My 08 LC only appears to have the towing package, but things are not adding up. (1 Viewer)

[gomotomoto]

I installed a brake controller and a 7 pin (hopkins) female for the purpose of towing an airstream. It's all hooked up, but not communicating with the trailer, confirmed with test light/om meter.

My 08 has the hitch, and female wiring adapters for the 7 pin harness, but is it possible it's not actually wired from the factory? Makes absolutely no sense that they would do that, but who knows.

Does anyone know what's going on -- is the 08' 200 series actually missing the wiring needed to accomodate a 7 pin?

Blows my mind that they increased the tow capacity by 200 pounds from 07' to 08' but didn't bother to set the truck wiring up to make it easy.

Or... is it possible that I'm missing a few fuses? I've checked the boxes and all the 30 amp tow fuses are in their respective slots.

driving me nuts. If anyone can lend some insight, would be appreciated.

 

[Yossarian]

Is the 7 pin receptacle plugged into the factory wiring? Some of the early 200's did not have them installed for whatever reason, mine did not and I had the dealer of sale install the OEM 7 pin receptacle.

 

[ShadOMatic]

Is the 7 pin receptacle plugged into the factory wiring? Some of the early 200's did not have them installed for whatever reason, mine did not and I had the dealer of sale install the OEM 7 pin receptacle.

View attachment 1437397

what is the light gray socket??

 

[GordJ]

I am curious if you actually hooked up the trailer or just used the voltmeter? I know my Prodigy tells me if the trailer brakes are connected and I was wondering if your controller doesn't send voltage if it doesn't sense trailer brakes?

 

[Malleus]

FWIW, my 07 LX570 has a 7-pin connector and the wiring works as expected. I do not have a trailer brake controller installed (yet).

 

[TeCKis300]

Tell us a bit more. It should work once you have the brake controller and 7-pin wired in.

I've setup my '09, and it works just fine.

 

[hankinid]

I am curious if you actually hooked up the trailer or just used the voltmeter? I know my Prodigy tells me if the trailer brakes are connected and I was wondering if your controller doesn't send voltage if it doesn't sense trailer brakes?

's Prodigy in her Cummins horse hauler shows "nc" on the display if it doesn't see a continuous connection

 

[GordJ]

's Prodigy in her Cummins horse hauler shows "nc" on the display if it doesn't see a continuous connection

That is what suggested that the controller doesn't send voltage unless a brake is hooked up. Less sophisticated controllers probably send voltage whether a brake is hooked up or not.

 

[TeCKis300]

I know that the Prodigy P3 will send e-brake voltage even if the controller itself does not sense that a trailer is hooked up.

 

[rjby77]

I installed a brake controller and a 7 pin (hopkins) female for the purpose of towing an airstream. It's all hooked up, but not communicating with the trailer, confirmed with test light/om meter.

My 08 has the hitch, and female wiring adapters for the 7 pin harness, but is it possible it's not actually wired from the factory? Makes absolutely no sense that they would do that, but who knows.

Does anyone know what's going on -- is the 08' 200 series actually missing the wiring needed to accomodate a 7 pin?

Blows my mind that they increased the tow capacity by 200 pounds from 07' to 08' but didn't bother to set the truck wiring up to make it easy.

Or... is it possible that I'm missing a few fuses? I've checked the boxes and all the 30 amp tow fuses are in their respective slots.

driving me nuts. If anyone can lend some insight, would be appreciated.

I have a 2008 and mine is doing the same thing. Did you figure this out? If so, what was the solution? I bought a P3 brake controller, installed the factory harness into the 2 plugs (should have been installed at the dealership) and tested all fuses. Not working and driving me nuts.

 

[RET2]

I would start testing at the female receptacle ( running lights,turn sigs etc.) to see if it is connected properly and then check to see if the trailer is wired correctly by hooking it to another 7 blade source?

 

[rjby77]

I would start testing at the female receptacle ( running lights,turn sigs etc.) to see if it is connected properly and then check to see if the trailer is wired correctly by hooking it to another 7 blade source?

Special thanks to this awesome website I figured it out!!! Instead of plugging the Hopkins adapter into the factory pigtail/port I plugged it in upstream into the ports next to the spare tire. This required me to unplug the "extension" which goes from the driver side over the spare and to the factory location of the pigtail. Those wires are now just hanging but not required. I plugged in the trailer and brake controller and I'm on the road. I did have to mount the adapter using 2 screws into the bumper. I'll post pics when I have a minute.