7 pin wiring help with tow package

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Wayne Costin

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Please help!,



I have a 2007 V6 ST with the oem tow, I am assuming anyway. I have what appears to be a transmission cooler already installed and their is a plug just above the emergency brake pedal...is this plug for a brake controller?



Does anyone have advice on how to install from a 4 pin to 4 pin/7 pin combo harness? Is all my wiring already run to the back of the truck? I went by haul today, but they seem to know less than me, so I am thinking of trying myself.



Any advice is welcome
 
There is a pigtail included with each Trac for wiring and plugging in the brake controller. maybe yours got lost.

You can get a converter plug to convert from 4- pin to 7-pin "style" connector, but you will not have the 7-pin functionality without running additional wiring.



My Trac has the Class III/IV hitch from the factory and includes a fully-functioning 7-pin and 4-pin connector. I assume your Trac only has the Class I/II hitch?



Cooling should be fine unless you are pushing maximum towing limits and/or operating in severe conditions.
 
Thanks, Gavin.



I have confirmed that the pigtail plug is for the brake controller. My question then is where do I run the blue wire from the 7 pin plug?



I found this adapter online:



http://www.etrailer.com/p-37185.html



When I look at the pigtail under the dash board I see the blue wire, where does it run to? Or in other words, how do I connect the wire from the adapter above to the pigtail?



Again, thanks for any help.
 
If you don't have a 7 pin on the back, then you don't have the tow package. That would be why there was no pigtail for the controller, as it's only included in the tow package. The connector is under the dash regardless. The non-tow wiring harness is completely different from the tow package harness. There is no brake circuit or charging circuit at the rear for the non-tow harness. If you want those features, you'll have to run wires up to the front.
 
BradB,



Why do I have the pigtail under my dash? I can plainly see the wires running off it and bundled with all the other wires under the dash. Just curious? Thanks.



 
Just went out and looked at the pigtail again, it appears to have 5 wires:

red

black

brown

blue

I can't remember the color of the 5th?



Is this not for a brake controller? What are these wires and pigtail for and where do they go?
 
:worthless:



Hopefully you are not looking at the OBD-II connector. The brake controller connector should be 4 wires. IIRC, it is behind the glove box, but I don't have a gen 2 Tac. Your owners manual should give you the info you need.





Tom
 
Sorry, I need to clarify. You will have the connector under the dash, right of the steering column I believe, with or without a tow package. A white connector, can't remember male or female. What I meant by the pigtail was that the ones with a tow package come with a connector to hook up to the one under the dash with wires coming off of it to connect to the brake controller. But most rv places have a ready made connector that will connect to the ford connection under the dash and the other end to the brake controller. And they will be controller brand specific. As far a colors, the standard colors for trailer hookups are green-right turn, yellow-left turn, white-ground, brown-taillamps/running lamps, blue-brake controller, red-battery, purple-backup. Black is probably a ground. If you're pulling something light the brakes are not needed. Basically, if what you are pulling has brakes, you need them.



As far as the connector on the bumper, only the factory trailer package has the wiring for brakes and 12 volt. The wiring harness is tow package specific and it starts under the front passenger seat and goes clear to the bumper. I know because I had a '07 with the class II hitch and 4 wire connector. I converted it all over with a new oem harness and oem hitch. Very pricey, but the dealer paid for it.



I don't know where the wires under the dash go, but I have a '07 Ford wiring diagram book. Unfortunately, I'm away from home for a few days. I just ordered a new book for the 2010 model year, and I could sell the old one. But if this is the only time you need it, then I probably wouldn't get one just for that. Sorry for the long winded answer, but if you need further assistance, I'll try to help.



The link is what the oem brake controller connector would look like.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
This is a ready made connector to go from the underdash connection to a tekonsha unit.
 
I am posting pictures of what I see under my dash below. There are 5 wires:

Brown

Red

Blue

Purple/White

Black/White



If this is for a brake controller, where do the wires go?



[Broken External Image]:



[Broken External Image]:
 
Yes, that's the plug-in for the brake controller. The wires go into the harness, into the system. I'm not sure why you need to know where the wires go. You're good to go in the front, and just need to run the proper wires from the rear bumper connector if you want the complete setup.
 
Because I only have a 4 pin connector at my hitch now, where do I connect the other wires when I install the 7 pin connector?



The adapter I noted above accepts the current 4'pin adapter, but i still have to run the other wires somewhere?



Thanks for your help! I know it is Christmas eve, but this is something I need to take care of next week. I appreciate any and all help and understand if j don't hear anything back for a few days.



Merry christmas
 
The other wires are connected as noted on the web page. I'm certainly not an expert, so my advise should be verified. Since the blue wire is not at the rear, you'll have to run one all the way to the brake controller. I've heard of people running it to the brake lights, but I don't believe that's proper. I don't think you need the 12volt wire unless you want it. Your best bet would be to google 7 wire trailer wiring diagrams or just let a qualified installer do it.
 
You need the towing package wiring harness that starts under the front seats and goes to the rear like Brad said (above):



As far as the connector on the bumper, only the factory trailer package has the wiring for brakes and 12 volt. The wiring harness is tow package specific and it starts under the front passenger seat and goes clear to the bumper. I know because I had a '07 with the class II hitch and 4 wire connector. I converted it all over with a new oem harness and oem hitch. Very pricey.
Click to expand...
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but couldn't you just install a "TEE" connector in the rear of the truck and be good to go? I know this is the way the F-150's are.





Tom
 
Do we have a favorite brake controller? From both an ease of connecting to the plug (or is this standard?) and mounting/looks?



 
I really trying to understand this, so I appreciate the responses and the patience.



Now, are you all telling me that the pigtail is there for a brake controller plug-in, but essentially, there is no way I can use it since I have wiring for a 4 pin connector? The pigtail has the blue wire and other wires I need to plug-in the brake controller and the wires have to run somewhere, that is what I don't understand? A couple of you have said that it goes under the passenger seat, I did a quick look, but did not see anything?



I would find it odd that Ford would put a brake-controller plug in 1000's of vehicles that can't be used, that is wasting millions of dollars, no?



Using the logic that Ford would have a reason for the plug being there, there has to be a way to convert my existing 4 pin to a 7 pin. What everyone keeps saying is that I have to run the wire from the 7 pin adapter all the way up, through the firewall, and straight to the brake controller...I would think the plug is there to use?
 
The connector is under the dash on every model as far as I know. Probably because it's cheaper to make only one wiring harness. Why there are 2 different harnesses for the back, I have no idea. The wiring under the passenger seat is in reference to the wiring harness that goes to the rear bumper. It comes up under the passenger seat area below the floor if I remember. That's where the connection is, I don't know if the harness goes through the floor or actually continues up to the firewall.



I can tell you for certain that if you want a brake control wire to the rear bumper, you'll have to run the wire to the controller. There is no blue wire in the harness unless you have the tow package. A lot of the F-150's and my Expedition have a brake wire in the harness at the rear with a label on it. But the Sport Trac does not. Look if you want, but it's not there. The wiring harness replacement is a pain, trust me. Much easier to run the needed wiring to the front.



When I get home in a couple days I can trace the blue wire from the underdash connector if you want. I have wiring diagram book at home.



You can indeed use the brake controller connector, it's just that you'll have to run the necessary wires from the controller to the rear bumper if you want brake controls on the rear.



 
BradB,



Thanks for keeping up with this thread. I want to take care of this this week while I am off work and I just want to do it right. The thing is, a coworker's husband is a welder and is willing to cutout my 1 1/4" receiver and weld in a 2" receiver. I just need to take care of the wiring. I went by Uhual, I just don't feel comfortable. I am not afraid to tackle the job myself, if I just understand the wiring of the vehicle.



The 2010 towing specs from Ford say that the Sport Trac comes stand with a brake controller tap-in, I am assuming this is true of the 2007:

http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/10FLMrvSPORTTRACsep09.pdf



Correct me if I am wrong, I haven't been able to see the wiring on the back of a brake controller, but you have two options, either hard wire everything or plug it into a brake controller plug in. So, I am confused when people say I can use the plug in, but I will still have to run the blue wire all the way to the dash.



I am also confused above when you say that the plug for the harness is under the seat, did you just plug the new harness in there and then re-run it all the way to the back? Did you still have to run the blue wire all the way up under the dash? And if so, where did you enter the cab with the blue wire?



My assumption is that the brake controller under my dash has all the needed wires and runs somewhere, under the seat is where you have said. From there, I assume the wiring harness changes and runs to the back as a 4 pin setup. I was just wondering if I need the new harness from under the seat to the back and then I just have to plug-in the brake controller. Am I right that the blue wire on the brake controller tap-in is for the brake controller?



Again, I appreciate your patience and help, just trying to figure this thing out and there is not much information out there.
 

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