To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
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 go as high as you can without the trailer brakes locking up.
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 manual override activates just the brakes of your trailer, great for stopping sway or controlling its momentum in an emergency. To engage the manual override, press and hold the button on the control knob.
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.
The included custom-fit adapter plugs into the port on your vehicle's built-in brake control wiring harness, which you'll find underneath the dash, to the left of the steering column, taped to another harness near the emergency brake pedal. Once you're plugged into the factory port, just plug the other end of the adapter into the main unit. No hardwiring needed!
Note: 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 controller installation kit (ETBC7 - sold separately).
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.
Alternate Instructions
California residents: click here
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today on our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee we'll be installing the CURT Venturer brake controller, part number C51110. We're going to be installing this in conjunction with the direct fit wiring harness or adapter, part number C51446. Now to begin our install we're first going to take the direct fit pigtail with the matching plug and plug directly into the manufacturer's brake controller tow port. Once we click and lock it in place we can go ahead and route the pigtail. Keep in mind to stay away from any moving components such as the gas, brake, or parking brake pedal. Once I have it routed into position, simply use a zip tie to secure it as necessary. To be in position you'll route it near where you're going to mount your brake controller.
Also, once I secure the wiring harness I'm going to go ahead and cut off the excess from the zip ties to clean up the install look. Now with the brake controller pigtail installed we're ready to mount the brake controller bracket. Our bracket and hardware are supplied with the install kit. Using the hardware we'll go ahead and secure the bracket here to the bottom of the dash. Now once we have the bracket mounted we can bring in the brake controller and secure it here to the pre-drilled holes in the side. I'll first go ahead and get them started hand tight and then run them down. Now once we have our brake controller mounted and secured we can take the pigtail coming from the back of the brake controller and our direct fit wiring harness, plug the two together.
Then we'll take the remaining portion of the wiring and tuck it up underneath the dash securing it. Now once we have our brake controller installed and secured we'll go ahead and test our new brake controller. We plug in a trailer with trailer braking. It will provide a load on the trailer brake controller and we can press on the brake pedal. You'll see our display light up, indicating we're supplying power to the trailer braking. We also have a manual slide here on our brake controller that will allows us to apply power to the trailer brake without pressing on the brake pedal. Couples additional features of our trailer brake controller is the manual slide here at the top of the brake controller to adjust the power being sent to the trailer braking so we can adjust it for lighter or heavier loads.
Now for increased power going to the trailer braking, you moving in the manual slide here behind the attachment point on the driver side forward will increase the power and speed at which the trailer brakes will be applied. By moving it back we'll get a slower, smoother application of the trailer braking. There you have it for the install and setup of the CURT Venturer brake controller, part number C5110, on our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. .
Martha was excellent to work with!
A wonderful customer experience. Worked with professionals who guided me in selecting the correct product. Thank You!
Brittany was professional and patient not to mention helpful.
Excellent service
Great shopping experience and quick del ivery.
Only ised a short time and it worked as advertised.
Small form factor works great
Installation was easy, really liked the tape option to try out different placements before drilling for a permanent mount.
Extremely easy to install. Works great!
Install was a breeze because of the vehicle specific pigtail, etrailer's customer service is excellent and the information on installation helped me locate my plug
They were very helpful on the phone to make sure i purchased the correct setup for my truck. I received it that week and installed it over the weekend. So far it is out performing the previous brake that was installed.
This was plug and play very easy to install. Anyone can do it.
Installation was very easy, this controller is the smoothest brake controller I've ever used. Brake applications are seamless, you can't even feel them. Extremely good choice, and I've had some really high dollar controllers in the past.
I purchased a brake controller for my 2025 Passport. It was very easy to install and works perfectly.
Do you have a question about this Trailer Brake Controller?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer.com we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.