Recommended Brake Controller to Fit a 2011 Toyota Highlander and 2003 Toyota Tundra

Question:

I would like to buy one brake controller that I can interchange between two cars. The first car is a 2003 Toyota Tundra and the second is a 2011 Toyota Highlander. Both vehicles have factory installed tow packages. I have a single trailer that I want to be able to pull with both cars and do not want to have to buy two controllers. I understand I will need two wiring harness though. Thanks

asked by: Robert P

Helpful Expert Reply:

The Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Trailer Brake Controller # 90195 will fit on both your 2003 Toyota Tundra and 2011 Toyota Highlander. I recommend this brake controller as it has 5 storable settings that let you customize the controller for varying loads or different drivers. It also has 3 boost levels that let you adjust initial braking power and aggressiveness.

To wire the brake controller in your 2011 Toyota Highlander, you will need to hardwire your brake controller using Draw-Tite Wiring Kit # 5506. I attached an installation video for a 2011 Toyota Highlander which you can use the same process for your vehicle, but you do not need to install the 7-way. You will just need to run the four wires from the brake controller.

The black wire goes to the positive battery post at the 30-amp circuit breaker and the white wire is the ground and goes to the negative battery post. The blue wire will need to go through the firewall and ran all the way back to the 7-way trailer connector at the back of your truck and the red wire will need to be spliced into the cold side of the brake light switch at the brake pedal. The cold side of the brake light switch is the wire that only has power when the brake pedal is pressed.

To wire the Tekonsha Brake Controller on your 2003 Toyota Tundra, the Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter # 3040-P will allow you to plug the adapter into the brake controller and into your factory wiring harness under your steering column. After securing the ground on the adapter, your brake controller is ready to go. Toyota did not include a factory brake controller port on the Highlander, which is why the installation is a little more involved.

To make it easy to transfer your brake controller from one truck to the other, I recommend buying another Tekonsha Brake Controller Mounting Bracket # TK5906 so you have a bracket in both vehicles for an easy transition.

I attached an installation video of a Tekonsha Brake Controller on a 2006 Toytoa Tundra which is the same exact process for your 2003 Toyota Tundra with the Tekonsha P3 Controller, which you may find helpful.