*RESOLVED* Need help with trailer brake controller

I'm hoping someone can help shed some light on what's going on here. I'm at my wits end and due to leave on a trip pulling a small travel trailer in four days.

I have a 2009 Tacoma TRD six cyl - factory stock with tow package including 7-pin connector installed.

I'm trying to install a brake controller and I can't figure out the wiring harness installation.

Uhaul sold me a controller with a harness that does not work even though they swear it's the one for my truck. I returned both and bought another set on Amazon (Reese Towpower with Reese harness 78055) and it turned out to be the same connector as the one Uhaul sold me and there is nowhere to plug it in. I ran all over town to auto parts stores and nobody had a harness/controller combo that was made for my truck.

The Reese (and Uhaul) connectors have this:


The only connector hanging down near my e-brake looks like this and I've searched but there is nothing else even remotely close to plug into.



Any help is much appreciated.

 

You need to splice in the brake wire for one of them, the other is a ground one to the battery and the other to the 7 pin

https://www.etrailer.com/tv-install...ke-controller-2008-toyota-tacoma-tk90160.aspx

Watch towards the end, it will make more sense

 

Thank you for the response - my truck already has the black and blue wires provided in the harness at the 7-pin connector. Why would I need to tap in and run new wires? I don't get it.

 

Trace those and tap in, I could be wrong but from what I read you can’t use that little white factory connector. Don’t ask me why. I just wired it from scratch and mines worked pretty well so far. Check etrakler, they have very good vehicle specific videos

 

I don't think you found the right connector on your truck. You shouldn't have to splice anything. I just hooked mine up a month ago. You need to look higher under the dash towards the door. It's up there. I found the one you pulled out at first too. The plug they sold you is the right plug.

 

Is it that tiny little plug that your talking about?

 

This is the tekonsha plug I just used and its the same connector as the Reese/Uhaul one you have

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Tekonsha/3040-P.html

 

Watch this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc9jveHElIE

 

It was way higher than I thought it would be, you need to lay in the floorboard and look up

 

Keep looking you will find it. Hits usually pretty hidden too.

 

Tekonsha # 3040 P I believe. +/- $12. bucks.

Get a hold of eTrailer.
They have what you need. Knowledgeable, fast shipping and won't gouge ya.

 

Thanks for the ray of hope. I'm searching again looking way up and I think I see a white clip taped to a thick group of wires - and it has a black cap on it. Is this what your's looked like?

 

Sounds like it. It's higher up than you'd think it'll be, just like he said. The connector you were sold is the right one.

Source: Seventeen years in the hitch/trailer business.

 

Before I get my way knife up there and permanently reverse something - does this look like it?

 

Does it have a blue wire going to it?

 

Woohoo! lol I found it in the exact location shown in the video. Literally cannot see it but felt it with my fingers and pulled it out.

Thanks everyone for the help

 

Glad you found it, I literally just went through this and it took me over an hour to find it.

 

Congrats on finding the right one. In that same area there's a ground hub you can loosen and add the white ground wire too for a clean, reversible install.

Now I wonder what that other plug is for that you wrongly thought was for your brake controller...

 

Right? Thanks for that e-trailer video - when I saw where he pulled the plug out from behind those wires I was like holy crap, I've looked there six times lol

I feel bad for the dude at Uhaul - he thought he was losing his mind lol. I'm tempted to pull in there just to give him some closure.

 

Found the hub, thanks. Everything's working good.

I have no idea what the plug is for but I'm glad I stopped by here on my way in to get my buck knife and find out haha.