Trailer Tow Package Does Contain 4 Wires for Aftermarket Brake Controller Install

[J Haggerty (RADAR1)]

Actually Ford did tell us. This is a screen shot from the Quick Start guide provided when I received my truck in 2019. See the notes in the square boxes.

I don't have adaptive cruise control so that warning doesn't apply to me. Mine does have Automatic Emergency Braking, and that warning does not refer to AEB.
Trying to understand the manual regarding towing makes it appear several different people had input, and never coordinated with each other.
One section implies I shouldn't exceed 70 MPH while towing until I have 500 miles, while another section says don't tow until you have 1,000 miles, and yet another section says never exceed 62 MPH while towing.
As far as "compatible" electronic brake controller, does that mean compatible with Ford's design parameters that aren't disclosed, or one that is compatible with the trailer's electric brakes?

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[P. A. Schilke]

I don't have adaptive cruise control so that warning doesn't apply to me. Mine does have Automatic Emergency Braking, and that warning does not refer to AEB.
Trying to understand the manual regarding towing makes it appear several different people had input, and never coordinated with each other.
One section implies I shouldn't exceed 70 MPH while towing until I have 500 miles, while another section says don't tow until you have 1,000 miles, and yet another section says never exceed 62 MPH while towing.
As far as "compatible" electronic brake controller, does that mean compatible with Ford's design parameters that aren't disclosed, or one that is compatible with the trailer's electric brakes?

Hi J,

Another fine example of the lousy editing job done by the Ranger Program. I have complained in other threads of the some of the errors. In my 2019 manual, there is no mention the little lock in the hole in the bumper for the spare tire winch. Glad I checked and figured it out as otherwise I would have been in the side of the road and basically screwed to change my own tire.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[PonyXpress]

What you say is mostly true. The exception is the blue wire is used, that is the wire that goes to the 7 pin connector to power the brakes. The. White/purple is the one that doesn't get used by the Ford controller. It is the wire that comes from the brake peddle. Also, the harness that goes to the CHMSL also has its own ground connection so the white wire is not used either. No offense, I'm just a detail person.

I agree, when towing the driver should be paying extra attention and it is not recommended to use ACC while towing. I have the non-Ford Redarc controller and really like it.

Thank you for the extra details. I don't really know why, I went ahead and purchased the Ford approved controller. The only bummer I see is having to run that wire to the third brake light. Has anyone made a video of that part, showing how the panels come off, etc?

It would seem that the wires already going to the third brake light would come back to under the dash area via factory wiring harness. Has anyone tried to just locate that wire so you don't have to run a new one?

 

[Big Blue]

It would seem that the wires already going to the third brake light would come back to under the dash area via factory wiring harness. Has anyone tried to just locate that wire so you don't have to run a new one?

I am sure you are correct in this assumption. The third brake like was probably the first place they could tie into a connector that was not having a huge number of wires passing through it. A Ford certified system would not allow splicing into the middle of the wiring harness from a safety standpoint, needs to be at a factory connector.

 

[J Haggerty (RADAR1)]

Hi J,

Another fine example of the lousy editing job done by the Ranger Program. I have complained in other threads of the some of the errors. In my 2019 manual, there is no mention the little lock in the hole in the bumper for the spare tire winch. Glad I checked and figured it out as otherwise I would have been in the side of the road and basically screwed to change my own tire.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I'm glad you mentioned that! I had no idea there was a lock back there until you mentioned it.
I sure am glad it's the same key as the truck uses so we don't have an extra key to carry around!

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

I posted all of this on another thread...

After doing extensive research looking at my own truck and the multitude of factory wiring diagrams and part numbers for such items, here is the be all end all of trailer brake controllers.

XL models without co-pilot 360 AND without the factory tow package:
-These do NOT have the four wires under the driver kick panel to connect a trailer brake controller to. You will need to run wires into the cab for your Redarc module.
-Activation of the trailer turn signals and trailer brake lights is done by relays in the main fuse/relay box in the engine compartment. The trailer back up lights are also controlled by a relay in this location. The truck DOES NOT know when you have a trailer connected.
-There is a main harness connector (C422) on the drivers side frame rail. It connects everything from the back of the truck to the front of the truck. The wire harness that goes to the back DOES have the 10 ga blue wire in pin location 18 that is for trailer brakes. The same wire harness DOES have the 6 ga orange wire in pin location 19 for 12V power to a trailer. The problem is the other side of the connecter that comes from the front of the truck...it has small gauge (14 or 16) grey wires in both pin locations. These grey wires go nowhere as they are heat shrinked over up in the harness. Do not go looking for them as you cannot use them because the wire is too small. Any grey wires coming out of Ford connectors are dead ended in the harness at somepoint...that is they go nowhere. They are just filling in empty pin spaces in the connector. In order to use a 7 pin trailer connector and trailer brake controller, you will have to splice into the orange and blue wire after this connector in order to have 12V trailer power and trailer brakes. Obviously the blue wire would go to your trailer brake controller, the orange wire must go to the battery with a fuse on it. Be aware, if you run the orange wire this way, the 12V at the 7 pin will always now be 'hot'. All other trailer light functions will work.
-Co-Pilot 360 gets you the additional wiring that is missing above and MAYBE a TRM module (see below for what a TRM module is). The factory tow package gets you the additional wiring that is missing above and a TRM module. If you are frugal like me and bought an XL without both of these options, the above its your reality for installing a brake controller. If you have either of these options....drop to the next section...you are lucky....

All other trim levels:
-You DO have the four wire under the driver kick panel to connect a trailer brake controller to. Follow the instructions for your controller.
-Activation of the trailer items is done by the TRM module located under the passenger side kick panel. Some people mistakenly think this is a brake module...it is NOT....TRM is "Trailer Lighting Module". It controls the trailer turn signals, and stop lights. It also turns off the orange 12V to the trailer when the truck is off after the accessory power timer expires. The TRM module is also what lets the truck know you have a trailer connected to the truck. Trailer back up lights are still controlled by a relay. Matter of fact, you may actually have all the relays in your engine fuse box, but your truck is programmed to use the TRM for trailer light functions and NOT the relays (except for back up lights).
-Both sides of the C422 connector mentioned above have all the wires needed going to front and back of truck.

A word on the Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) and brake controllers:
-Ford uses the CHMSL and the Lumen module because the signal to the CHMSL from the truck is pulse width modulated. The Lumen module takes this pulse width modulated signal and converts it into a regular digital (on/off) signal that the Redarc can use for brake indication. Ford uses the CHMSL because the truck computer lights it up when the Automatic Emergency Braking or the Adaptive Cruise Control applies the brakes instead of you stepping on the brakes. If you choose not to use the Ford Lumen module, turn these features off (and pay attention when you are driving!) and tie into output of the brake pedal position switch for a signal to your trailer brake controller. This is the 'violate with white stripe' wire coming out of connector C278 on the brake pedal.

Common Questions:
-If I have and XL without co-pilot 360 AND without the factory tow package, can I add a TRM module and then use FORSCAN to program to make the truck use this instead of the underhood trailer light relays. The answer is NO. The main dash wiring harness doe NOT have the connectors needed to plug into a TRM module.

-I am electrical by nature and know my way around a connector. can I take apart the front side of C422, remove the small gauge grey wires and replace them with the correct gauge blue and orange wires? The current answer is NO. Ford does not currently sell individual pins or individual wire pigtail kits for the positions you need for this connector. They will sell you the entire connector for a very large sum. The male (front) connector is KU2Z-14S411-TA. Details on these connectors can be found in documentation Safety Recall 19S43 if you are curious as to how they come apart and what the pin positions are.

-I have 2021+ XL model with the STX Special Edition Package but do NOT have Co-Pilot and do NOT have the factory trailer tow package. This package DOES give you the 8" LCD touchscreen, SYNC3 and Dual zone Electronic Climate Control. This means you probably DO have the main dash harness that would have connections for a TRM module, but you may NOT have the actual module.... you will have to pop off the passenger kick panel and look. You may also have the 4 wires under the drivers kick panel...once again, take a look.

 

[Cabose-1]

Long story short, a lot has been said here. Ill, be getting an echo dot, and even the maverick with the tow package has a break controller!! Wtf

 

[taildraggerpilot]

I have the factory tow package. Can anyone give a more detailed location of the wire harness to tie in a brake controller?

 

[Waltztj]

I have the factory tow package. Can anyone give a more detailed location of the wire harness to tie in a brake controller?

Driver kick panel there are 4 wires taped in blue on my 2021 XL Ranger

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