Adding Brake Controller to 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan w/Factory 7-Way but no 12 Volt or Brake Circuits

Updated 07/09/2018 | Published 07/04/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Universal Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controller - 7-Way RV and 4-Way Flat - 10 Gauge Wires

(3480)

$118.67

Wiring Kit for 2, 4, 6, and 8 Brake Electric Trailer Brake Controllers

(164)

$57.19

Hook Probe Circuit Tester

(66)

$14.40

Question:

Hi I have a factory 7 way plug but I want to add a brake controller. The 7 way factory plug does not have the extra wires to run the 2 wire up front for the circuit breakers. Can I tee into the factory plug some how? Thanks for your time.

asked by: Dave

Expert Reply:

The wires may already be in the factory connector and harness. They would not be loose like those in # ETBC7. If they are not in the factory wiring harness and connector already then It is possible that where the factory 7-Way plugs into another harness further forward on the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan that there are additional wires that do not carry on all the way back to the connector.

If so, you could test those wires with a circuit tester such as # PTW2993 to see if either of them has constant 12-volt power. If so that wire would be for the 12-volt circuit on the 7-Way. There would also be a blue wire (likely blue anyway) for output from a brake controller to the trailer brakes.

But the thing about this is that if it is a factory connector (built on the assembly line rather than a dealer installed option) why would they not make it fully functional? Also, if there are those 2 wires I mentioned, then there is a second problem: where, at the front of the vehicle, do those wires terminate?

We show that a brake controller would have to be hardwired into the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan which would require installing a 4-Way flat connector (unless the van already had one) and then using # ETBC7 to add the 7-Way and the wiring needed to install the brake controller such as # 90885.

But if you have a 7-Way already then you could use # 5506 to complete the installation of a brake controller without the need of any other parts. You could follow the relevant parts of the links I have included to install the brake controller.