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Quickly and easily install a 4-way trailer connector on your vehicle with this custom harness. T-connector plugs directly into existing wiring - no cutting or splicing required.
Features:
This custom-fit T-connector plugs into your vehicle's wiring harness, which is located in your rear cargo area, either behind the driver's-side trim panel or in the spare tire compartment.
Once installation is complete, the 4-way connector will be stowed beneath your vehicle, near the trailer hitch. A mounting bracket (sold separately) is recommended to keep the connector secure.
It is recommended that you use a small amount of grease on all electrical connections - the plugs on your automobile and the 4-pole connector itself - to help prevent corrosion.
A tail light converter is built into this T-connector. Because most trailers run on a two-wire system - wherein the brake and turn signals are carried on one wire - the separate brake and turn signals from your vehicle's three-wire system need to be combined so they are compatible with the wiring system of the trailer. This converter combines the brake and turn signal functions of your automobile so that they run on one wire to properly activate your trailer's tail lights. Note: This will not affect how the tail lights on your vehicle operate.
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Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (111 Customer Reviews)
Quickly and easily install a 4-way trailer connector on your vehicle with this custom harness. T-connector plugs directly into existing wiring - no cutting or splicing required.
Hooked into the original wire harness with one connector. Placement of the 4 post connector for the trailer has lots of options depending on the amount of cutting/hole drilling you want to do. I did none of that so the connector and wiring is stored under the weathertech protector.
Friends: When I installed the trailer hitch I did not cut a section out of the heat shield above the muffler. Instead I drilled 5/8” holes where the bolts go through. The shield is already prepunched where it is to be drilled. I used butyl tape around the bolts to seal them and hold the bolts. For the wiring harness, I simply used Velcro to hold the unit to the inside of the spare tire well rather than tape.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek The DYI videos provided by etrailer.com provided a quick and easy how-to. It was literally as easy as watching the video on my computer and going out and installing it in 30 minutes. I also installed Mounting Bracket 4-Pole Flat, Item # 18144 and No-Drill Mount Bracket, Short, Item # 18140 and it looks great.
Wires are shorter than in the picture. You have to drop your exhaust so you can lower hitch to pass wire harness between body and hitch crossbar otherwise wire will be too short. Grommet is WAAAAAY TOOO BIG! So unless you want to grind for an hour and hope you keep the hole round your only option is to cut the wires and drill a hole in the factory grommet. This also solves the problem of needing to drop the hitch. This would have been an easy job if the grommet was the proper size and the wire on the end the grommet is on was 6 inches longer. Luckily I had some stainless self tapping screws to mount it in the spare tire well because it wouldn't go any higher with the short wire
This plugged in and just worked. The wires were not located on my vehicle where it indicated, but they were actually in a better place, making the install even easier.
Jeff C - 09/10/2021It felt a little expensive, but after shopping realized it was the best product in price. It arrived in the mail today along with the hitch that I ordered from the trailer. The instructions were crystal clear, and I installed it in 15 minutes on my 2012 Subaru Forrester. I couldn’t believe how easy it was
I used this wire harness along with the knockout plug adaptor part number 47605 on my 2017 crosstrek. It is very easy to use both on my crosstrek to make a clean look.
This harness works wonderful. The only draw back is that it did not fit on the secure mount that i purchased with it.
A perfect fit, includes all the pieces necessary, and has plenty of extra wire. I used double sided tape to stick my box to the inside of the spare tire compartment, everything is plug and play and it’s ready to go.
Super easy install, used strong tape to hold the converter box in place. The gasket fit well but the tow hitch bar is directly underneath the opening, so the end of the rubber is pushed to the side. I'm not worried about it, I figure the bar will protect that spot from most debris and that the opening is tight enough. If I change my mind I can add some grease or glue to fully plug it. I used the Hopkins Fold-Over Mounting Bracket (HM48595) to hold the 4-way flat in place. I drilled into the plastic of the bumper and used bolts, nylon washers, and locking nuts to hold it in place. Not the strongest point for attachment, but shouldn't be an issue as long as no one ham fists connecting the trailer cable.
This was the easiest hookup ever. Subaru plug pulled relatively easy. Make sure you mount the electrical interface box low enough in the wheel well that it doesn't impede proper placement of the foam insert storage tray. I didn't really need this now but likely will in the future. Costs a little more but install and through wheel well to hitch frame makes it the perfect choice and fit for my 2014 Subaru Outback.
TonyT - 09/11/2018I am only giving this 4 stars because of two issues. We are prepared for these issues when doing installs someone doing their first one may struggle with. The wiring connector plug in on the car did not require near as much interior removal as stated in the instructions ( It can be found without any thing other than the foam spare tire block pulled, and The hole in the body is actuall quite a bit smaller than the rubber seal provided where it exits the body and the hole in the body is to small to fit the four wire connector end to fit through without some modifications. This is not a big deal the harness was the perfect length and is a plug and play harness for the Subaru Crosstrek I would not hesitate to order this part again.
Excellent set up & easy installation, hooked it up on my Crosstrek 2018. Work perfect and looks good installed, hidden and out of the way. Only problem I had was to have the 4 pin plug would not fit into the additional bracket they suggested as a mounting point.
Victoria B - 08/23/2019Worked as advertised. Loved the ease of installation. On line videos much better than written instructions with package. Wish it came with a better mount on the trailer connection (just loops the cover through the safety chain loops), but that is only a cosmetic and subjective issue. I can always buy a separate mount if I want.
Heather A - 07/21/2018The DYI videos provided by etrailer.com helped me to decide on doing this project myself. While the hitch for my 2011 Subaru Forester looked easy enough to install, the thought of how to wire it correctly seemed a challenge. That is, until I watched the video for my EXACT vehicle! It was literally as easy as watching the video on my phone while I did the install myself. Everything was EXACTLY the way the video described. I was able to complete the install in less than 15 minutes from start to finish. Thanks etrailer.com for the assist!
I have a 2011 Subaru Forester. I asked that trailer rental place to install a hitch and trailer wiring. Took them about 3 hours to complete. I finally got around to attaching the trailer to the Forester only to find out that the way they wired it was wrong. I went online - came across this page and searched to see if there was a trailer wiring harness specific to my vehicle and if there was - how easy was it. etrailer's How-to video was dead on in helping me to find the factory trailer wiring hook up (didn’t have to pull the left rear inside panel away as the plug was laying just underneath the foam tire changing tools tray). I had the new harness I got in from etrailer today installed in about 10-15 minutes (maybe less). I plugged in my 4 Pin Flat -> 7 Pin Flat converter that I made myself, plugged in my trailer and my trailer lights came to life. I ripped the trailer rental place's trailer wiring out (seeing that they spliced directly into the tail light assembly) and tossed it.
A well-thought out piece of equipment by Hopkins, and definitely worth the extra money. This was my first harness ever installed. Installed on my 2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i. I watched the video twice, and had no trouble whatsoever. The only thing you will want to measure out is the amount of cable you want in the trunk or under the car. Merely personal preference. I will most likely put some extra cable sleeve around the wires under the car up to the connector for just a little added weatherproof protection. I used the Hopkins Fold-Over Mounting for 4-way Flat Trailer Connector - #HM48595. I installed the harness today, as I write this review; so longevity will be TBD.
Went on just fine. It was a but tricky to fish out the waiting plug from the car's wiring harness from under the driver's side wheel well cover, but it's there.... be sure to route your wires so that the spare tire has clearance around them.
Easy as pie - plug and go.
This is a great product and made the wiring job super simple. The video was excellent, and in particular it explained how to get the various fasteners off to access the needed spaces. One thing to note though, when we did the installation, the video on eTrailer's site showed a 2018 Forester, and my installation was done on my wife's 2019 Forester. The wiring location is actually different between the two. So we ended up removing a couple of panels that turned out to be unnecessary. Since our install though, the etrailer video has been updated with the new 2019 wiring location, which makes the install even easier. Even with the extra panel removal it was a simple job and I recommend this product.
Great product, super well thought out installation hardware, and etrailer video was very helpful, (except a couple items to check for). Two items on the video did not match with what the written instructions/my 2018 Forester required for install. The first difference, the video said a cut out in facia was needed. Thankfully as I dry fir the hitch I thought I had enough clearance as to avoid cutting the rear facia. Checking the paper instructions, no cut out was noted, so perhaps the video needs am update for the 2018 model?? I would have been a bit frosted had I followed the video instructions and cut the facia!! Secondly, video states a 17mm socket needed for the hitch to frame bolts, when as per the written instructions, a 16mm or 11/16ths was the correct size. Otherwise, I couldn't be happier with the experience with etrailer, the install kit, and the hitch. VERY NICE!!! Hopkins no cut wiring kit was great as well
Wiring kit was a simple install watched the video then took my time doing the work 20 minutes later ready to tow. etrailer is my go to source for hitches and wiring kits.
No issues installing the electrical plug. Directions were correct.
This adapter is the nicest one that I’ve ever installed. It was really easy to install and I love how it has the integrated rubber plug to go through the drain hole. We have used it with our lightweight utility trailer and it works perfectly. I definitely recommend it to any one with a Forester.
The Hopkins wiring pkg. for my Subaru had no replaceable fuse in the trailer wiring ; the others I’ve seen have the in line fuse and the other have a redundant ground wire that the installer has to fasten to the vehicle with a self taping screw. Hope I didn’t make a mistake buying this Hopkins product; the other Hopkins wiring and brake units work just fine. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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