Does 12V Power Need to be Run for Installing the Curt Echo Brake Controller on a 2013 Ford F-150

Updated 04/02/2019 | Published 04/01/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Curt Echo Wireless Brake Controller - 7-Way Plug-in w/ Bluetooth App - Up to 2 Axles - Proportional

(1915)

$289.95

10 Gauge Wire - Blue Primary - Per Foot

(109)

$1.84

Cordless Circuit Tester

(15)

$20.77

Question:

I purchased a Curt Bluetooth brake controller from etrailer, the main reason was for simplicity. I hooked it up and no power. I bought the truck new, it came with the towing package and 7 pin connector, just no brake controller. I am told by an etrailer rep that I have to run a power wire to the battery and splice into the factory 7 pin connector. SURELY there is an easier option for a aftermarket brake controller out there to keep me from having to do this? From what I see online, a simple removal of a few bolts to remove a portion of the dash and plugging into the existing harness and mounting under the dash seems simple enough. Am I right on this? Maybe other models of f150 have an easier setup? Which brake controller in my situation would be the easiest?

asked by: Jason P

Expert Reply:

If you have a 2013 Ford F-150 then you should be getting constant 12V power on the pin in the 5 o'clock position. If the fuse in position 21 in your power distribution box (under your hood) is working properly and you just don't have that 12V power (you can use a circuit tester like part # PTW2979 to test) then you will either need to take your F-150 in to the shop or run 10 Gauge Wire # 10-1-1 from your 7-Way to your battery with a 40 amp circuit breaker like part # 9510 in-line.

There is a note in the Curt Echo # C51180 instructions that we added to our site a while back that the 2015 - 2017 F-150s may have a 12V power that shuts off when you are in park of during gear shifting. If you happen to have a 2015, 2016, or 2017 then you will need to run the power wire so that the brake controller activates properly. What our customer service rep said was true.

With all of this being said, you can use a typical brake controller like the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195 with the corresponding Plug-In Adapter # 22292 to make the connection behind the dash like you mentioned. If you have a 2013 F-150 then the connector for the adapter will be up and under the dash while a '15 - '17 will require the removal of part of the dash. I have attached installation videos of both options on a 2013 and a 2016 F-150 for you to check out. The video for the 2013 uses the Prodigy P2 # 90885 which installs the same way as the P3.

expert reply by: Jon G