Tow PackageI have just the thing that you are needing so that you can have a 4-Way wiring harness on the back of your 2005 Ford Escape with a factory tow package. Hopkins has a Plug-N-Tow Wiring Harness, part # 40455, which will just plug right into the connector that you found at the rear of your Escape. This will provide you with a 4-Way wiring harness which will give you the basic light functions for your trailer. I have included an installation video on a 2005 Ford Escape for you to view as well. To...
view full answer...
Do you have a question about this Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring?
Info for this part was:
Expert Research:
Mike L
Expert Research:
Robert G
Expert Research:
Michael H
Expert Research:
Jeff D
Expert Research:
Jameson C
Expert Research:
Jeffrey L
Installed by:
Cole B
Updated by:
Wilson B
Updated by:
Alexander C
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Randy B.
4/3/2020
Still working Flawlessly