Can anyone tell me the best place to tap into the wiring to add a 4-pin under-bumper trailer wiring female port?

Do I have to tap into both tail lights or is there a point in a harness somewhere where I can find left, right and parking light wires all together and what color wires am I looking for?

Vehicle did not come with factory towing, but is it possible there might be a plug somewhere just waiting to plug into or is best approach to use T-connectors on tail wiring? Advice appreciated. Thanks.

 

You have to watch out here as there are sophisticated monitoring circuits of all lighting which even set DTC's.

 

If you do not have the factory tow option, you will have to use an add on module as the wiring circuits are not built to handle the additional load, I used this one:
Tow Ready Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring for Ford Escape 2011 - 118551

Very simple install, I think it was maybe a 3 beer...

 

Hmm. Cant just patch into the tail lights old fashioned style? Boat trailer only has 2 signal bulbs and 4 marker lights....is it THAT much of an additional drain that I need all the electronics and wiring up to the battery? Sounds like overkill.

 

Take a look at the vehicle wiring, it is a VERY small gauge, and compound that with everything being run off of the SRM.

 

I went through 2 of those stupid wiring harness with relays in about a month. Both just quit working. That's when I gave up and hard wired my own harness. Been that way for over a year now without any problems. My trailer is all LEDs (as are most of my Escape's lights now), so maybe that helps.

Just my $0.02.

 

Mine has been working fine for almost a year now, no issues.

 

What lights are LEDs now?

 

Everything except the taillights/brakelights. The front running/park lights are switchback LEDs. The licence plate lights and all interior lights are also LED.

 

That's awesome !!