Hi everyone,

I posted a little while ago as to whether or not I needed to go with a trailer tow package on the F150 I was looking at.

Anyways, I'm now the owner of a 03 F150 XLT 4.6 4x4 without tow package.

I've just fitted a hitch to the truck and now I'm looking at a brake controller.

Eventhough the truck didn't come with the tow package, should I have a connector somewhere under the dash that I can plug a brake controller into (with the relevant wiring harness from the brake controller manufacturer)? or do I need to do that wiring myself.

If there is a connector, any idea what it should look like, I had a quick look near the drivers side but couldn't see anything. Presumably if there is a connector I'll also need to plug some relays in and things like that.

Sorry for sounding dumb (again).
Thanks
James

 

Don't know on a 150 but...

On a 250, there might be a connector under the back bumper in a black plastic housing with a door on it. It is about 3 inches square and obvious, it hangs down below the bumper. I don't know if it is only on 250s or a tow package. But I assume if it is under the bumper the rest is easy.

The trailer brake controller connector is in a wire bundle up under the dash right over the tranny hump and behind the ash tray. At least on a 94 F250. It has the proper connector and is fairly easy to see. All I had to do was mount my controller(that's the hard part, no level surfaces that are out of the way) and plug it in.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

Without the tow package, I don't think that you get the 7 pin wiring. You might have the connector under the dash, but I don't think that you will have any wires going to the back fop the truck.

 

Hi,

Maybe I posted a bit prematurely, I took a look under the truck this aft and followed the wires back from the 4 pin connector, these join up with some other wires and go to a much bigger connector of which there are 2 wires (orange and blue) that are not connected. I couldn't see a spare 'black' wire that would normally be the +12v for charging the trailer battery though.

I also took another look under the dash and found a 5 pin connector near the diagnostic post.

I'm guessing both of these may have something to do with the brake controller, but guess I need to do some more investigation's first.

James

 

Hmm 5 pin connctor sounds about right. If you have a controller you an look at, check to see if the connector style matches. If it does you are probably home free.

To make sure you could get a multimeter and do three things.

1) check the voltages on each pin and reference to ground. I am guessing that without the controller, most of the pins should read zero.

2) Next step. check the resistance between all pins of each connector(for example 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 2-3, etc). Should be zero on most if not all.

We did 1 and 2 above to make sure you don't blow anything up on step three. Really pretty safe for all steps if you understand how to use a meter.

3) Short out two pins on either connector. Make sure they were pins that had no voltage or resistance from 1 and 2 above. Go to the other connector and see if you got a low resistance on any pins that didn't have it is step 2. If you got say less than 5 ohms, more likely 1, then you have probably found the two connectors and they are hooked up. Try this for a couple different pin pairs just to make sure.

From the sounds of it you might need to add one or two wires to the big connector, but the hook up is pretty standard. I forget the order and I might miss one but you need brakes(heavy wire), left, right, auxilliary, ground, running lights and I forget. You can get the wiring info off the back of the box for the big connector, at any big auto parts store. Make sure you use the Ford standard, ther e are two commone ones and they are different.

Make sure you know what you are doing and know how to use the meter. If you goof, you mjght blow a fuse or worse some electrical component. I woudl say if steps 1-3 work, then you are 99% sure you got the right connectors.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

As for the plug under the dash one pin is a
hot 12v,(either Red wire old style or Pink new style);
another is hot when you press on
the brake pedal,(light green,old; red,new);
ground is White (old & new);
Blue is the power to the towed brakes from the controller.
The last pin is not used.
CHECK FOR FUNCTION ! My controller adapter fit this plug however the output was wrong!
Typical color codes and positions for a 7-wire connector.
1. Ground (white)
2. Electrical brakes (blue)
3. Tail, license and running lights (green)
4. Trailer battery (black)
5. Stop and LH turn (red)
6. Stop and RH turn (brown)
7. Auxiliary circuit (yellow) this is normally used for back-up lights on the trailer.
On the 4 pin connector at the bumper it will most likely be that 3 are used and 1 not used . The three that are used will be Left
turn/ brakes, Right turn/ brakes and running lights.