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Relay works with your tow bar wiring system to ensure that your towed vehicle's turn signal lights flash in tandem with your RV's lights.
Features:
The purpose of a brake light relay kit is to prevent your towed car's brake signal from overriding the turn signal that comes from your RV. When your towed vehicle is properly wired and connected to your RV, its indicator lights will illuminate as you engage the turn signals in your RV. However, if you have only a four-diode system in place, the turn signal will be overridden by your towed car's brake signal as soon as your supplemental braking system presses the towed car's brake pedal. As a result, drivers behind you know only that you're slowing down and not that you are turning.
Installing a brake light relay in your towed vehicle fixes this problem by ensuring that your car's brake signal does not override the RV's turn signal. Therefore, your towed car's lights will function in accordance with your RV at all times.
Is a Relay Required?
To determine if a brake light relay is needed to properly wire your vehicle to be towed, answer the following questions.
Are you using a supplemental braking system that depresses the brake pedal in your towed car?
No - You do not need a brake light relay.
Yes - You may need a brake light relay. Continue on to the next question.
Do the brake lights on your towed car illuminate while the engine is off?
No - You do not need a brake light relay.
Yes - You may need a brake light relay. Continue on to the next question.
Do your towed car's brake lights act as both the brake signals and the turn signals?
No - You may need a brake light relay. Continue on to the next question.
Yes - Your towed car has a combined lighting system. You will need a brake light relay to ensure proper activation of its signal lights.
Does your towed car have separate brake lights and turn signals?
No - Your towed car has a combined lighting system. You will need a brake light relay.
Yes - Your towed car has a separate lighting system. You may need a brake light relay. Continue on to the next question.
Are you wiring your vehicle with a six-diode kit or a TowDaddy custom wiring harness?
No - You will need a brake light relay to ensure proper activation of your towed car's signal lights.
Yes - You do not need a brake light relay.
Most towed cars require the normally open installation method. Ford and Lincoln models with neutral tow kits and most automobiles that have a push-button start function will require the normally closed installation.
Normally Open
The diagram and steps shown below demonstrate the installation for normally open applications. Be sure to follow the instructions included with your relay kit for a more detailed process.
Normally Closed
The diagram and steps shown below demonstrate the installation for normally closed applications. If you have a Ford or Lincoln that has a neutral tow kit or if your car has a push-button start feature that will not start the engine when the brake fuse is removed, then you need to perform a normally closed installation. Be sure to follow the instructions included with your relay kit for a more detailed process. Normally closed operations may require additional connectors and length of wire that are not included with this kit.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (497 Customer Reviews)
Relay works with your tow bar wiring system to ensure that your towed vehicle's turn signal lights flash in tandem with your RV's lights.
The proportional breaking never worked right and on our last trip the system kept cutting out until it quit working all together. I was in the southern US and had to drive back to Canada without the aid of the breaking system. i tried to check it out and fix it but was unable to get continuous power to the brake buddy.
Evidently Roadmaster had made some slight alterations from the depiction, for the better. The fuse wiring was a spade end with two fuse holders built in. The holder closest to the spades was for the original circuit and the other for the new circuit. This was very handy. I had watched the installation video and thought it would be fairly easy; therefore I attached the terminals to the green, black, and white wires before even going to the CR-V.
I did however purchase different spade connectors as I thought I may want to remove the brake relay switch in the future for another vehicle should I trade. Also the yellow connector is quite large and the video showed bending the wire over itself so that it would hold on the smaller wires. This was a wise decision.
What was the problem was the wiring in my CR-V. The video showed similar size wiring from the brake switch. What I found was smaller wire, loomed very close to the brake switch. Evidently Honda had made some modifications. I believe the wire was 22 gauge and there was no real way the blue or yellow connectors would have worked. That said, after disconnecting from the switch, stripping the loom back to get some exposed wiring, cutting and using the 22-16 gauge connectors, drilling a hole for the ground screw, etc. the switch worked perfectly.
I did vary the fuse location from the 7.5 Amp #29 Occupant Detection System (ODS) to the 15 Amp #28 Washer as I figured it would less likely interfere with any operation.
The brake light relay kit has worked well for a full year now!
Simple installation, perfect compatibility with other braking components.
Would highly recommend this product!
Installing on 2020 Jeep Trailhawk :
Pic #0557 : Roadmaster Base Plate Kit , Demco Supplemental Braking System , Diode Wiring Kit , Demco Battery Charge Wire Kit
Pic # 0548 ,0551 , 0559 Had to adjust the bracket plate to line up with the upper bolt holes
Pic #6028 finished install , mounted the operating unit to the top fuse box cover using automotive Velcro . Air cylinder , controller and LED light installed . Aside from the base plate bracket not lining up with the upper bolt holes I would give it 4 stars . My son in law is a master at solving mechanical issues .
Exactly as described - all parts included to install the brake light relay.
I used this on a 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser, so I could flat tow it behind an Motorhome. Easy to install!
I have successfully completed the installation of the following items that I purchased from etrailer:
> Nighthawk RM-676 tow bar
> RM-524458-5 base plate
> DEMCO Stay in play DM86VR
> RM-152 diode wiring kit
> RM-156-25 charge wire kit
> RM-88400 brake switch relay kit
I work slow but methodically. I had no issues other than the high degree of difficulty for a 68 y/o man working alone. This project exceeds the abilities of someone NOT mechanically inclined. There is also the need for some specialty tools. I found that feeding the wiring through the dash, firewall, and underbody was more difficult than installing the front baseplate. Overall, I am satisfied with the function of this installation. I am glad I did it myself rather than having it done.
Tow vehicle: 2021 Entegra Emblem 36U
Towed vehicle: 2018 Ford Fusion Platinum Energi
Jeffrey
11/19/2022
The performance of this tow bar and associated hardware has been outstanding! Service and warranty follow up service from Roadmaster has also been outstanding! I am very satisfied with my purchase.
We tow a 2022 Ford Escape behind our Winnebago motorhome. This wiring kit did the job for us. Everything working great!
Works as advertised. Install instructions easy to follow.
It was a little tricky to install but easy to adjust the switch setting for precise response to brake pedal movements. Instructions were easy to follow follow and accurate.
This system has been great. I use it to tow my Jeep behind a Ford Transit van and it has worked flawlessly for the last year. The only thing I have had to replace was the plug in adapter in the front ($40 part), that wore from some tough winter weather we went through. It is easy to use. it takes us less than 5 minutes to completely set up our tow vehicle.
Good kit. Includes everything you need. Good instructions. Continues to work perfectly after one year and many towing sessions.
Needed this for my F150 flat towing
Fairly easy to install, especially with the aid of the etrailer videos, and it works great on my 2016 Wrangler
Hans
4/17/2023
After a year it still works great.
Works great, but you need to be a contortionist to get behind the brake pedal to access the wires to cut this in.
Our tow kit has been exceptional. No problems. Easy to attach. No complaints.
Did not use. I ordered the wrong system and returned.
Michael
9/9/2023
Dont know. I returned it.
Mike L.
11/1/2023
Installer did not get this installed correctly. Figuring out if it was needed or not was an ordeal. Lost of conflicting information in the product description and on website. It was needed and doesn’t work correctly, but I don’t think it’s the products fault. Make sure you get a competent installer.
Excellent product. Delivered on time, all my questions were answered. Great company I would recommend to anyone.
I used this relay along with a separate switch to turn on Firestone air suspension compressor. Remember always use electric grease on connections. Thank you etrailer. God bless. Jesus saves.
Thank you for including the fuse.
Oh my! Testing for that brake light. I finally found a tool where one person could handle testing and then pressing on the brake pedal a normal probe DC tester was impossible for me to use. Be ready to do some under the dash yoga poses!
The parts for this don't quite match the video, once again look at the diagram to verify. But once installed it worked for the tests (don't forget to ground), now to get rolling.
When ordering this spend the extra money on a Hook Probe Circuit Tester Item # PTW2993
Easy to install. Easy to remove. Tows great. No problems at all. Pulling with our Thor Palozzo.
Kenneth
6/28/2023
No problem
Outstanding product and even better customer service! Two backyard mechanics installed baseplate and braking system with just one call to confirm proper wire connection. Total package works great.
I haven't installed this & won't get to it till the end of February. Do you have a video outlining this installation?
Brooke M.
1/23/2023
We do! At the top of the product page, below the pictures, you will see the multiple install videos we have posted to help our neighbors, like you!
Had no problems on installation expecially watching the video
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Richard
10/24/2018
Working great with no problems.