Ford F-150 Trailer Lights

[Piedmont3]

I Had a 1/2 ton 1996 Dodge pick-up. I bought a new 2010 F-150. The F150 came with a trailer hitch, integrated trailer brake controller, and both 7 pin and 4 pin light connections.(tow package) I have a 15' trailer with brakes and both 7 pin and 4 pin connections. Everything worked fine with the dodge truck. Now with the new truck the 4 pin connections work perfectly, all lights work(running, brake, and turn). With the 7 pin connection Nothing works. The truck gives me a readout = "Trailer disconnected" when I press the trailer brake controller switch. The lights don't work (running, brake, and turn).
I have checked all the fuses in both fuse boxes(under hood, and inside passenger side foot sideboard). All fuses are good. I bought a new clean, unrusted, set of connections for the trailer, wired them on. The 4 pin connection wires run through the 7 pin connections.

Does anyone know what I am missing?:ashamed: or what I did wrong?

Please help,:mur: I am not stupid, :smiley_aafz:I just don't know enough about trailer lights/brake controllers to understand why the lights work on the 4 pin and NOTHING works on the 7 pin.

Thank you in advance for any help.
Jeff

 

[kevinj]

I bought a new 2010 F-150. The F150 came with a trailer hitch, integrated trailer brake controller, and both 7 pin and 4 pin light connections.(tow package)
Thank you in advance for any help.
Jeff

Sounds like warranty work for your dealer. GM does not connect all wires on their factory wiring.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Its you trailers plug. There are two ways to wire 7 way plugs. Not sure why but Ford uses the more widely used method.

There will be two wires you will have to swap. Here is a diagram of the back side of the trailers plug.

Untitled

Its not a truck problem but more likely a trailer problem. It just worked with your Dodge because it was wired to work with it.

Chris

 

[Piedmont3]

Thank You, Kevinj. The dealer says the Truck plug works fine. I spent 2 hours sitting at the dealership for them to tell me this.

Thank You, DiamondPilot, I will check the wiring tonight to make sure the 7 pin plug matches this.
If the problem is that the 7 pin RV trailer plug is wired wrong, why do the lights all work for the 4 pin flat plug?

Jeff

 

[Diamondpilot]

The problem is not the wiring for the lights, its the same on both 4 plug wiring types. Its the wires that lead to the brakes. Wire it per the diagram I provided and you will be fine.

Chris

 

[Piedmont3]

Thank you! I will Check that this evening.

 

[jjcc246]

ford has two breakers it gives you with the truck that are not installed. Nothing will work on the 7 pin until they are installed. Either in your glove box or map pockets. The breaker is grey in color and goes into the fuse box located above the radiator. If you don't have them go back to the dealer to get them and have them install them. takes about 7 seconds to do. And for the life of me I can't figure why they sell a tow package and don't install the breakers. I'm sure that's what you problem is. I've had several f150 with tow package and none of them came with the breakers installed.

 

[kevinj]

ford has two breakers it gives you with the truck that are not installed. Nothing will work on the 7 pin until they are installed. Either in your glove box or map pockets. The breaker is grey in color and goes into the fuse box located above the radiator. If you don't have them go back to the dealer to get them and have them install them. takes about 7 seconds to do. And for the life of me I can't figure why they sell a tow package and don't install the breakers. I'm sure that's what you problem is. I've had several f150 with tow package and none of them came with the breakers installed.

That is just as silly as GM taping the wire off 1 foot from the connector and not supplying the fuse!!!!

On my 2008 everything seemed to work till my breakaway was low and I found the taped off wire. I also have the built in brake control and full factory install.

 

[Diamondpilot]

ford has two breakers it gives you with the truck that are not installed. Nothing will work on the 7 pin until they are installed. Either in your glove box or map pockets. The breaker is grey in color and goes into the fuse box located above the radiator. If you don't have them go back to the dealer to get them and have them install them. takes about 7 seconds to do. And for the life of me I can't figure why they sell a tow package and don't install the breakers. I'm sure that's what you problem is. I've had several f150 with tow package and none of them came with the breakers installed.

First off they are not breakers, they are relays. Second off the lights will work with out them. The two Relays Ford supplies are only on trucks without the Integrated Trailer Brake System. This does not pertain to our posters since he has the ITBS.


The Relays Ford supplies are for the charging circuit to take care of the brake-away battery on the trailer, and the aftermarket brake controller one may install like a Prodigy.

On the Fords everything is done if you have the ITBS unless something is wrong from the factory which should not be the problem because he took it to the dealer and they checked it out. You can confirm with a simple multi meter. Plus he said his lights worked but noting else.

Chris