Wiring Trailer Lights on 09 Access Cab

Greetings. I installed a Toyota Receiver Hitch on my new 2009 Tacoma. The owners manual says a prewired trailer light wire bundle is coiled up under the bed, no towing package. The dealer sold me a very large package to wire the lights that requires running wires all the way into the engine bay. I think that Toyota added some pre wiring for 09.

I can get a straight answer about what exists and what is needed. Any one familiar with the 09 and the wiring requirments?

 

Depends on the model.....4 cylinder trucks, you will need to add an under dash module. Which generates a second 12v signal for the trailer lights, flashers, brake lights etc. It is a little intimidating at first, but just read the instructions, and from my experience, it's not tough, just intimidating...pulling apart your brand new truck. The Toyota kit is complete with everything you'll need. You don't actually run any wires under the hood, they come up under the drivers seat, and only go as far as the kick panel. You'll have to add 2 relays into the under hood fuse box. It will probably take about 1.5 hours.
Any questions, just ask, I just did this, but at the same time, I wired up a subwoofer, and a brake controller.
Good Luck

 

Try this kit. All you have to do is remove the rear tail lights and plug it in. It took me about 20 minutes to install. Worked just fine and was inexpensive..

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/7281T.html

 

Thanks for all the responses. I did get a kit from the dealer with the dash module but it includes a wire bundle that is routed from the under dash fuse box area to the hitch. I don't have any qualms about the electrical work but as you said, I'm not eager to take apart dash covers, kick panels and other parts of a new truck. The great fear is to break tabs that hold panels on, especially the dash lower panel.

My service manual hasn't arrived so I'm flying blind on panel removal.

 

Killeen, are you military? I spent most of last year in Austin. Texas is my second home.

 

Yes, I have been in the Army for about 3 years before that I was in the National Gaurd for 3 years and the Marine Corps for 8 years. I just cant wait to leave here, not a fan of the humidity. I am from Spokane originally.

 

on another note, how much did the kit cost for your trailer wiring and what is the difference from the one that just connects into the rear tail lights..

 

$100.00 for the kit at the Toyota Dealer with what they said was a new buyer discount. The kit has the bracket for the trailer connector, wire bundle, relay, fuses connectors (plugs) and the under dash module. The kit provides a 12 V voltage source and a current source more directly from the battery rather than taking it from existing tail light wires. For a simple trailer with just two tail lights it may not matter but for a higher electrical load the kit provides a relay so the existing wiring doesn't supply the additional load of the trailer.

 

Got a picture of the Toyota harness? I bought the Hoppy harness, and then did a little research and realized that Toyota makes one. Sound likes a PITA to install, but I do like the idea of not running the trailer lights from the existing tail light wiring.

 

I don't have a picture because the harness is installed. The kit was plug and play including the grommet that sealed the passage into the interior cab. The only somewhat scary thing is taking the kick panels and lower dash off a new truck. In the end the bolts are obvious and the rest pulls off of tabs and isn't difficult. The kit is complete with all necessary holes predrilled and threaded.

There are two plugs under the dash that you have to find. The one that took me awhile to find was the harness plug which was hiding lower down than I was expecting and between the firewall and the electrical plugs just inside the firewall.

It was such a well designed kit that I put the hands free phone kit in the next day. In my state it's illegal to hold a phone while driving. Because I work with people around the globe there is always someone that wants to talk regardless of the hour so being able to talk while driving is a real plus.

The hands free works pretty well. The only thing missing is voice dialing built into the truck system and a voice command phone book. If your phone has voice dial the truck system will let you use it but there isn't a seperate phone book in the truck system. The radio or CD is muted when a call comes in and a one button push on the dash answers or hangs up the call. You just start talking. When the call is ended the radio comes back to volume.

 

Thanks! I live in Washington too (Bellingham area) and was looking in to the BT hardwired deal from Toyota as well. Glad to hear you like it. Sorry, this thread is getting kind of off topic... but how is the call quality on the receiving end? The mic placement seems a little strange, and the Tacoma isn't exactly super quiet inside the cab.

 

Inside the truck is great. I was talking to some folks in Australia yesterday and they said it was a little off but servicable. My wife has a similar system in her Nissan and we talk over both systems to each other and it works fine.

The volume can be turned up on the speakers to any level you want. I'm happy with it and I'm an anal engineer.

 

For all those thinking about using the Toyota wiring kits for accessories like trailer wires and Blue tooth, the dealer can print off or email you step by step directions with color pictures for installation of options they sell.

Its a well thought out instruction sheet which I guess you would expect from our friends at Toyota.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble with this harness. I drive the 09 Access Cab. I bought the harness from Toyota. I took the kick panel off, the scuff plate and all that. The lower dash panel came off, no problem. Got the Junction Block loose and out of the way. I found the white, 9-pin connector for the converter, but the 4-pin connector that connects to the harness has eluded me. Spike said he found it lower down, and behind some other stuff. I stuck my fingers all over back in there, and came up empty. I'll give it another go, but I'm starting to doubt my sanity. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

SeaBob, the four prong plug on my 2009 Access Cab was between the carpeted firewall and the wire bundles and junction boxes behind the kick panel. I can't remember but many of the empty plugs in the wiring bundles are taped to the wire bundles so they can be hard to identify. As I remember it, once I found it, the plug was fairly accessable. The instructions that come with the wiring harness shows a picture of the plug location. Sorry I can't help more.

 

Hey Spike, you da man! I finally found the 4-pin, right where you said it was. What a great hiding place! Everything is installed and working. Thanks for the clue!

 

My pleasure SeaBob. I'm sure an easier place could have been chosen for the plug but at least it is working.

Cheers

 

Definatly worth the $$ for the Toyota kit, I've already read about trouble when people have more than a couple lights with the tail end kits.