Installing Brake Controller on 2011 Ford Expediton with OEM 4-Pole Connector

Updated 06/25/2014 | Published 06/22/2014

Products Featured in This Question

10 Gauge Wire - Blue Primary - Per Foot

(108)

$1.61

Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter for Electric Brake Controllers - Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

(1800)

$22.04

40 Amp In-Line Circuit Breaker - Perpendicular Mount Bracket

(98)

$9.89

Question:

I have a 2011 ford expedition 4x4 EL. I would like to install a brake controller and 7 pin connector for pulling a travel trailer. I did find the connector under the dash for the brake controller which should be easy to install. I currently have a factory 4 pin connector. There is also is an extra blue wire that is stubbed off which I am assuming is for the brake controller. Do I need to run a 12 volt wire and a reverse light wire to the battery or are the wires already wired to the rear of the vehicle? What is the easiest cleanest way to convert this to a 4pin and 7 pin?

asked by: Brett S

Expert Reply:

I'd recommend using a # 37185 4-pole to 7-way adapter. The adapter would plug into your existing 4-pole, and would have 4 wires remaining. The blue wire on the adapter would connect to the blue wire you found on the frame rail. If there is a stubbed off black, orange or red wire along with the blue wire, it would carry the 12-volt accessory power circuit, and would attach to the black wire on the adapter. If there is no wire, you'd need to run your own 12-volt circuit to the positive battery terminal using a length of 10 gauge wire like part # 10-1-1 and an inline circuit breaker like part # 9510.

The purple wire on the adapter usually carries the reverse light circuit. If you need it, it can be tapped into the reverse light circuit of the truck, otherwise it can be bundled up out of the way. The white adapter wire is grounded to the truck frame.

If you don't already have one, I'd recommend a proportional controller like the Prodigy P2, part # 90885. A proportional controller has an internal accelerometer that can sense how quickly the tow vehicle is coming to a stop. It would then send the proper amount of voltage to the trailer brakes so the trailer and tow vehicle stop at the same rate. The P3, pare # 90195 operates much like the P2, but I find it to be a bit more user-friendly, especially the diagnostics. If there's a problem with the braking system, the P3 will spell out the problem in plain English, while the P2 will display an error code that you'll most likely need to look up. For a Tekonsha controller, you'd also need the # 3035-P wiring adapter.

expert reply by: Mike L