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Quickly and easily install a 4-way trailer connector on your Toyota RAV4 with this custom harness. T-connector plugs directly into existing wiring. Powered converter reduces strain on wiring system and is made using SMT to ensure superior performance.
Features:
Specs:
Installation
This custom-fit T-connector plugs into your vehicle's wiring harness, which is located behind the driver's-side and passenger's-side tail lights. You will have to remove your rear scuff panel and trim panels to access this harness. Once you've plugged in the T-connector, run the hot lead up to your car battery. Connect the lead to the included fuse holder, and then connect the fuse holder to the positive terminal on your battery.
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. This converter is a circuit-protected, battery-powered unit that bypasses the electrical routes that are used by a basic wiring harness. As a result, there is virtually no draw on your tail light circuits.
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.
Curt builds each tail light converter 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? Curt converters 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.
Each Curt circuit board is made using high-quality components that are pieced together in the most technologically savvy fashion, leading to greater predictability and reliability in functioning.
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This is an excellent harness. Don’t buy anything else. I have accidentally burned out the diodes in three other brands. This one seems to have a reset ability if wires accidentally get touched together. I love this unit.
I recently purchased a class III Curt hitch, mount, ball, wiring harness and hitch pin for my 2011 Toyota Rav 4. The installation was as described, straight forward and easy. The instructions were easy read and matched the vehicle I have. Everything fit together exactly with no modification needed. Shipping was directly to my door. The unit was undamaged and everything was shipped all in the same box. I have used my hitch several times, and although I an new to towing, I look forward to years of use. I did have to make a quiet clamp for the banging mount with an empty trainer, but from what I understand, this is common to all hitched.
I won't be installing until warmer weather so can't know how the fit will be.The hitch is solid with no damage from shipping.The wiring is by Curt, so I don't forsee any problems.E trailer does provide a comprehensive guide as to the location for the connections which is very helpful. Customer service was courteous and friendly.
Instructions "SUCK" Couplers not even clove to my vehicle.... Will never buy from you guys again... Frustrated...
The hitch fit perfect. I blocked the hitch into position with some wood and bolted it on. Wiring harness took a bit longer but no big deal. How to video is good.
Installation went well, a bit tough routing the battery wire but hey I'm not sixty anymore
Great instructions the video really helped.
Worked out nicely !
Hard to install on a RAV4 but not the fault of the product
I really liked the "t-connection" feature of this wire harness. I have installed other trailer harnesses in the past and slicing-in wires can be a real PITA. Running the black power line from the battery to the power converter box was the part of the job that took the longest. It would have taken me a quarter of the time if I had the luxury of using a lift but I didn't. I had to work on the ground with the front wheels on ramps to route the front half of the line, then bring the front down and drive the rear wheels up onto the ramps to complete the back half of the car. In hindsight, if I had to do it again I would consider throwing the guy at my local gas station a few bucks to get the black power line in position, then complete the wiring hook-up myself at home.
The one thing I found EXTREMELY annoying about this kit was the amount of wire provided from the power converter box to the passenger side taillight. I don't think it would kill Curt's bottom line to provide like 4 more inches of wire there. As it is, when the passenger taillight is connected, there is so little free play that you are forced to just stick the converter with the adhesive pad where it sits behind the panel instead of being able to place it nicely and neatly out of the way on the inner fender panel. I would have given 5 stars if not for this unnecessarily irritating feature which is clearly an effort to save a few pennies; there is plenty of space behind those panels for excess wire (if there was any)!!!
Matthew M. 
10/12/2017
Same
Everything fit properly on my 2012 RAV4. I do have two complaints that might apply to rookie mechanics/installers.
(1) I didn't realize I had to run a "hot" wire all the way from the rear to the battery. An eTrailers video I found showed this wire being run underneath the vehicle, but I didn't like this approach. I ran the wire internally underneath a variety of trim pieces with existing wiring. A few areas were a bit tough (pinch points), but I was able to manipulate the wire properly with a little work.
I wish one of the kits would have come with a built-in rubber plug so as to better seal the trailer attachment cable as it moved from inside to outside the vehicle. I was able to modify the existing rubber stopper/plug along with the addition of some non-silicon exterior grade sealant to feel more comfortable with the water resistance.
Kevin H.
10/11/2021
All is still working after 1 year, although I have only used it a few times in a year. The cap on the wiring attachment broke where it is attached to the wire, but I just stuck it on the exposed attachment.
Received in 3 days UPS. Installation on 2010 Toyota Rav4 was as described by etrailer. Used the Curt Connector kit #C56165.
Toyota bolts are M12 x 1.25, and a day of soaking with Liquid Wrench probably helped in making their removal fairly easy. Yet significant thread rust required a re-tread tap and/or plug tap. The 1.25 thread pitch seems favored by Toyota, but other M12 pitches, 1.50 & 1.75 can fool you. Pretty sure I found the careful used of the plug tap to be most effective. The M12, 1.25 bolts provided were used, but were one metric Socket size smaller than Toyota originals.
Howard
8/16/2019
After one year, no problems. Recommend product.
The Curt T-Connector wiring harness with 4-pole trailer connector C56165 works great. Installation was not too difficult, although as several reviewers have noted the wire lengths are very close. This makes the installation a little more difficult than it should be. After installation the harness did not immediately function but the installation instructions and issue descriptions on the web site helped solve the problem which was a poor ground on the trailer.
Hwh
4/8/2018
After a year the Curt T-Connector wiring harness with 4-pole trailer connector C56165 has been working great with no problems or issues.
I am very satisfied with the Curt custom fit wiring harness I purchased. Installation was simple and easy to accomplish. I have referred several of my friends that are looking to install trailer hitches to check out etrailer.com before spending 2 to 3 times that amount having the dealer or a garage install their trailer hitches.
Earon S.
2/27/2018
The trailer hitch and wiring adapter are working great. The money I save buying and installing the trailer hitch over having someone else do the installation was tremendously helpful on my budget.
I've been really impressed with the crew at eTrailer. Thier videos are very helpful and a call to Tech Support to be sure of something was handled quickly.
I'd add a picture or two but tomorrow is installation day for the hitch. When that's done I'll "fine tune" the wiring so I have a neat connection without a lot of cable tie ends and x-tra wire lying around.
Al C.
4/11/2016
No problems installing and works just fine. No complaints at all.
Hi George:
Got the product on time and in good condition. It's the second Curt hitch I've purchased, they're solid, well constructed units.
The installation instructions were good except for one thing, in both the video and the written; the mounting holes were not protected with a plastic patch as shown in the video and after 6 years of MN winter the threads on the mounting holes couldn't be cleaned out using just a wire brush, I had to retap them with a 12-1.25 mm tap ( unusual size).
Thanks for the good service and a great product.
Htk
6/7/2016
They are performing fine
Good trailer wiring harness with one issue. The wiring in between the taillight connectors (red/green wires that route across the car) were too short. I had to add wire in order for it to reach across the car, route cleanly, and not pull on the light connectors and power converter. Other than that, it's a good product. The quality was fine and it didn't require any cutting of factory wires to install.
Jenny N.
12/3/2021
I recommend being sure to watch the video install that we have on a 2011 Toyota Rav 4 that I have linked below. Be sure to remove the scuff panel like at mark 1:00 and also all the side panels and trim fasteners like at marl 1:40 and 2:40 to gain the room needed to pull the wiring across. Then pull the red and green side through the side panel and across like at mark 3:19. This will give you the best maneuverability and room for installation.
Helpful Links
After the initial nervous breakdown when i failed to install it correctly. I placed a call to you, received a call from the help department, and in less than a minute it was working correctly. Who knew toyota made the exact wiring connector and used it on other electrical components. Your tech was right on the money with his knowledge. One year later, all is working fine. I have found my personal all things trailer place. Thank you once again, one year later.
Jon
2/6/2023
I have had no problems with my trailer wiring. Im very happy with my purchase. I do recommend you to people i talk to. I am considering trading the toyota so, im sure i will be back for a wiring kit to put on the replacement.
Easy to set up and install. Great video instructions to walk you through process.
Ordering process was easy and product arrived promptly.
The ground wire and/or the drivers side wires could be a bit longer to allow for
installation of black box inside compartment to go easier. The location of the body bolt shown in the video for the ground wire attachment is too far away to allow box to be mountedas shown. So I found another (closer) bolt location to make it work. Just a minor setback.
Sandra S.
2/9/2018
Still happy with it and it works fine. There have been no issues!!!
I needed a 4 pin wiring harness and etrailer was a great choice, fast shipping and quality products at a good price! Easy to understand video made it simple to install!
Ajayz
9/16/2018
Wiring harness still working like a champ!
Easy step by step, didn’t take long,
Very happy with the results
I purchased a Reese 2" receiver hitch and the Curt wiring kit from eTrailer.com for my 2007 RAV4 which had no factory provisions for a trailer hitch. Everything I needed was included except for a plastic trim removal tool for detaching the plastic moldings around the rear hatch to get at the tail light wiring and string the new wires from the kit. The kit wiring plugged in between the tail light and the existing wiring with no problem once the plastic panels were removed for access. It is also necessary to run a fused power wire from the lighting kit module to the car battery, which requires routing a wire essentially the length of the car, either underneath or through the passenger compartment somehow. I chose to run it underneath along the frame and used the enclosed wire ties to secure it. All in all, it is a great kit, but it does take a bit of time and labor to remove moldings and route wires. It took me around 3 or 4 hours to complete the installation
Great product easy to install, directions could not have been more clear. Hitch and harness ready to use in just about 1 hour. Thank you e trailer!!
Barak B.
4/29/2015
Great product, install was quick and painless to this day it works very well
Barak B.
5/8/2015
Thank you for the email. I use them plenty and the fit work well. Something for your team is to find a way to keep it from rusting so soon. I get that when the paint rubs off the metal becomes exposed to the elements, however, could there be a way that it doesnt rust so fast? It was almost instantaneously that rust appeared after the first time I used the safety chain loops and now it is pealing away from there. Please understand I am not looking for anything in return, just some feedback for the future.
After much troubleshooting, I determined that my original wiring harness was malfunctioning and ordered this Curt T-Connector harness. I found a youtube video showing how to install this product in my make/model vehicle and the installation went very well. I also replaced my incandescent boat trailer lights with LED lights (which I highly recommend) and after one year of use, everything still is working perfectly. I will certainly buy from etrailer.com for my future needs.
Hitch was as expected. Delivered as scheduled. The on-line videos were excellent and made the decision to purchase and install myself an easy one. Surprisingly enough the hitch and wiring harness installed just as the videos demonstrated.
The price was substantially lower than going through the vehicle dealer....easily two to three times less expensive.
I had the hitch installed in less than an hour and the wiring harness took two to three hours due to having to remove panels and route the power cable up to the engine compartment. Would have taken considerably longer if not for the excellent “ how to” videos....
The wiring harness itself gets 5 stars - it clicked in perfectly with my vehicle, works as advertised, and the installation video was top notch. However, the double stick tape that comes with the kit didn't - I had to find an alternate way to secure the power converter (dabs of silicone glue). Also, the butt connectors were quite a pain in the butt. I'm a 260+ pound man, and leaning all my weight on my crimper on a work bench was barely enough to adequately crimp them, and in the case of the eyelet I had to remove the plastic covering and use 15" channel lock pliers to get enough force! In the end I got everything installed, though, and it works. I'd still recommend this product, with these caveats.
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Gwendolyn Y.
12/9/2024
Hey Gary. Can you get me some photos showing me the plugs on your Rav4? I also went ahead and linked an install we did for a 2008.
Helpful Links
tv-install-trailer-wiring-2008-toyota-rav4-c56165.aspx