SR-24

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!

Krumbsnatcher

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

SR-24

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

SR-24

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.

Wally

iTrader: (1)

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.

SR-24

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.

SR-24

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.

Wally

iTrader: (1)

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.

SR-24

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?

Wally

iTrader: (1)

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.