Install a 4-way trailer connector on your vehicle without cutting or splicing into your wiring. Zero-contact interface sensors identify the current flowing through each wire by simply clamping onto it. Circuit-protected module is made using SMT.
Features:
Specs:
This revolutionary wiring method makes it fast, easy, and safe to add a 4-way connector to your vehicle so you can power your trailer's lights. Unlike traditional tail light wiring harnesses, which either splice into your vehicle's wiring or plug into designated ports in your factory harness, this system bypasses your vehicle's wiring entirely. Just clamp the intuitive sensors onto the individual wires of your OEM tail light harness and let the ZCI system do the rest.
Zero-Contact Interface Sensors
Each zero-contact interface (ZCI) sensor included with this harness is able to read the current that travels through the wire it is clamped onto. Upon sensing the specific modulation of that wire, a signal can be sent along the wire that connects the sensor to the included 4-way flat trailer connector. That signal is then transmitted through the connector to activate the appropriate function on your trailer lights.
Universal, Worry-Free Design
No Splicing, Cutting, or Connecting to Factory Wiring
Because the ZCI sensors can read the signals sent through your vehicle's wires just by clamping onto them, no cutting or splicing is necessary. The system completely bypasses all of your vehicle's wiring. As a result, your trailer's lights will be powered without overloading your vehicle's electrical system. And there is no chance of damaging feedback either.
When using this ZCI harness, you don't have to worry about voiding your warranty, nor do you need to be concerned about any potentially damaging errors on your part if you're not an experienced do-it-yourselfer. And if you have a vehicle that doesn't allow certain modifications - like a leased car or truck - you can install this harness and remove it later with no obvious alteration to the vehicle.
Maximum Compatibility
This wiring harness is universal. You can use it on any vehicle that operates on a 12V, negative ground system. Because installation is so simple, you can easily remove the unit and transfer it to another car or truck at any time.
In addition, the ZCI sensors are able to read the signals sent by multiplex wiring systems and systems with pulse width modulation (PWM) and low-side-switched wiring, making the harness compatible with nearly all automotive wiring systems. This unit also works with both standard incandescent tail light bulbs and LED bulbs.
Built-In Tail Light Converter
Most trailers run on a 2-wire system - wherein the brake and turn signals are carried on a single wire. Many vehicles, however, are built with separate brake and turn signals. This type of system is referred to as a 3-wire system. If your vehicle operates on a 3-wire system, it will need to be converted so that it will be compatible with the wiring system of your trailer. This is done by adding a tail light converter to your wiring setup to combine the brake and turn signal functions of your automobile so that they run on a single wire to properly activate your trailer's tail lights.
This ZCI unit has a tail light converter built in to ensure proper functioning with any vehicle that operates on a 3-wire system. If your car has a 2-wire system and therefore does not need a converter, don't worry. The method of installing the sensors will take into account the wiring configuration of your vehicle so that only the necessary sensors are used, making sure the appropriate signals are sent back to the 4-way.
Installation
This universal harness connects to your vehicle's tail light wiring harness. To connect, just follow the included instructions. There are 4 ZCI sensors included. Each sensor has a colored label on it. Depending on your application, you will need to connect all or some of these sensors to the factory wires indicated in the instructions.
To get the power necessary to operate, the harness must be connected to a 12V power source. The included installation kit provides the hot lead required to connect this module to your car battery. When all connections have been made, connect the hot lead to the black wire on the ZCI power module and run the other end of the lead up to your car battery. Connect the hot lead to the included fuse holder, and then connect the fuse holder to the positive terminal on your battery. Then insert the included 15-amp fuse into the fuse holder.
Once installation is complete, the 4-way connector will be stowed in an out-of-the-way location either within your cargo area or beneath your vehicle, near the trailer hitch. If you choose to mount the connector near your hitch, a mounting bracket (sold separately) is recommended to keep the connector secure.
It is also recommended that you use a small amount of grease on all electrical connections on the 4-pole connector to help prevent corrosion.
Surface Mount Technology
Each ZCI wiring harness is built using surface-mount technology (SMT). This method of construction involves soldering electronic components directly to the surface of a printed circuit board. SMT eliminates the need for leads, which are used in older through-hole technology. The result is a circuit board that is smaller yet provides more routing area and that offers superior performance, reliability, and durability.
Circuit boards constructed using SMT have been shown to perform better under rough conditions with excessive vibration than those made using the through-hole method. And where would vibration be more likely to occur than in towing applications? SMT components also produce less heat, leading to increased durability and longer life. In addition, lower levels of resistance ensure better performance, especially for parts that operate at higher frequencies.
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (213 Customer Reviews)
Install a 4-way trailer connector on your vehicle without cutting or splicing into your wiring. Zero-contact interface sensors identify the current flowing through each wire by simply clamping onto it. Circuit-protected module is made using SMT.I’m happier than I thought I would be with the results. Even the nifty little 12 V tester work fine. The instructions were more than adequate, there was plenty of wire and everything worked on the first try. 566365
Very well thought out product, no cutting or drilling required to install. The light kit is superb as well, loved the way it attaches to the wires and operates independently of the electrical system. Well done! 501262
Installed in an afternoon, could have been under an hour with model specific instructions. The car ('16 BMW 328iX wagon) has a bulkhead connector through the passenger side rear quarter where all the tail light & other rear end wiring exits. That bundle of wires splits off a larger loom ~6" before the bulkhead, which looks to be the easiest spot to install the current sensors. It's tight access but also less than a foot away from the battery. It's all accessible by just pulling one interior panel, no need to touch the drivers side at all, installation at each taillight location doesn't make sense for this car. Oh yeah - both L & R turn signal wires are black/white, so you have to double check before buttoning things up. The product works perfectly as advertised. My only request would be for a little more streamlined shape to the sensors for tucking into a tight space like mine. 296467
I've towed racing sailboats for many years, mostly with European automobiles. Needed the hitch later this month so I could pick up a "new" one I just bought . This install was the second easiest out of the 6th I've done myself. High quality kit fits great. Even though Curt says the C11701 doesn't work on my 2008 Mercedes E350 4Matic Sedan Sport, I had absolutely no problems. The Tekonsha light converter was a snap too. Certainly lots better than the old days when I had to jury-rig the trailer lighting to match the car. Finally, your service was super. Couldn't be happier. Thanks! 395365
George S - 06/12/2018everything as advertised as it should be. Not advertised was the excellent service and every attempt to get my product to me on a tight time schedule. Above and beyond, but just what I want to do for my clients. Really great service! 328643
johnR - 12/27/2017Installed on 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with no tow package. Install was kind of a P.I.T.A. But worth doing on your own to avoid the stealership. Not too much electrical knowhow required, as the black wire on Jeep tail lights are all ground. Running the power cable was the most difficult part, and required removing the interior rear quarter panel, which I managed to break a plastic clip. Would not recommend this on a Jeep, as there is no simple way to install this on the interior of the vehicle since the tail lights are wired 100% outside of the car. I’d say skip if you are looking into this for a Jeep, and wait for an OEM trailer harness to come out from mopar. 697887
The description of the product is accurate. The info on how to install is straight forward and well illustrated. I don't remember if this purchase had video support but I know other purchases from etrailer did. I've been very satisfied. The fact that this product doesn't violate the wiring should keep my vehicle warranty intact. 366909
Product was simple and straight forward to install on my BMW X6, however, it does have some issues. The lights are inconsistent at best. The lights on my travel trailer sometimes work perfectly and some times not. The issues are that sometimes the lights just go out while traveling down the road and then come back on minutes later or not at all. When the lights won't come back on I have to pull over, turn the car off and then restart. This works to bring the lights back on. Other times the trailer lights just stay on. Turn the car off and the lights just want to stay on. Unplugging them turns them off. So.......they work......sort of. I hope this helps. 463447
Installed it on my 2016 VW TSI Wagon. Installation was fairly easy and I've used it at least a dozen of times now with my trailer and it works flawlessly. I like that this kit did not require taping into existing wiring. Sensor wrap around wires and pick up the signal and separately powered box deals with activating trailer lights. Brilliant! 391803
Well built wiring kit and good instructions. The Land Rover's wiring is tough to get at, but after taking the spare tire out and the fuse block door off I could get at them. One thing the instructions didn't indicate is that the rear lights appear that they have to be plugged before the module will learn them. Tried the first couple times with the connector removed from the light and the module would not work. Removed the fuse, but the tail lights back in and went through the learning process and it worked the first time. 430624
Brian S - 09/10/2018I selected this kit to install in my 2008 BMW X5 because I didn't have to splice into my vehicle's wiring and risk damaging something and it was extremely easy to install. It turned out to be even easier than I originally anticipated. Total install time was about 45 minutes start to finish. And even better, if I ever need to remove the kit from the vehicle, there won't be any trace that anything was ever installed. Difficulty level to install on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 the most difficult is about a 2. Works perfectly as described. Highly recommend over any other trailer wiring kit available. 541233
DougR - 07/13/2019Great product! I was able to install on my BMW X5 in less than an hour, very easy installation. I placed the order with Etrailer and while I awaited its arrival I watch the video associated with the installation. When the item arrived I opened the box verified I had all the required parts and made the installation without reading the instructions. Watching the video is invaluable and well worth the time. Upon completion I hooked to my trailer and it worked flawlessly. If you follow the set up you will have no problems. I liked the fact I had to do know splicing and removal should be simple. I ran my wiring to the hitch so I didn't have it hanging out the back hatch. When I looked online it suggested the removal of the bumper cover. I was able to run mine down behind the bumper and to the hitch with out removing anything. I simple fed it behind the bumper with the tailgate down. It tucked neatly behind the bumper and I zip tied it in place. The unit seems to be well built but is a little pricey in comparison to other units. The benefit of having a universal harness that requires no splicing with easy installation was the difference maker for me. 414075
Unsure about this product. I am always leery of online orders for electronics and here’s why. The product arrived timely, however the box had clearly been opened and the product had been installed (or attempted to be installed previously). The wires were not neatly packed and there was black grease and evidence of the grounding screw having been installed. The harness was zip-tied back together in a rather messy fashion. I am hoping I don’t end up spending my weekend installing a product that is defective. A bit disappointing after all of the other positive reviews. Crossing my fingers 498419
Bought the hitch and wiring harness from etrailer.com last year, and following their excellent video installation instructions, was able to complete the installation in only a couple of hours. (Would take about half that time to do it again, always worried about breaking something!) Everything has worked flawlessly, and we have been completely satisfied with the purchase and support. Will definitely return the next time we're in the market for hitch related products. 515249
The trailer hitch and wiring assembly have worked flawlessly. After calling several local installation outfits and receiving estimates of $2,000+ I decided to install myself. I have a little mechanical experience but this was the first hitch and wiring harness for me. This is my wife's X5 so I was a little nervous about popping rivets and pulling the rear bumper cover off, but eTrailer has excellent step by step video instructions by model year. The order included replacement rivets and detailed instructions. They could not have made this any easier. I really took my time and completed the job in about 5 hours. The final install looks professional and clean. The no-splice wiring harness is amazing - worth every penny. Tools: I was able to easily pop off the existing plastics rivets, and installed the new rivets (included from eTrailer) with pliers pretty easily - you may want to borrow a plastic rivet gun from your local hardware or auto parts store. On the X5 your have to cut a small notch out of the underside of the bumper cover. I happen to have a Dremmel which worked well. You may be able to use a razor blade. The plastic is not that thick. Pictures are attached. Thanks etrailer! 675332
The Tekonsha wiring harness was a bit difficult to install, as the clip-on connections are a somewhat bulky to fit in my Tesla Model 3's tight spaces. The good news is: they work as promised like a charm with our tiny camp trailer's lights. In truth, I have only had to use them once, but cannot imagine that any unforeseen problems would occur with them in the future. 671336
2012 VW GTI (autobahn edition) Installation (DSG) I had some small issues and hiccups along the way, so in order help out since I couldn't seem to find vehicle specific help, here is what I did. I did buy the CURT 4-way flat connector tester (Item #126) first to make my life easier when testing. It helps. Buy it. First - start by removing the cargo floor carpet and pulling down the drivers side wall carpet. I did find it necessary to take the moulding trim off the top portion of where the hatch cover locks in, along with the rear seat belt guide trim so I could run the wires to the battery cleanly. There is a few star bolts holding the trim alongside the rear seats when folded down, so just do a search if can’t find it (one cover has to be popped off) Second - Wiring. This was a little bit of a guess, as I have 3 wires, and my meter didn’t seem to be helpful since they were so small and close together. Here’s what works (drivers side): - “Stop” module clips over the black/red wire - Middle brown wire isn’t used - “Left” turn signal module clips over the green/black wire - Passenger side right turn signal clips over the green/black wire - I screwed the ground right into a side structure panel Running the battery cable was the bigger time suck. - Stated above I had the drivers side rear panel trim and carpet removed, and I continued removing the front/rear drivers floor sill trim. I ran the black wire along the current loom and tucked it under the floor carpet. - I then ran it behind the hood latch and towards the top of the metal foot rest, keeping it behind the carpet - This is where you get to the firewall. There is a piece of foam. Remove it. Now you’ll see a rubber grommet where the clutch pedal would go through if you have a standard. I took that out, drilled a small hole to run the wire through that I attached the wire to a metal hanger to fish up and to the right of the battery box. Fish it up, grab it, and pull it through. - Slide the grommet back into place (your wire would have been already through it) and snap it on. - Make your connection to the battery and follow initiation instructions. 399189
Overall I am very happy with this product. It worked as advertised and wasn’t too hard to figure out. The one thing that would have given this item a 5 star rating would have been better directions. It would have been nice to have everything labeled step by step. For example, step one do this, step two do this. Etc. 661280
When trying to get a trailer hitch and electrical wiring for my 2015 Golf Sportwagen, I was a bit frustrated by the response from VW -- on the one hand they stated in the manual that the vehicle was not designed to tow, but on the other hand they gave specification for a trailer, but the dealer was no help installing either a hitch or harness. So, I got the hitch from Torklift EcoHitch (a GREAT product), and after much searching, the 119250KIT from etrailer for the electrical. I had a service shop install the electrical (VW dealer would not touch it!), and it seemed to work fine for a year. I was a bit troubled by the mounting of the connector outside the car, using the supplied little harness. But, proceeded anyway. We had a pretty rough winter up here in northern UT, and when I went to connect my trailer for spring gardening work, the electrical connector was badly damage, with both corrosion of the contacts and bent contacts I had to straighten to get the thing to work. Message #1: Do NOT mount the connector outside the vehicle! I had the repair shop replace the connector, and when they did, they could not get the lights to work properly. Most important issue: even with the car totally off, when the trailer was plugged in, the left trailer tail light was on, and it ran the battery down! We determined that the problem was likely a fault in the power module. Note that the text on the module clearly states 'Circuit protected'. I am not sure what we did, but it is pretty clear we blew the thing. And, I could not get a replacement without buying the whole kit again. There was no option, either from etrailer, or Tekonsha (manufacturer of the module) to just get a replacement module. I feel a bit stuck, but lessons learned: I am NOT mounting the connector outside again, where it is exposed to road salt in winter, and can corrode, and I will be careful not to cause a short when making the connection. I will reserve final judgement on the 119250KIT for a year or so, if it does not fail again, I will be happy! 390291
The TEKONSHA no contact wiring harness seems to be a very good product. I had it installed by the Hyundai dealer. This was a new product for them so I explained that it is probably the way of the future since it doesn't effect the factory wiring at all. They were also interested in trying it so only charged me for one hour of labor since they were also learning about the product. It has worked as advertised so far. I use it for auxiliary lights on my bike rack. The lights are LED so the draw is minimal. 680002
My mechanic and I have no concern that the product will perform well but there were some significant issues with installation that could be fixed with some careful attention. All wires on the unit are the same color and when the product arrived, all of the wire labels had fallen off. Determining each wires function was a painful and tedious process that took considerable time. That process is beyond the do-it-yourselfer. Also, the wire connection grommets seem to fall away from the wire when engaged. They had to be taped to the wire to prevent disengagement. We were able to work through these issues and the harness works perfectly. Either placing better wire labels or color coding the wires could prevent this problem in the future. As for the grommets, numerous potential fixes could be considered. 525133
This is one of the most easiest kit to install, The instruction diagram is very clear and print really well. I honestly did not follow the instruction diagram because it is very simple and straight forward. Work so great, no wire tapping, cutting, pinching, non none of that. 482391
The non-contact (ZCI) trailer light interface, though expensive at $180-plus, is exactly what my VW Golf Sportwagen needed. With its LED tail light system, the clamp-on sensors are the only thing that works. The only negative is that it took me a couple hours to carefully determine which contact pins are which signals. Then it took another couple hours to carefully route & dress the wiring. Contrary to instructions, I used the 12 v outlet in the rear and avoided fishing a power wire from the battery. It worked just fine! I ended up using the Left Turn Signal, Right Turn Signal, and the Tail Light Signal. The Stop sensor was unused. 567282
I purchased and installed the 119250KIT in my 2016 Lexus RX 350- WITHOUT the factory trailer package. Although Lexus will always tell the consumer it Must have the factory wiring harness, it does not. I did not take pics but this is not a difficult task to accomplish. Be patient and follow these steps, it is about an hour long task. To install the wiring harness, first remove the plastic trim at the bottom of the lift gate, it is held down with plastic fasteners and simply pops off. I strongly suggest going to Harbor Freight and buy their $4 kit of plastic pry bars, rather than risk scratching up the paint on your vehicle. Next remove the deck storage buckets and carpeted pieces to left/right of the spare tire, this will allow you open access to the wiring. I installed the Tekonsha module on the driver's side in very back to left of the spare and on the back of the wheel well. Don't put on the double sided tape yet, this will be done in a later step. Next step is to remove the small plastic (3" x 2") vent on the rear left vertical carpeted wall, it just pops out from the bottom (first), then slide down, and off. Now, carefully remove the left tail light by using a plastic pry (from Harbor Freight) the whole assembly will slide out of the plastic snaps from front to rear. Use a towel when you let it 'hang' against your paint. There is a thin plastic cover piece which is in the lift gate track and covers 2 tail light bolts- which pops out easily. Once the assembly is removed, you will see the turn signals bulb insert has a colored (power) wire and a ground wire (twist this to unlock and allow you to test which wire is hot). The other wires on the assembly go to the running and brake lights- test them in a similar manner to determine which color is running lights and which is brake light. Look through the opening where you removed the 'vent' to see the tail light wires and pull/trace them by color into the back of the vehicle. You will have to slide the tail light wires (carefully 1 at a time) through the black water tight rubber plug to give you some length to clip on the Tekonsha connectors. I connected the Left, Running, and brake light -Teconsha clips all on the left side of the vehicle. Don't wrap the foam around them until they first test ok. All of the arrows on each Tekonsha clip should point toward the (rear) tail lights. A CRITICAL task is to locate a GOOD ground from the Tekonsha module (white wire) in the back of the vehicle. In my Lexus, under the Lift Gate area, I located a steel screw which already had 2 white wires with black stripes and extended the (short) Tekonsha to allow me to use this. Without a GOOD ground, you WILL have problems, waste a lot of time (1 hour plus), and aggravation to troubleshoot problems later. Trust me, I know!! Now that you have completed the wiring on the driver's side, do the same with the passenger side. Here you only need to run the single clip for the turn signal (1 wire). The Tekonsha clip is long enough to run across the lift gate area next to the factory harness. Locate the appropriate right turn signal wire by sliding off the right tail light similar process to the left light you just did. Clip on the Tekonsha clip. Next I tested all of the lights with my trailer. Once all were working, I put the foam wraps on each clip, secured the Tekonsha module using the double sided tape (on rear of wheel well), secured loose wires with zip ties, bundled together- all excess wiring, and secured in the side well. The last task is to run the black power wire from the Tekonsha module up to your battery in the engine compartment. If you are not too large, you can fit under the vehicle- otherwise raise it off the ground (safely) so you can get under the left side to route the wire. First, disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery post! Next, I loosened the 6 bolts which held the black plastic covers (under carriage of RX 350) and ran the wiring from just in front of the LR wheel all the way forward to my battery. Zip tie along the way as necessary, as not to interfere with moving parts. Then from under the vehicle, I ran the remaining wire around the LR wheel and zip tied again as not to allow any pinch points or abrasion (from suspension) of the wire. In the LR quarter panel of inside of vehicle you will see a rectangular brown plastic which will pop out and allow you access to pass wires from the undercarriage to the inside. This is where I ran the power (to battery) and trailer light 4 wire pigtail (to hitch area). Since it is plastic, I cut out a little square in the bottom of it and reinserted this in original place. Next, go to the front of the vehicle and install the fuse holder to the positive side of battery. Reconnect the battery ground and insert the 15 amp fuse provided. Give your system another check and verify the fuse did not blow. Put back the removed panels and pieces- you are all set to tow!! 278814
This harness works great, although it took a lot of repeated tries "learn" the module to my 2018 Audi Q5. My local specialty repair shop was willing to give this ZCI solution a try so they could offer it to future customers. They had done a cut-and-splice harness for a previous customer on the same model but were turning down further requests because they found the re-programming and recalibration of the electronics to be prohibitively complicated and time-consuming; even the AUDI dealers I called were balky and a little vague about the time, effort, cost, and warranty implications. My local guys found the installation easy but could only get it partially working at first. After multiple views of the video and exhaustive attempts to isolate the issue, it finally worked, for no apparent reason, on the 5th or 6th repetition of the "learn" routine. Despite those issues, I recommend this as being worth trying as perhaps the only reasonably-priced path to trailer wiring for this model. 556229
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