Need help.with Trailer Wiring....2004 Sport

[sstcobra1]

Good evening, I am trying to install the correct wiring for a trailer brake controller in a 2004 Liberty sport. There is a wiring harness in the right rear of the car behind the plastic interior piece. Does someone have access to a wiring diagram and can they tell me where the red wire with a blue stripe originates? Also, can you confirm that the blue wire does indeed originate up behind the drivers foot panel? Both of these wires enter the harness, but there is no connecting wire on the harness that it plugs into. I am assuming this is the tie in point for the factory tow harness and the blue wire is for the brake controller and the red wire w/ blue strip is the battery power which is used on trailers with 7 pin connectors.

I have looked through the forum and see some discussions on the blue wire and that it begins at the brake contoller, but I have yet to read where the blue wire ends. Having followed a number of wires, I am assuming the blue wire ends at the right rear harness that I discussed above.

Thanks.....Gary

 

[JeepJeepster]

The blue wire does come out behind the kick panel.

Take this piece off:

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Look for a white box:

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Look for blue wire with tag on it:

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Where the wire is on the connector in the back of the jeep:

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Sorry, I have no clue where the red wire with a blue stripe originates??

 

[glaurick]

If you already have the factory 7way trailer plug on your rear bumper then the blue wire should be connected to it already. Let me know if you need a diagram or anything, I've installed about 100 of these controllers.

 

[sstcobra1]

I do not have a seven wire plug already, but I have found the installation instructions on the web. The seven wire plug that I have needs to tie into the brake controller wire in the right rear harness. I am just trying to confirm this is the same blue wire that I will tie the brake controller into up under the drivers kick panel.

In a similar fashion I am trying to confirm that the red wire with blue stripe is battery "hot" that ties to the trailer to charge the emergency break away battery.

If that's not clear, let me know and I will try to state it another way...Gary

(I know us engineers sometimes struggle with clear communications and good/proper language!)

 

[JeepJeepster]

ahh.. I wish I was home b/c I have all of that written down. Along with the FSM.. :-s I cannot remember what all the colors do..

Just get a Volt meter and see what everything does. Get someone to sit in there and hit the brakes and what not.. O

 

[ogfalcon]

Good evening, I am trying to install the correct wiring for a trailer brake controller in a 2004 Liberty sport. There is a wiring harness in the right rear of the car behind the plastic interior piece. Does someone have access to a wiring diagram and can they tell me where the red wire with a blue stripe originates? Also, can you confirm that the blue wire does indeed originate up behind the drivers foot panel? Both of these wires enter the harness, but there is no connecting wire on the harness that it plugs into. I am assuming this is the tie in point for the factory tow harness and the blue wire is for the brake controller and the red wire w/ blue strip is the battery power which is used on trailers with 7 pin connectors.

I have looked through the forum and see some discussions on the blue wire and that it begins at the brake contoller, but I have yet to read where the blue wire ends. Having followed a number of wires, I am assuming the blue wire ends at the right rear harness that I discussed above.

Thanks.....Gary

If you don't have the overhead console from the factory, there is a second wiring harness that you need to install. You can buy this harness from Mopar, and it is different than just the towing package wiring harness. With this supplemental wiring harness, it plugs into the passenger rear of the jeep inline with the normal towing wiring harness, and then you have to route the supplemental harness up to the front of the jeep, behind the radio, and then out the firewall to the battery. This harness will plug into the cigarette lighter as well as to the positive and negative leads of the battery. This harness allows the actual receiver plug to be powered, and also has the blue trailer brake wire that you are looking for. I have an 04 Liberty Sport as well, and I did not have the blue wire behind the kick panel; it doesn't matter, however, as long as you install the supplemental harness. I installed a hitch, both wiring harnesses, and a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller in my KJ, and everything went pretty smooth. There is a great write-up about this install from another member, and here is the link:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1691&highlight=oil+cooler

There is tons of great information in that write-up, and if I remember correctly, the red wire with the blue stripe comes with the supplemental harness; when you buy the extra harness, you will actually press the red wire with the blue stripe into the existing plastic connector in the passenger rear (as well as three other wires), and like I said above, route these wires up to the front of the KJ. The red wire with a blue stripe will eventually go through a 20-amp fuse (included with the extra harness) and then to the positive terminal of the battery. This is the wire that actually powers the 7-pin plug, and is not there at all unless you install that extra harness. Because you have to go through the firewall, here is some great information about that:

http://home.comcast.net/~corwyyn/firewall-penetration.html

Clear as mud?

I guess what I'm getting at here, is if you don't have the overhead harness, just spend the 40-bucks for the supplemental harness, and all will be well.

Here are the links to the different wiring harnesses:
Regular 7-Pin Wiring Harness
http://www.autotrucktoys.com/libert...-7-way-Connector-02-Up-Liberty-P2326C524.aspx

Supplemental Harness for KJs w/o the Overhead Console
http://www.autotrucktoys.com/libert...ailer-Tow-Wiring-Adapter-02-Up-P8948C524.aspx

Hope that helps,
OG

 

[sstcobra1]

Can you tell me why I need the supplemental harness if I do not have the overhead console? I don't wish to argue, I am just trying to understand what the overhead console provides??? I currently have a 4 pin trailer harness and no overhead console. I do have the blue wire under the driver's kick panel that connects to the brake controller.

The way I understand it, the right rear harness on my Liberty contains all the necessary wiring for the 7 pin trailer connector . I have a 7 pin trailer connector from etrailers.com. Part of this plugs into the existing 4 pin connector (That takes care of the trailer running lights and turn signals). Then I need to connect a battery hot wire, a ground and the blue wire from the brake controller.

Again, what does the console wiring provide that I am missing?

This is a great learning experience...although it stinks laying on the cold ground here in Chicagoland!

Gary

 

[Gentleman]

The wire from the overhead provides the 12 v+ on the rear connector, if I understand what you are asking, when I installed mine, I found the blue wire which in my case was red, I checked it for continuity with the brake terminal on the 7 pin and it had continuity, so the blue wire ends on the wiring plug on the rear electrical connector

Bob

 

[JeepJeepster]

Can you tell me why I need the supplemental harness if I do not have the overhead console? I don't wish to argue, I am just trying to understand what the overhead console provides??? I currently have a 4 pin trailer harness and no overhead console. I do have the blue wire under the driver's kick panel that connects to the brake controller.

The way I understand it, the right rear harness on my Liberty contains all the necessary wiring for the 7 pin trailer connector . I have a 7 pin trailer connector from etrailers.com. Part of this plugs into the existing 4 pin connector (That takes care of the trailer running lights and turn signals). Then I need to connect a battery hot wire, a ground and the blue wire from the brake controller.

Again, what does the console wiring provide that I am missing?

This is a great learning experience...although it stinks laying on the cold ground here in Chicagoland!

Gary

I thought if you had the blue wire, you didnt need the extra wiring harness. I have the same thing that you got from etrailer.. The thing that plugs into the 4way plug then has other wires for different things.. If you found the blue wire, what else do you need to know? Where the red wire with the blue stripe goes? Have you checked to see if it has power on it yet? O

 

[sstcobra1]

I checked the red wire with blue stripe and it indeed has 12 volts on it at all times. Therefore I believe I have all the info I need to complete this installation. I was hung up on the need of the second harness when it appeared, from my way of thinking that I did not need the second harness, given the specific wiring in my Liberty.

Thanks for the help....Gary

(email if you need anything)

 

[ogfalcon]

I checked the red wire with blue stripe and it indeed has 12 volts on it at all times. Therefore I believe I have all the info I need to complete this installation. I was hung up on the need of the second harness when it appeared, from my way of thinking that I did not need the second harness, given the specific wiring in my Liberty.

Thanks for the help....Gary

(email if you need anything)

Gary, I guess I didn't read in your previous posts that you already have a trailer wiring harness. If you already have any type of trailering package, you "may" not need the supplemental harness. The supplemental harness, though, has four wires that plug into the regular harness in the right rear. I wish I had not thrown away the instructions, because I can't remember what the other two wires were for. I do know that if you have either (or both) an overhead console or towing package, the blue wire is already there. If you've got a harness from eTrailer that turns your existing harness into a 7-pin with a few modifications, I'd say give it a try. I had neither an overhead console or a towing package (until I installed both), so I had to use the supplemental harness. Let us know how the install goes, because I'm curious.

Thanks,
OG

 

[sstcobra1]

Finished the installation this morning.......No issues what so ever. Used the existing blue wire from the controller to the rear right harness. Then connected my etrailer.com 7 pin plug into that. Used the existing red wire with blue stripe as the battery hot to the trailer break away battery.

Also used the forum instructions for bringing the wire up to the battery through the fire wall. I mounted my brake controller on the console, just in front of that worthless storage area and it fit in real nice. Drilled the rear of the worthless storage area (lower left corner and pulled the brake controller wires through to the area under the steering column and made all my wire connections.

I will pull the trailer one day this week, but I think I am all set. Thanks everyone for your help....Gary

 

[JeepJeepster]

How did you mount the 7pin connector to the hitch? I bought the little box that mounts to the hitch, but got the wrong size.. ](*,) I think I could still use it though.. O

 

[ogfalcon]

AWESOME!! Great to hear.

 

[sstcobra1]

I purchased a box at my local trailer store that used a large hose clamp to hold the box to the trailer hitch. Worked great for me.

 

[goofyfoot2010]

How do you run the brake wire from the dash to the rear of the car?

 

[tommudd]

How do you run the brake wire from the dash to the rear of the car?

Ive ran them inside the KJ on ones I have installed under carpet along with stock wiring
Takes a little more time but more professional looking that some I have found

 

[sleazy rider]

Ive ran them inside the KJ on ones I have installed under carpet along with stock wiring
Takes a little more time but more professional looking that some I have found

Might I add that a fish tape makes it much easier to go under the carpet? Heck, even an old metal hanger works.

 

[turblediesel]

How do you run the brake wire from the dash to the rear of the car?

Pull the plastic step-trim below the driver side doors and you can run the wire underneath with the other wires.