Hi,

I have a 2004 Escape without a towing package. From various posts I gather that there is some kind of electrical connector that can be utilized for the trailer lights.

I have checked the entire rear end but I could not find such a connector. Is the existence of this thing just a rumour or is it true? If yes, where the heck is it?

Thanks,

Ed

 

Lay down on your back behind the vehicle. Put your head on the drivers side of the hitch about a foot over. Look up. The wiring harness is behind the inner bumper tube on a bracket.

 

If your 2004 is the same as my 2005, the connector is in fact there, but it is dead. My owners manual for my 2005 describes a fuse in the passenger compartment fuse box for towing lights. That spot is blank and doesn't even have any connectors to even plug a fuse into. I had to purchase an after market wiring kit (aprox $37.00) from a local U-Haul dealer specifically ordered for the Escape. The kit has plug in adaptors to simply tap into the left and right signal lights (you must remove both tail light lenses), brake and tail lights, along with a ground wire. There is a separate power wire that you have to route along the underside of the vehicle and get 12 volts direct from the battery. The kit contains a converter box that combines your brake and signal light systems for the trailer. That converter box also contains relay switches. When you push your brake or turn on your lights, the power to the trailer lights is actually coming from your vehicles battery, not from your vehicles light circuits. The electronic components in your Escape are far too sensitive to handle the extra load from the lights on the trailer. (your vehicles light circuits only activate the relay switches and the draw is minimal) The days of simply splicing wires into your vehicles rear light harness are long gone. Its a PIA but it is the only way that I have found to wire trailer lights in a newer Ford that did not come with a factory installed tow package. If you try to simply tap into the system, you will blow fuses, trip circuit breakers or worse, possibly damage some of the vehicles computer components. Good luck, I hope this saves you some of the aggravation that I went through.

 

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the detailed info.

I did not find any connector despite crawling under the rear of the vehicle for 10 minutes. If the connector is dead anyway, why is it there in the first place and what is it connected to?

It looks like this wiring kit is the only way to go.

I am in the process of getting the complete service manual on DVD and there may be a way to sort of recreate the original wiring with a diagram.

Ed

 

It would be there if your vehicle had the factory towing package.

 

I mentioned in my initial post that the vehicle has no towing package. Why you suggested to crawl under my car again for checking a connector that you now say wouldn't be there anyway, is beyond me!

 

Just a guess on my part. Most vehicle mfgrs. don't change items based on a package. The wiring is there somewhere, might be tucked up inside or still behind a panel. The cost of having 2 different wire harnesses would be high.

 

I have an 07 XLT without the tow package and I have the harness that's tucked up behind the driverside rear bumper.. But it is indeed dead. I've read about changing relays and what not. But a relay from ford is $70 and plus I really didn't want to give ford anymore money.. SO I went out and got a converter just like one of the other posters said and was done with it..


James