Troubleshooting 4-Pole Wiring Harness on 2016 Jeep Renegade

Updated 02/26/2018 | Published 02/24/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector

(114)

$98.90

Hook Probe Circuit Tester

(62)

$13.94

Question:

I think this is the kit the local dealership used to add trailer lights to my 2016 Renegade? Everything worked fine for several months. Now I have tail lights, but no brake or turn signals. Fuse at battery is good. Any ideas? What is the purpose of the controller box?

asked by: John E

Expert Reply:

We offer two 4-pole wiring kits for your 2016 Jeep Renegade, Tekonsha # 118651 and Curt # C56274, both of which work on the Renegade version without any factory-installed trailer wiring. Both install in the same manner, by plugging in at your two taillight connectors and via a 12V power wire that runs from the battery to the converter box.

The converter box takes in separate stop and turn signals and combines them onto one circuit/wire as required by trailers. In these harnesses the yellow wire carriers left-hand stop and turn signals and the green wire handles the right-hand signals.

The only significant difference between these two similar products is the output current rating. The Tekonsha harness has higher maximum current for each circuit, 4.2 -amps per stop/turn circuit and 7.5 amps for the shared running light circuit. Maximum output for the Curt harness is 3.0 and 6.0 amps for the stop/turn and running light circuits.

Usually trouble with one function on a 4-pole harness shows up on the running light circuit, not the stop/turn circuits, since the running lights draw more power. Most often the fix is simply a stronger ground connection to the vehicle frame.

You can try un-plugging the connectors at the two taillights. Check the contacts inside the connectors for signs of corrosion (a dull whitish discoloration), bent contact pins or even trapped foreign material. If the connectors are okay, then re-connect them and test the 4-pole with a tester like # PTW2993. This will isolate the wiring from any potential issues on the trailer.

You can also test the trailer by itself by disconnecting it from the vehicle harness and applying 12V power from the Renegade's battery to each circuit on the trailer plug, one circuit at a time. Connect battery negative to the ground contact o the trailer plug. Then apply battery + to each of the three circuits, one at a time, to see if the trailer lights function.

If they DO function in this test then the vehicle harness may be bad. If they do NOT work then you will want to find and correct the issue on the trailer before installing a new wiring harness in the Renegade. Otherwise, if there IS a short on the trailer it could harm the new harness. On both the vehicle and trailer, check the main white ground wires. These need to be firmly attached to a clean bare metal surface on the frame to provide a sufficient ground that will let all functions operate.