Troubleshooting Lack of Power at 7-Way Plug on a 2021 Ford Explorer

Published 05/23/2022

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40 Amp In-Line Circuit Breaker - Perpendicular Mount Bracket

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Hook Probe Circuit Tester

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Question:

HI, I have a 2021 explorer xlt with a factory installed Class 3 towing package. I cant get 12-volt power on the 7-way with my multimeter even with the engine running. There is a 30-amp fuse in the appropriate fuse block position. Do I have to have a trailer hooked to it? What am I doing Wrong???

asked by: Jeffrey L

Expert Reply:

If you have the factory tow package on your 2021 Ford Explorer and a 7-way harness, you do not need to have the trailer connected to the plug in order for you to receive power on the 1 o'clock power pin.

If you have the fuses already checked out and they are fully functional, the problem might be with the plug or the 12v power wire itself. To rule out the plug, I recommend making sure there is no corrosion or buiIdup in the plug itself. Any corrosion or buildup can cause a loss of signal. You can even test the wire at different locations with a circuit tester like the # PTW2993. After that, I recommend tracing the 12v wire from the plug all the way to the battery to make sure that there are no pinched or exposed wiring. I went ahead and attached the typical pin layout of a 7-way wiring harness for your convenience.

As a last resort, I suggest running a charge line from the battery all the way to the power pin of the hanress. To do this, you need the right length of 12-gauge wire # 10-1-1 along with a 40-amp circuit breaker # 9510. You also need two # DW05741-1 ring terminals to connect to the breaker and a # 44-5356A ring terminal to connect at the battery.

expert reply by: Bob C