Wiring question
 

I posted this in the tech section but not haveing many responses so I'm posting here where all the guru's hang out. I have a 2000 F-250 Powerstroke and I use the 7 round to 5 flat connector. My reverse will not engage on my trailer. Well, I shouldn't say that it won't because 1 out of every 10 times it will. This made me think I just had a loose connection in the 7 pin connector, but I don't. When I put the truck in reverse, using a test light, I do not get any power to any pin which I'm certain it is supposed to be the center pin, so I tested on the front side of the connector by piercing each wire and still nothing. I do get power to my yellow, green, and brown w/white stripe. Here is a breakdown of the collors that are going to the 7 pin round connector:

Yellow= left turn
Green= right turn
Brown w/white stripe= running lights
Orange= 12V+ which I'm not getting with the key on
White= ???
Blue= ???
Black w/green stripe is running to the center pin which should be coming from the reverse back-up lights I think. One of the wires coming off those is black with a pink stripe and the other is brown I think. I haven't been able to trace these wires all the way to the connector though. I've checked all the fuses that I think could be associated with it and there all good. Didn't know if it could be some kind of relay or not. There was one fuse listed in the book in location 28 for Trailer Tow Electronic Brake Controller and it was not in its place so I took one from 27 that was for Injector Driver Module and the truck wouldn't start so I just turned the key on and put the truck in reverse, but that didn't work either. Thanks for any help!

Re: Wiring question
 

Are you using the connector that ford provides for electical brake controllers?

Re: Wiring question
 

It came from the factory as a part of the tow package I guess; I haven't changed anything.

Re: Wiring question
 

I don't think this really has anything to do with a brake controller, all I'm talking about is my 7 pin round connector will not get power therefore it doesn't send a signal to the trailer wiring to release the brakes when I go into reverse.

Re: Wiring question
 

I'm not familiar with the Ford but heres what i can tell ya about the GM's......maybe they use the same color codes for wireing...
The orange wire is the 12v+ battery feed on the connector. It comes from the factory unhooked! The blue wire is usually the electric brake activator coming out of the brake controller in the cab. White is usualy ground. So that would leave that black/green as your reverse light wire.
Try this......go to the back and test all the pins for 12v+ with a digital volt meter or test light if you dont have the meter. there should only be one. turn ignition on but dont start the truck. Block the wheels so the truck wont move on you. set parking brake and shift truck into reverse and test all the pins on the 7-pin connector to see if you get juice on any. you should probably have two at this time. One will be the 12v supply you found on the first try and the other will be the reverse lights. Now if you are not getting a second one then you have to start tracing backward from the connector thorugh the truck.
Double check with your dealer to make sure there are no wires that need to be hooked up before you can start useing a brake controller bacause the GM's come unhooked from the factory. Hoep this helps a bit. :)

Re: Wiring question
 

Wally, I'm not trying to use a brake controller. I have tried what you're talking about, but I'm going to walk outside and do it againg just to be sure. I'll post back in a few.

Re: Wiring question
 

Wally, I used an F-250 Excursion as a reference and you're right, the orange is the 12V+. Niether truck was hot with the key off but the Excursion's was with the key on. Mine was not hot either way (on or off) before the connector or after. If I'm not getting 12V+, my lights shouldn't work at all should they? My turn signals, running lights, and brake lights all get power when activated.

Re: Wiring question
 

No....your lights will work just fine without the 12v supply because they are drawing juice from the yellow/green/and brown wires. So the next question is did you get 12v with the truck shifted into rev? NO? then you need to trace the wires from the back of the connector to where they splice into the harness to find out why? As for the orange 12v wire not giving you juice.........either you have a fuse for that wire blown somewhere. Or its not connected yet like i mentioned with the GM trucks. Most times you can follow the orange wire back along the frame and up into the engine compartment. There you will see its most likely next to the fuse box and there should be a 12v post for it to connect to. Most times that 12v supply wire is there to supply juice for acc items liek lights and maybe the emergency batt for the brake system on elec brakes.

Re: Wiring question
 

No, I'm not getting any power with the truck in reverse. So, even if I connect the orange wire it is not going to help with the black wire with green stripe; right? What about tapping into the running lights so that way when I need to reverse, all I have to do is turn on my lights and I'm good to go?

Re: Wiring question
 

No it wont help with the orange connected.
Wait a minute......now when you say "My reverse will not engage on my trailer" what exactly do you mean by this? Do you have reverse lights on it? if thats the case then no you dont want to tap into the running lights cause everytime you run at night the reverse lights will be on as well.......
If you mean a reverse lockout is not working.....No again on that one too......again because when you turn on the running lights it will activate the solenoid and maybe burn it out sooner or later. If you are frustrated with this what you can do is wire in a sepperate switch so you can turn the revers solenoid on any time you want.

Heres something else i want you to try.....take that 7 to 5 wire harness and test it out and make sure that 5th wire (supposedly the reverse) is actually going to the center pin (the black/green) then what you can do to make sure that the reverse is working on the trailer and not burned out is give the ground and the reverse pin +/- juice and make sure they work........

If you tested the black /green wire with the truck in reverse, and i dont mean at the connector but behind it...the actual wire.....and got nothing then its more likely a problem on the truck side you need to figure out............i suspect its probably ok and you have a break inside the connector part itself. :confused:

Re: Wiring question
 

No, I actually checked the wire before the connector and nothing, so that does mean it's on the truck side. Also, I am talking about reverse lock-out and I usually only pull the boat during daylight hours but I understand that there are always exceptions and you're right, I would probably burn up the solenoid. The only way I can make it work is to pull the five pin out, turn it upside down and insert the reverse pin into a different pin/hole.

Re: Wiring question
 

Wally beat me to it.

Re: Wiring question
 

Yup it looks like its on the truck side......i would double check all your fuses. They sometimes look good but when you put a test light on them you can see if they are not getting a good contact. If that dont solve it then you may have a break in the wire someplace. time for the dealer to fix or for some custom wireing up to the truck cab. :(

yea when you flip it over you are useing a different set of wires.....could be tail lights, turn....etc...i wouldnt do that too often incase you backfeed any of the lighting systems.........

Re: Wiring question
 

You can just turn your 5 pin perpendicular to itself when you need to backup as a quick fix, and feed power to your reverse solenoid from your trailer lights pin on the 5 wire flat. You will be relying on your trailer ball as ground which is not always a good ground though.

Re: Wiring question
 

http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/trailerlights.html



should'nt matter ford or chevy....

Re: Wiring question
 

i'm lost, sorry

Re: Wiring question
 

Check my reply to your thread in tech. You need to plug in the relay and fuses for all of the 7 pins to be active.

Re: Wiring question
 

Waite waite waite ......
I don't have one hear right now but , I think you are missing a fuse .
Go under the hood , on the driver side you will see a square black box .it is your "OTHER " fuse box ...... Open it and look at the top row closest to the engine . You will see a row of "maxi" fuses .( the real big ones) . One or 2 of those are probably missing ( you only need to add one). I think it is one towards the front of the truck marked "stud 1" I think . Stick one of the others in it and I bet you get you power ..... You will definately get the 12 V wire when key is on ..If I had seen this an hour ago I had 2 of them here I could have looked at and told you for sure . Going out to change an engine now ,but if you still have questions call my cell . I can help ! Joe
908-963-2513

Re: Wiring question
 

Oh , us1 beat me to it . Yes there may be another relay too . Some do some don't . They would be behind this fuse box closer to the fire wall and close to the master cylinder . A small black square box about 2" wide and 3-4 " long . Lid is probably taped on with black tape . Open it and see if there are 2 relays in it . Joe

Re: Wiring question
 

I think you guys are on to something. I had mentioned this to Wally in a private message because I had read something very similar on a Powerstroke Forum, but they were talking about an actual brake controller so I didn't know if it would apply to me or not. I have two of those little black boxes you are talking about and it seems like one had the relays in it but the other one did not. I will go look again and let you know. Also, the one Maxi fuse in location 28 which is for Trailer Electronic Brake Control is missing but I took out one from location 27 and it still didn't work, but maybe I need the two relays also. Thanks, Danny

Re: Wiring question
 

Thanks to all! You guys are awesome! I just found all the fuses and relays in my glovebox right where USA1 Fountain said they would be; plugged them in and walaaah, it worked.

Re: Wiring question
 

Now would I lead you guys astray?
Glad to be of help.

Re: Wiring question
 

Why do you guys think the trailer would reverse every once in awhile before I had all the fuses and relays plugged in? The only thing I can think of, and I noticed this the last two or three times it worked, but it seemed like I was always on a slope so the weight was pulling the trailer backwards and it may not have ever acuated the brakes in the first place.

Re: Wiring question
 

well glad it was figured out. wish i could have helped ya better but ya know i'm more of a chevy guy. Now if Ford would just catch up on the interior dept i would be all over them cause i love the outside style of their trucks.....just hate the interiors! :(

Re: Wiring question
 

I don't know about their diesels but I've seen some of their newer F-150's and they had some pretty nice interiors. I've always been a Chevy guy too, but I do like my Powerstroke.

Re: Wiring question
 

Oh yeah, I don't know why they don't put all those fuses and relays in from the factory for you to be able to wire a brake controller or just a case like mine. I could've spent hours maybe even days tracing wires and I still wouldn't have found the problem.

Re: Wiring question
 

They don't put them in so the dealer can charge you $100 to do it !

I would have told you the factory left them in the glove box but I figured with the year of the truck that stuff would be long gone .....

My trailer customers are little pack rats . As soon as they drive offf the dealers lot ,they grab that bag of fuses and wire harness and put it in the house so no one can steel it ..... They don't even know what it is for . Then they bring me the truck the next day to wire it and there is no harness or fuses ......... And they wonder why I have to charge them more . I stock all the harnesses , relays and fuses ,for Ford ,chevy and dodge because of that . Glad you got it working ! The only way your brakes could have worked before is there was no pressure on them . Meaning you did not compress the coupler when backing up enough to make them work. I moved my buddys 38 fountain with no trouble .backed it up 2 or 3 times and then the last time it locked up .... Had to get out and put a bolt through it so I could back up .