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Problems when replacing 7 pin connector

soon2bexpat
Explorer
Explorer
I have a Curt Bluetooth brake controller. Works great but last week, it kept going out on me. Figured maybe the unit was bad, being Bluetooth and all. Get unhitched and see that the problem is a cut in the cord on the trailer side of the 7 pin. So I order a new trailer side plug and cut off the old one. Hereโ€™s where everything goes to hell.

I thought I could pull the end off the old plug to see how the wires are hooked up. But itโ€™s like a solid piece. So I figured the wires going into the end would be in order and proceeded to wire it that way. Plugged it into the tow vehicle, turned on the TV headlights and saw the running lights turn on the trailer. Good. But the other lights (brake & turn) wouldnโ€™t turn on and the brake controller couldnโ€™t make a connection. I disconnected the trailer but the trailer running lights stayed on. Couldnโ€™t figure that one out, so I pulled the bulbs so that the trailer battery wouldnโ€™t die (Iโ€™m boondocking).

So today, I figure Iโ€™ll give it another try. The TV manual had a diagram for the 7 pin (โ€˜02 GMC Yukon XL). Turns out I had it wired wrong. So I rewire the trailer connector to match the TV diagram. But when I plugged it in, the only thing that worked was the left turn/left brake light. At least the running lights were off.

So now Iโ€™m stuck. Any suggestions?
Kodachrome Time Machine, my vintage photo collection from the 1940s to the 1970s: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCff0z54NyAfuAjUST896l6g
17 REPLIES 17

CharlesinGA
Explorer
Explorer
Given that a couple of the wires are heavy gauge and all are fine stranded, I found that it is very difficult to properly install a new connector on a trailer cable. Much easier to replace the entire cable with new molded on plug, making the connections at the splices to the trailer wires.

Charles
'03 Ram 2500 CTD, 5.9HO six speed, PacBrake Exh Brake, std cab, long bed, Leer top and 2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB.. previously (both gone) 2008 Thor/Dutchman Freedom Spirit 180 & 2007 Winnebago View 23H Motorhome.

CharlesinGA
Explorer
Explorer
deleted duplicate due to connection issues.
'03 Ram 2500 CTD, 5.9HO six speed, PacBrake Exh Brake, std cab, long bed, Leer top and 2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB.. previously (both gone) 2008 Thor/Dutchman Freedom Spirit 180 & 2007 Winnebago View 23H Motorhome.

CharlesinGA
Explorer
Explorer
deleted duplicate due to connection issues.
'03 Ram 2500 CTD, 5.9HO six speed, PacBrake Exh Brake, std cab, long bed, Leer top and 2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB.. previously (both gone) 2008 Thor/Dutchman Freedom Spirit 180 & 2007 Winnebago View 23H Motorhome.

CharlesinGA
Explorer
Explorer
deleted duplicate due to connection issues.
'03 Ram 2500 CTD, 5.9HO six speed, PacBrake Exh Brake, std cab, long bed, Leer top and 2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB.. previously (both gone) 2008 Thor/Dutchman Freedom Spirit 180 & 2007 Winnebago View 23H Motorhome.

wnjj
Explorer II
Explorer II
^ Good advice there. Iโ€™ll just add that once you have the lights wires all identified you can touch one of them to each of the remaining unknown wires. If the lights turn on, that unknown wire is the charge line to the battery.

opnspaces
Navigator
Navigator
Leaving a specific wire for last isn't much of an issue. But it also won't hurt anything if you do.

Thinking about this further and assuming you do not have a meter this is what I would do. It's just a process of elimination.

Pull ALL the wires out of the replacement plug.

Take a pen and paper and write down the color of each wire in a vertical column.
While a helper stands behind the RV with the pen and paper touch each wire one at a time in the following order to the positive post of the battery. Have you friend observe the lights and write down which light corresponds the each wire.

Brown
Yellow
Green
Red


If only one tail light comes on that is a turn signal.
If both taillights and the top lights come on that is the running lights.


Once you find the two turn signals and the running lights you're in pretty good shape. though you'll be making a few assumptions.

Assume white is ground
Assume blue is electric brakes
You tested and found
Yellow (maybe left turn)
Green (maybe right turn)
Brown (maybe running lights)

That leaves only one maybe two wires to figure out. (charge and backup lights) Most trailers do not have backup lights so you're really only looking for one wire. But without a meter you're going to have to guess.

Hook all the wires up the and pick a left over wire and hook it up in the charge position of the plug.

Now plug the cable into the tow vehicle and turn on the ignition. Check that all the lights now work. (If the left and right turn signals work that also checks the brake lights)

To test the charge wire unplug the umbilical from the vehicle. Turn on the porch light of the trailer. Start the tow vehicle engine and let it idle.

While someone is observing the porch light plug in the umbilical. If the porch light gets brighter you have correctly identified the charge wire. If not then
A) check the fuse)
B) Swap with the other leftover wire and test again.
.
2001 Suburban 4x4. 6.0L, 4.10 3/4 ton **** 2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH **** 1986 Coleman Columbia Popup

soon2bexpat
Explorer
Explorer
opnspaces wrote:
Number one hook up the ground wire first. It's most likely the white wire and it's at the 7'oclock position when looking into the socket on the bumper. Once the ground is hooked up you can just play with each wire until you get it right.


I'll try this method next week. I came to an RV park today because when I connected it the second time yesterday, as I wrote above, the trailer battery was completely drained, after just a few minutes. Won't even recharge fully using a generator. So I needed electricity.

I assume I should leave the black power wire for last?
Kodachrome Time Machine, my vintage photo collection from the 1940s to the 1970s: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCff0z54NyAfuAjUST896l6g

opnspaces
Navigator
Navigator
Number one hook up the ground wire first. It's most likely the white wire and it's at the 7'oclock position when looking into the socket on the bumper. Once the ground is hooked up you can just play with each wire until you get it right. But my guess is the

White as ground
Blue as brakes
Brown as tail/running lights.
The other colors will vary, but the positions on the plugs should not vary.

.
2001 Suburban 4x4. 6.0L, 4.10 3/4 ton **** 2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH **** 1986 Coleman Columbia Popup

K_Charles
Explorer
Explorer
CA Traveler wrote:
Use a ohm meter and check the wiring in the cut off connector then attach the new one the same way ignoring wire colors on the new connector.

This is the easy way and you don't need a helper.

Beverley_Ken
Explorer
Explorer
"Don't get mixed up with the mirror image problem for each side of the connection". That is my downfall, e-trailer and others actually have 4 diagrams. One set is for the trailer plug, looking at the face/outside of the plug, plus the reverse/mirror image looking at the back/inside where the individual wires are connected. And the for the tow vehicle receptacle looking into the receptacle or looking at back where the wires are connected.

Ken
2006 Winnebago Outlook 29B E-450.
2012 Honda CR-V AWD
Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar and Brake Buddy Vantage.

wnjj
Explorer II
Explorer II
You may have to look for blown fuses on the Yukon if things were wired wrong and plugged in.

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
Use a ohm meter and check the wiring in the cut off connector then attach the new one the same way ignoring wire colors on the new connector.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob

BFL13
Explorer II
Explorer II
The wire colours for a standard 7-pin for each pin are on-line (Google), but the joke is in the wire colours GM uses for the pins. Different! You have to wire the trailer 7-pin the standard way, not the GM way.

If you ever have to change the GM 7-pin on the back of the truck to a standard one, it gets complicated ๐Ÿ™‚ BTDT.

Don't get mixed up with the mirror image problem for each side of the connection.
1. 1991 Oakland 28DB Class C
on Ford E350-460-7.5 Gas EFI
Photo in Profile
2. 1991 Bighorn 9.5ft Truck Camper on 2003 Chev 2500HD 6.0 Gas
See Profile for Electronic set-ups for 1. and 2.

lamopar
Explorer
Explorer
If it were me, I would take a battery and attach the ground wire then connect the other wires to determine what color goes where. I am guessing you will have a marker light, turn lights, break light and you should be able to hear the brakes work.