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You can stick the control knob to the dashboard, plug in the module, and your brake controller installation is done with no drilling and no hardwiring. The knob is large and easy to use, while the main unit is out of sight behind the dash.
Features:
Specs:
The Spectrum puts control of your trailer's brakes at your fingertips and, with bright LED indicators, you know what your brake controller is doing at a glance.
You can adjust all of your settings using the control knob. To switch between modes, press the control button in the center of the knob. Each mode has its own distinct LED display with several different colors and patterns to eliminate any guesswork as you cycle through.
Output: Braking output is the maximum amount of power that will be applied to your trailer's brakes. How much braking output you need is determined by the weight of your trailer; a heavier trailer will need more power to bring it to a stop. You want to set the braking output as high as you can without locking up the brakes.
Sensitivity: This controls the aggressiveness of your trailer's braking, meaning how quickly the brakes reach the set output level. This is a great adjustment to make when you're towing a heavy load and the trailer will need more umph to bring it to a stop so it doesn't push your vehicle forward. If your vehicle takes too long to come to a stop, increase the setting. If it stops too abruptly, lower the setting. You may also need to adjust the sensitivity based on your own preferences, or when the trailer load or road conditions change.
Manual Override: The Curt Spectrum keeps the manual override within easy reach. The manual override functions as time-based for a slow reduction in trailer braking, great for stopping sway or controlling your trailer's momentum in an emergency. To engage the manual override, just press and hold the button on the control knob. This will activate the trailer's brakes and brake lights without you having to apply the brakes on your tow vehicle, perfect for limiting trailer movement while you're cruising.
The Curt Spectrum comes in 2 pieces: the main unit and the control knob. Because the only part that you need to be able to access is the control knob, the main unit can be mounted out of sight and out of the way. You don't have to worry about banging your knee on a bulky brake controller or interfering with your vehicle's lower airbags.
The dash-mounted control knob can be installed in any convenient spot that's easy for you to see and reach. This can be a blank switch panel, an open spot on your center console, or wherever there's space on your dashboard. The knob sits flush against the dash, so you don't have to worry about finding enough clearance behind the dash. You can use either the included screw to mount the knob, or the adhesive pad for a drill-free installation.
Once you've decided where you want to put the control knob, you'll need to find a good place to install the main unit. Your only restriction is the 4' plug-in cable that has to be able to reach between the main unit and the control knob. Thanks to the 3-axis accelerometer, the main unit can be positioned at any angle or position. No matter how you install it, the unit will sense the direction of travel and its orientation.
If your vehicle already has a plug-in brake controller wiring harness, just connect the main control module to it. Otherwise, you will need to purchase a vehicle-specific wiring harness (sold separately) to plug into. If a harness is unavailable for your vehicle, hardwiring will be necessary.
If you don't already have a 7-way plug at the back of your vehicle, take a look at our exclusive 7- and 4-way brake control installation kit (ETBC7 - sold separately.
Note: If a custom brake control wiring adapter is not available for your vehicle, a 30-amp circuit breaker (sold separately) may be required for installation.
Proportional braking means that your trailer brakes mimic your tow vehicle's brakes. If you slam on the brakes in your vehicle, your trailer brakes will activate with the same intensity; if you brake lightly, your trailer brakes lightly too. The trailer's braking is in proportion to your vehicle's braking. This saves wear and tear on the tires and the brakes on both your vehicle and trailer.
The Spectrum uses an internal 3-axis accelerometer to sense how your vehicle is braking so it can send the right amount of braking power to your trailer. It measures the inertia of your tow vehicle and activates the trailer's brakes to ensure that your trailer slows at the same rate. The result is uniform braking across your towing setup. No push-pull action - just smooth, proportional braking every time.
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Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (340 Customer Reviews)
You can stick the control knob to the dashboard, plug in the module, and your brake controller installation is done with no drilling and no hardwiring. The knob is large and easy to use, while the main unit is out of sight behind the dash.This is my 2nd purchase of Curt spectrum brake control. When installing the first device, I accidentally broke one of the 6 wires (wiring the plug connector to the led display knob). I tried to fix it but it didn't work for long. That's why I had to order a 2nd device. For the installation of the 2nd, I was very meticulous because the 6 wires are very fragile. I succeeded by taking my time and everything works very well. The Curt company would do well to manufacture this device more robustly. For looks, it's ok in my 2019 Honda Passport.
Ceci est mon 2e achat de Curt spectrum brake control. Lors de l'installation du premier appareil, j'ai par accident brisé un des 6 fils (wiring the plug connector to the led display knob). J'ai tenté de le réparer mais il n'a pas fonctionné longtemps. C'est pourquoi j'ai dû commander un 2e appareil. Pour la pose du 2e, j'ai été très minutieux car les 6 fils sont très fragiles. J'ai réussi en prenant mon temps et le tout fonctionne très bien. La compagnie Curt aurait intérêt à fabriquer cet appareil de façon plus robuste. Pour l'apparence ,c'est ok dans mon Honda Passport 2019.
Wife needed a trailer brake controller for her 2019 Suburban and chose this one over a similar Australian one as this looked more sturdy. Controls are simple and easy for the wife to use. Took more time to get the dash apart than it did to install. I also used Curt's vehicle specific pigtail to super-simplify the installation.
Great product, plug and play. Slowest part of install was figuring out how to safely remove the dash panels w/o breaking tabs.
Purchased this for our new travel trailer and we’re not loving it after nearly a year. It’s supposed to be adjustable but it seems it’s too jerky or doesn’t engage enough braking.
Katrina D.
8/10/2024
Can you confirm what the output control is showing? Like, what amount of power you are using on the trailer brakes when they are braking? The knob should be showing red and green lights. The green lighT represents the lowest setting and the red will represent the highest setting. If there is too much output then that could cause that jerking motion. Rotating the knob clockwise will increase the braking output, while going counter-clockwise will decrease the braking output. If adjusting that doesn't help, then we can look into the sensitivity setting. Let me know what you are seeing and if this helps.
Perfect for installation in my 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Control knob installs perfectly on the center console.
worked great first 300miles then randomly applies trailer brakes to lock trailer brakes several times over next 100 miles at 40-55mph, the drain on car electrical dimmed headlights and dash lights. had to shift to neutral, shut off ignition and re-start on middle of freeway to release ebrakes and resume driving. have not used since completing first trip as severe health issue has kept me bedridden since then.
Install was with adapter to factory wiring harness with vehicle specific adapter cable, so no splicing or cuatom cutting wires, just plig & play.
After knocking my knee into my brake control for the last 20 years with the new GMC Savana I wanted something a little different. Technology has moved trailer brakes forward quite a bit and Etrailer has an immense amount of information!
I original looked at the Tekonsha Prodigy RF Wireless Trailer Brake Controller but it would take up a valuable power outlet with the control unit but it's kind of trailer specific as the control mounts to the trailer you never know when you might have to tow another trailer and was leery of the control wandering around the console, Next up was the Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller but did not like the control mounting options. Then ran across the Tuson DirecLink Lite Trailer Brake Controller crazy amounts of technology in this unit but again concerns over the remote so after lots of head scratching the Curt Spectrum seemed like the best choice. Easy install very small control box mounted easily with the included double stick tape under the dash. I moved my traction control button to the left where a blank filler was you have to cut a little piece of it off to get it into the hole as the are "keyed" to specific locations I guess but worked perfectly! I left enough slack in the connection so I can simply disconnect the harness if I am not towing for awhile as the blue indicator lights come on every time you hit the brake if its disconnected. Just installed it so I will send an update after our first trip with the new rig but I'm thinking it will work as described. Thanks again etrailer fast shipping great information!!!!
Bob F.
1/13/2020
It has worked out great, I have over 4,000 miles of towing with it highly recommend it!!
Love the unit when it works. Unfortunately it stops working about every couple hours on a long drive and you need to unplug the trailer and reset. Had one unit replaced under warranty and new one does the exact same thing.
Gwendolyn Y.
10/21/2024
Hey David. That doesn't sound ideal at all. I do have a few questions for you; When it does disconnect, does the knob have an indicator light at all, if so, what color is it and does it flash or stay a solid light? I know this is super trivial but I just want to cover all bases, are there any loose pins in your 7-way that makes the plug easy to plug-in or remove (this is a very common issues)? Have you noticed any issues with the trailer lights? Some things to check on the vehicle would be to use a simple circuit tester, like part # PTW2993, to test the plug on the vehicle side. Just to make sure there is proper 12v coming out of it. A weak signal could cause it to disconnect over time. lastly, check the fuse box and make sure all the fuses used for trailering are okay. They may say trailer or TLR on the panel.
I knew I wanted to have something like this due to the look, function and size. The package was small. Installed pretty easily with minimal headaches. I just watched the videos online to see how others did it and how to steer away from making damaging mistakes. The booklet was also very helpful to make everything fit as it should while putting the steps in order.
As I pull a trailer 90% of the time, I wanted something to have the easy manipulation for the brakes yet have an aesthetically pleasing look. This does just that. Brakes on one setting. Adjustable on two other settings. Very quick.
Although I did have to play with the settings to make sure it wasn’t jerking me in my seat every time I pushed the brake pedal, after a day, smooth sailing.
I do recommend you seriously think about this brake controller. Ease of install and the application is perfect.
Evan
11/10/2020
Wonderful! It has been a great tool!
2019 Honda Ridgeline RTL AWD—
The Curt Spectrum C51170 controller and harness C51392 was exactly as I had read it would be! All connections hooked up as described and all connectors fit! The knob works as described but I have yet to hook up trailer to get response from the accelerometer! I’m sure the quality shown it will work fine! Only problem I had was access under the dash. Thanks Bill and etrailer! Pictures attached!
George
5/27/2020
I really haven’t used it much after install except to test with empty car trailer. It worked well. Three or four people I have showed it to have been impressed! Thanks
Works great. (Better than any standard brake controller ive used in the past) Easy plug and play operation
I chose to not drill into my dash rather just ran the cord up by the steering column
The compact remote control knob feature is a good plus for this product. Installation was really easy with the interface harness on the second generation Tacoma. I haven't had a lot of towing time with it but can offer the following insight.
The control lights are easy to use and adjust. They appear to be dimmed with pulse width modulation so if your eyes are sensitive to it you might look at one before you buy. Hopefully they can go PWM-free at some point. The "white" color lamps appear as a mix of flashing red green and blue. Indicator lights are plenty bright in the daytime but the lowest dim setting is too bright. Perhaps this was done to minimize the PWM flashing at the dim setting. I had to locate the knob in the shadow of the steering wheel to keep the light out of my eyes at night.
I've also noticed a single artifact light on many occasions after brake release (see pictures). So far the lamp color has been red, green, and blue however I have not yet seen a "white" one. One of these lights often come up in random positions on the dial. This lamp will continue to burn after I get out of the truck, and won't go out until I press the brake pedal again or push the knob. If I push the knob the output or sensitivity adjustment mode arc comes up briefly and it goes out after a bit (as it's supposed to). OEM brake control harness and grounding were sound with typical resistances around a milliohm or less.
This controller is a considerable parasitic draw on the battery even with the lamps out and the ignition switch off. This could be an issue particularly if an artifact light is not noticed and the truck sits for more than a week(which mine sometimes does). A depleted battery made me look into this with a Fluke ammeter. You might consider pulling the fuse if the truck will sit or hook up a trickle charger.
I tried to make contact with the manufacturer to see if they had any free convection requirements for air flow around the main module (air cooling at 100% duty cycle), and to understand what is going on with the controller and if there was something that could be done to fix the lights, perhaps a firmware update or something but never got any replies. The folks at etrailer maintained good communication and were excellent to work with but I don't feel the manufacturer is willing to support their product. This could be an excellent product if they can address these issues.
I bought this because I wanted a factory look. This was easy to install and looks great. You have to learn what the different colors and settings do but it’s not that difficult. Overall I am very happy with this brake controller.
Doug
4/26/2021
I have thousands of miles on the trailer now. The brake controller has worked flawlessly. I have towed cars, ATVs and loads of lumber just set the controller for the load and it does the rest. Excellent product.
I ordered the Curt Spectrum trailer brake controller after much research. I was looking for a brake controller with a clean looking install (I didn't want an underdash mount) for my 2020 Chevy Blazer. My Blazer had the tow package from the factory which made the install fairly easy. All the wiring for a brake controller is there behind the driver side kick panels. The Curt Spectrum once installed and adjusted works flawlessly. Just follow the enclosed instructions to adjust the Spectrum for the load you are hauling. I could not be any more pleased with the way this product works and highly recommend the Curt Spectrum brake for your auxiliary braking needs.
Installation was straightforward, controls the trailer brakes well, control knob works well and looks appropriate on the dash. I’ve had no trouble with the controller - works great.
I was looking for a simple, clean looking, brake controller to add to my 2008 Dodge Ram with the OEM 7 pin. The Curt Spectrum fit the bill perfectly! With the supplied adapter harness, I had the controller installed in minutes. I had no idea it would be this easy. Thanks ETrailer!
I really like the finished look of this controller after it is installed (see before and after pictures attached)! I also like being able to finely tune it to my need using the power output and sensitivity adjustments. I do have a minor issue with connecting a trailer to my 2020 Jeep Gladiator, though. If I connect the trailer while the engine is running, the electronic stability control and engine start/stop services on the truck disable themselves. Turning the ignition all the way off an on again resolves the issue, as does having the engine off when I connect the trailer. Aside from that minor inconvenience, this controller works admirably and I would buy it for other vehicles.
Installing was simple with the adapter for factory wiring. The most difficult part was identifying the location for the knob and taking the dash apart to install it properly. The finished appearance is clean and the only visible aspect of the entire system is the control knob.
With the sensitivity and power controls on mid-level, the trailer tires were skidding on quick stops. Tuning the settings to have less sensitivity and less power quickly corrected that issue. I am quite happy with this controller!
This controller is a really good concept but kind of challenging to get dialed in correctly for each load. When braking in a straight line it performs as expected but when braking while turning or on bumpy roads it often times surges the brakes making them lock up.
I have been using this product for 1 year and am now figuring out ways to work around the surges. Best way I've found is to keep the sensitivity on high and only adjust the power setting.
The 4 star rating on this product is for how small and sleek the adjustment knob is vs standard brake controllers installed In the dash it feels almost factory.
Install took about 5 -10 minutes
Overall I am happy with this purchace
it's just not quite as user friendly as I'd hoped.
I chose this controller as the main module fits out of sight and does not have to be aligned or leveled. I attached it to the parking brake bracket on our Pilot. The LED rotary control knob fits nicely on the dash and after inserting the cable through a small hole in the dash, connecting the plug was simple with the pins that were attached to the cable. What was confusing was the instructions do not mention there are two base plates - one for adhesive mounting to the dash and the other for drill mounting (what I did). I tried to snap the rotary knob into the base plate I mounted, but it would not fit. I found out that the rotary knob actually comes with the adhesive mount already attached and you have to use a small screw driver to pry it off so you can use the other base plate. Luckily Curt has an installation video on their web site that showed removing the adhesive plate. I generally do not start taking apart precision gear without some hint of what should be done. Curt also has a custom cable that plugs into this unit and the port on my Pilot.
When I get our trailer I will be able to review the performance of this controller.
Worked well in my Infiniti 2017 QX60 but install was not that easy.
First unlike other etrailer products, I could not find an install video for my car. For other Infiniti owners out there, the brake controller connector is located along the wiring harness connected to the OBD connector. You cannot see it as it is lightly taped up, you just need to feel for it and pull it down. Secondly it is *capped*. The cap looks very much like the plug itself so don't be confused. Remove the cap and you can install. Make sure you get the right Curt adapter for your car.
Secondly the install requires the user to insert the crimped controller wires into a connector for control module. There are videos on how to do this however it did not go as easy as shown. Maybe I had a defective part, but there is clearly only one way to insert the wires but I had to insert with significant force to get them in all the way.
Once installed the unit worked fine with my 3,800lb RV trailer. A few nits: Occasionally the control knob will leave as one of its lights on after the car is turned off. Its happens occasionally and can be reset by pushing the brakes again but seems like a bug? Also the knob will *always* light up if you press the brakes even if you do not have a trailer attached. There is no way to turn this feature off and can be kinda annoying if you do not tow that much.
Overall, works as advertised and like how it can be tucked away, but wish the install was better explained for my vehicle and didn't bother if there was no trailer attached.
Great product. Easy install in under 45 minutes to integrate into factory OEM harness. 2017 Land Ro er Discovery Sport with factory trailer tow package will be plug and play with this controller, and Curt custom wiring Adapter C51322. The factory brake controller integration harness is directly behind the OBDII connector on the driver’s side. Everything else is in place. Note: your factory OEM tow connection MUST be dealer activated in your vehicle. Without that activation, the body controller will not pass power to the brake module.
There is ample space inside the dash on the left side, behind the left knee bolster to place the control module in a securable and protected location. This requires only 3 easy to remove panels, and 2 screws to reach. If oriented properly, the DIP switches are accessible in future by removing the dash side panel (zero tools required).
There are multiple locations for the control knob. The look and style of the control knob fits perfectly with the design of the interior. Love the ability to use a drill or no-drill installation method.
We haul our Forrest River travel trailer with this vehicle and previously used a time-based controller that “fought” with the vehicle’s integrated trailer stability control and anti-sway detection. This controller has solved this issue and gives complete control while integrating seamlessly with factory stability systems.
Even with the output or sensitivity at high levels, this system still works perfectly with the vehicle trailer stability control. This was a vast improvement over our old time-based controller.
Great function and fantastic look. For a non-OEM product, this truly does have an OEM look, function and ease of installation. Curt did a great job with this.
My only nit is that both Curt and etrailer do not recognize the factory connection adapter harness as an option on the Discovery Sport. TIP: If you select the Land Rover Evoque (shares the same platform as the Discovery Sport) the options become correct for your Discovery Sport as far as factory adapter harnesses.
Super fast delivery. Would be better if drop-ship items included an actual tracking number instead of only the user login web based tracking option. The web based tracking required logging in to monitor for delivery times. Some kind of automated text or email shipping updates for drop-ship items would make a great buying experience into a fantastic one.
Everything installed great. The overall look of the knob if excellent. The direct plug in to the Ford OEM brake plug is excellent. Have not towed anything yet.
P.S.: The screw-in base with well nut - which is the more secure option (not the adhesive option) for the knob... the screw prevents the knob from seating perfectly square... the base bottoms out just slightly on the screw. It does click in, the screw is a very flat pan head... perhaps there is a flatter screw or the there is more space in the knob undercarriage, but another 1/16" of space probably gets it just right. If the seating gets weird (i.e in cold weather may shrink cause plastic to contract slightly and lose seating, I can always use a machine screw and nut washer to clean it up... plenty of space to access the fastener from mounting place. 2008 Ford Expedition.
Honda Ridgeline 2019 Install
Plan to tow an RPOD 195 Travel Trailer as soon as I pick it up
Simple Installation
Didn't need to remove dash to install, as free space behind this location.
Knob on lower left of Dash.
Module Tie Wrapped to the Parking Brake Bracket under the Dash.
Used the C51392 Wiring adapter to connect the Brake Controller to the Truck.
Pictures of Dash Install only.
Haven't functionally tested yet as I am waiting on Delivery of the Trailer.
Good design, easy install. I made some slight mods to the cover plate. Item works great with my truck.
I've had the brake controller in use for over a year in my 2012 Nissan Frontier. The install was easy and took about an hour. My truck is a 2WD model so I mounted the controller in the plug that is used to select between 2WD and 4WD on vehicles equipped with 4WD. So the install look like factory.
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Henri G.
10/16/2023
Après un an dusage, je trouve ce produit difficile à ajuster selon le poids chargé dans la remorque. Le processus est compliqué et je dois me référer au livre dinstruction. Pas pratique.