Forum Discussion

agesilaus's avatar
agesilaus
Explorer III
Nov 12, 2018

Ford 7 way plug

OK the 7 way plug on the back of my F350 is not working. I've almost never used it since my 5th wheel used the plug in the truck bed. I managed to get the plug off the truck and have my DMM testing the expected voltages and am not seeing what the pinout calls for. Ford assembled this plug with globs of some kind of grease. If it's conductive grease it looks like it would short out adjacent pins. When I say globs I mean they slathered the stuff on.

Any suggestions on this?
  • If it has never been used you may need to install a couple of fuses. Might even be a relay needed but it has been a few too many years for me to remember.
  • Is the bed unit stock of aftermarket? If they are both installed by Ford both should be working simultaneously. If not perhaps who installed the bed unit disconnected the hitch unit to feed the bed unit.
  • shum02 wrote:
    Is the bed unit stock of aftermarket? If they are both installed by Ford both should be working simultaneously. If not perhaps who installed the bed unit disconnected the hitch unit to feed the bed unit.


    Nope pure stock.
  • check your fuses you could have blown it plugging in if there trailer had a short
  • First, that is non-conductive grease, likely silicon dielectric. Good stuff. Leave as much as possible.

    "Not working" is very broad ! What SPECIFICALLY is not working and how are you testing it ?

    Older trucks might be missing a relay and/or fuse. Newer ones could be a blown fuse. Even newer ones "sense" if you have a trailer connected and only then "turn on" power.
  • Hmmm I did not know that Ford had t way both in the rear bumper rea and also in the bed from the factory.

    I had to install the in bed one in my Ford.

    If not already done, I would suck my big belly in and slide under the bumper and see what is on the rear of the bumper area plug?
  • Dave H M wrote:
    Hmmm I did not know that Ford had t way both in the rear bumper rea and also in the bed from the factory.

    I had to install the in bed one in my Ford.

    If not already done, I would suck my big belly in and slide under the bumper and see what is on the rear of the bumper area plug?


    Yes, with the fifth wheel prep pkg, they came with in-bed, under bumper, from the factory.

    If you had gotten 4X4....you would more easily fit under that bumper!:B

    Jerry