Ford F150 w Factory Tow package, where is the

[EAKlebe]

Can someone tell me where the brake control connector is on a Ford F150 with the Factory tow package? Is it to the right of the steering column? How can I identify it? I believe it may be the gray connector, just above the black one. The location is right of the steering column, above the gas pedal, next to the drive shaft hump. Is this it?

 

[Bill]

I don't have an F-150, so bear that in mind. But I believe you have found it. It should be under the dash, near the steering column. Check. It should be a connector with no matching connector plugged into it. Check. It should have four wires. Check. The wire colors are traditionally Red (+12 volt supply), Blue (trailer brakes), White (ground), and another smaller wire which is green in your case. The green wire comes from the brake light switch, so you could either follow it physically or put a meter or test light on it, and see if it comes up when you push the brake pedal.

Of course, the ultimate confirmation is that there should be a matching connector with four wires, each about a foot long, with a page of documentation, in a plastic bag in one of the storage compartments of your vehicle. Maybe/maybe not the glove compartment - check under the seats, too. Have you found it?

Bill

 

[MisterP]

A quick search on the web for F150 brake controllers found this:

 

[Bill]

I have to retract my initial enthusiasm, mostly because I can't tell whether the connector in your photo has 4-pins in line (which I initially assumed) or 6 pins in a two-rows-of-three configuration. The video in the link posted by MisterP shows a Ford F-150 using a 6-pin gray connector (only 4 pins installed). The connector in the video is identical to the one in my Ford Explorer, which also has only 4 of the 6 pins installed. One would think that all Fords would be the same. Can you tell us what is in your photo?

Bill

 

[EAKlebe]

I looked at the gray connector using a mirror. It looks (considering that my eyes are getting old) that it is a six pin in two rows of three connector, with only four pins in use, although there may be a fifth pin installed, or it may just be a location pin. It's hard to tell if it is an actual pin or just a plastic location pin. However, there are the proper wire colors going in. As to the factory supplied connector: I bought this truck used about four years ago, if there was such a connector it has been lost or discarded, but no matter as I ordered the wiring harness when I ordered the P3 brake controller.

 

[Jim&Joan]

That looks like it. My truck came with a pigtail (connector on the truck side/bare wires on the accessory side). It was in a bag in the glove box. I didn't use it. I bought the harness (connector on the truck side and controller connector on the other side).

I'll try to remember to look later, but I am betting there is only going to be one place that the harness will fit. So, if the glove fits, you must convict.

 

[EAKlebe]

I looked at the gray connector using a mirror. It looks (considering that my eyes are getting old) that it is a six pin in two rows of three connector, with only four pins in use, although there may be a fifth pin installed, or it may just be a location pin. It's hard to tell if it is an actual pin or just a plastic location pin. However, there are the proper wire colors going in. As to the factory supplied connector: I bought this truck used about four years ago, if there was such a connector it has been lost or discarded, but no matter as I ordered the wiring harness when I ordered the P3 brake controller.

here's a photo from the front of the connector. It looks like there are five pins

 

[Wavery]

here's a photo from the front of the connector. It looks like there are five pins

That is a 6-pin connector with 5 pins installed....... You may even find 6-pin connectors with 2-pins installed.........it's still a 6-pin connector.

Manufacturers do that for standardization. If a vehicle is fully loaded with all the options available, that connector may have all 6 pins in it. If the vehicle is a stripped down model, they use the same connector, it just has less pins installed. You may even find empty connectors under your dash. That just means that the wiring harness is ready for some additional option.

 

[Bill]

I looked at the gray connector using a mirror. It looks (considering that my eyes are getting old) that it is a six pin in two rows of three connector.

That's it - two-rows-of-three configuration. The controller uses 4 of the installed pins. The fifth installed pin is almost certainly for a light that goes on-off and dims in sync with the dashboard lights. You won't connect anything to it. The red thing at the bottom of the connector body is a retainer for the pins, and can be removed if you really need to (try to avoid doing it). There is no locating pin - the locating/orientation of the connector halves is done via the ridges and matching grooves on the edge of the connector halves.

Bill

 

[whbob]

Brake Controller connector

My 09 had the controller from the factory. Inside the glove compartment was the fuse and relay necessary to charge the trailer battery. There was a connector for an alternative controller. The connector is behind the box to the right of the wheel where my factory controller is located. Also had directions titled F-Series, Electrical Trailer Tow Installation Instructions-fairly detailed. Let me know if you need a copy of this.

 

[EAKlebe]

My 09 had the controller from the factory. Inside the glove compartment was the fuse and relay necessary to charge the trailer battery. There was a connector for an alternative controller. The connector is behind the box to the right of the wheel where my factory controller is located. Also had directions titled F-Series, Electrical Trailer Tow Installation Instructions-fairly detailed. Let me know if you need a copy of this.

I'd appreciate the instructions. Another question: Is there, indeed, a fuse and relay that is needed to charge the TM battery? I bought my 2000 F150 used and did NOT find the brake control harness or any fuse and relay. I guess I will have to contact the dealership about this?

 

[grakin]

You can test to see if things are hooked up with a volt meter - measure the voltage between the charge connector pin and ground pin on the 7-way connector (see http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx to determine which pin it is), on the vehicle (no trailer plugged in).

An alternative way of testing to see if you have 12 volt power is to unplug your TM from shore power, pull the 30 amp fuse at your TM battery, and then plug your TM into your tow vehicle. If you can turn on the light at the front of the TM (the one with the switch) or the one by the water heater (which also has a switch), you have the necessary fuses and relays. Your vehicle may need to be "on" to do this test (I'd recommend having the engine running so you don't drain your battery in your tow vehicle).

For my Ford, it came set up with the necessary fuses/relays, and I didn't have to do anything - I have 12 volt power when the key is "on", nothing when it is off.

 

[whbob]

F150 Tow Package

My owners manual for my 2009 F150 shows the fuse block under the hood with sockets for the fuse and relay for charging the trailer battery. In 09, they were putting the hitches on all F150's. Your 2000 may or may not have similar setup because few trucks came from the factory with the hitch and wiring harness installed.