Trailer hitch question

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Jun 17, 2008 | 12:57 PM

Dan Robertson

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 819

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From: Northern Maine

Trailer hitch question

I have just installed a "DrawTite" trailer hitch on my 05 Escape. It fit like a glove with no drilling or welding at all. My question concerns the wiring harness. My vehicle does not have a factory tow package but it does have a pig-tail behind the rear bumper (right side) that appears to be for trailer lights. The owners manual shows a fuse for trailer lights and I found that I have no fuse in that spot. Closer examination revealed that the spot in the fuse box is blank, there is no connectors for a fuse to plug in. Does anyone know if there is a way to energize those wires behind my bumper? I have purchased a wiring kit but I do not really want to tap into the wires behind the tail light lens if I don't have to.

Jun 17, 2008 | 06:46 PM

5_labsownus

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Joined: May 2002

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From: Fraziers Bottom, WV

If the wiring harness has a connector under the vehicle at the rear bumper, then you can get an adapter kit that pluges in-between. Then you don't need to cut or tap other wires.

Jun 17, 2008 | 07:11 PM

JForestZ34

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Joined: Jan 2004

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Adapter

If you talking about the wire harness that is up behind your bumper on the driverside, even if you get the adapter from the dealer the trailer lights will still not work.. I thought the same thing and they did not work.. I spent $70 on this adapter from ford and it still didn't work.. I needed a converter and got that from drawtite.. Really good unit.. I think in order to get that to work with that harness you need to upgrade the flasher relay which is a FORD ONLY PRODUCT and that costs as much as the converter I got.. So I went with the converter..

James

Jun 17, 2008 | 07:22 PM

Dan Robertson

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 819

Likes: 2

From: Northern Maine

I have the connector behind the rear bumper. It is a wire harness that appears to be coming down from the left tail light and just ends behind the bumper with a connector. It has four wires that are the same color code as the trailer lights, leading me to believe that it is factory trailer light hook up. The trouble is that all of the wires are dead. I turned on my park lights and a signal light and confirmed that my test light was working and that I had a good ground. I should have had power to two of the wires. (one flashing and one on steady) I checked the owners manual and found that it describes a fuse in the fuse box (passenger compartment) for trailer towing lights. I checked the box and found that the spot for that fuse was empty but there are no terminals in there to plug a fuse into, it is just an empty spot in the fuse box. I am assuming that this is because my vehicle does not have a factory towing package. I was wondering if there was anyway to get power to the wire harness that I found behind the bumper. It would make things a lot easier that tapping into wires. Thanks

Jun 18, 2008 | 06:47 AM

JForestZ34

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Joined: Jan 2004

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Harness

I've tried the little harness you can buy for the pigtail that you are talking about.. When I hooked mine up it didn't work. I went to bring it back to ford because they are the one's that told me it would work and they ordered it.. They told me no I could return it because there is a no return policy on electrical.. Tapping into the wires only takes about 10min.. You can buy the flasher upgrade and I think that is all you need from what I've read elsewhere, but I have no idea where the flasher is located at..

James

Jun 18, 2008 | 08:06 PM

Dan Robertson

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 819

Likes: 2

From: Northern Maine

The way I now understand it, I have to remove the left tail light lens and I'm told that there is a connection behind it. I have to unplug that connector and the kit that I purchased taps in at that connection. I am being lead to believe that there is no cutting or soldering of wires necessary. The kit also includes an adaptor that combines the signal light circuit with the brake light circuit. My vehicle has separate signal and brake light bulbs where most trailers use an 1157 bulb that shares a filament with signal and brake lights. Perhaps I will be able to find some time this week end to work on it. I'll post again after I have had a chance to work on it.

Jun 18, 2008 | 09:21 PM

JForestZ34

Junior User

Joined: Jan 2004

Posts: 66

Likes: 0

I think the kit your talkinga bout is a converter kit like the one I have it should look like this..

T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4 Pole Trailer Connector 118426 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com

From what I've seen anything other than this you need the upgraded flasher for it to work with the dealer harness..

James