7-Way and Brake Controller Recommendation for 2016 Subaru Forester

Updated 03/07/2026 | Published 03/02/2026

Products Featured in This Question

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

(3477)

$118.67

Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller w/ Universal Wiring Harness - Dash Knob - Proportional

(2874)

$217.00

Question:

i am considering a small camping trailer with brakes. I have a 2016 subaru forester 2.5i m6. I currently have installed a tekonsha 119148, 4 pin wiring harness.. I would need a 7 pin connector to utilize the trailer brakes. ive read a lot of the qandas. it appears i need a ETBC7 kit. Is this true if i only want to utilize the trailers brakes? If so, what do you recommend. The shop i had it installed with the hitch retired / closed after 43 years. i called another installer and they said 3 hours @ $140/hr. yeah right. I have installed car stereos many years ago. I probably can do this myself. Running the power to the battery is the most labor. There is a cig light plug in the back of the car can i use this or do i need to go the battery. any advice will be appreciated. The folks who installed it, said when i wanted to go to 7 pin i should consider the echo wireless. I probably want to keep the price down without sacrificing safety, enough rambling. Again you advice will be appreciated. thanks

asked by: Bill

Expert Reply:

Hey Bill, you are definitely on the right track for adding a brake controller to your Forester. Since you have a 4-way already the kit needed to convert to a 7-way and wire in a brake controller would be the part # ETBC7. Then for a brake controller I would recommend the Redarc Tow Pro Liberty part # RED52VR as it works really well and only puts a small knob on the dash of the vehicle.

3 hours is definitely a long time for a shop to install all of this. I could see maybe two if it was something they were familiar with but that sounds like a quote to get you to leave them alone haha.

The power wire would be most time consuming part. I still would recommend going up to the battery as the controller will draw more than what that accessory circuit would be rated for.

I am not a huge fan of the Echo so I would not recommend it. The app goes in phases where people can't get it to work and the performance just isn't always rock solid.

expert reply by: Jameson C

Redarc
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Jack

3/7/2026

Hi Bill-- I had a Curt Discovery timed controller installed on my 2020 Subaru Outback XT using the ETBC7, and am towing a Little Guy Mini Max trailer. It works great, though if I was to do it all again I'd consider a proportional controller, which I was told was a bit more complex on the install, so possibly more time involved. My install took well over 4 hours and seemed quite a bit more complicated than the shop had anticipated, so I think the $250 they charged me was a bargain. Had I done it myself, I would have been there all day, and it may not have come out as well. The line to the battery has to be done correctly, and that took them the most time to run. You didn't mention which trailer you are considering. The brake controller will help, but keep a close eye on the trailer weight with your particular vehicle (I'm seeing 1500 lbs as a hard limit with less than 150 lbs tongue weight). Best of luck!

Greg

3/7/2026

The only safe and reliable way to install this is to use the supplied high amperage circuit breakers and obtain power directly from the battery and not through some other 12 vdc already installed device.