Wiring Harness and Brake Controller Recommendation for 2001 Nissan Xterra
Question:
I have a 2001 Xterra with a factory hitch but see no trailer light harness at all. Do I need one with connectors or one with straight wires to splice in? It seems silly Nissan put on a factory hitch without a light harness!!! I plan on a 7 blade plug for my car trailer with brakes, so I would need the correct adapter to go from 4 to 7 as well thank you!
asked by: Vince
Expert Reply:
It's always possible that the dealership threw a hitch on your 2001 Nissan Xterra and didn't bother with the wiring harness for whatever reason, but regardless of how we ended up here- I have a solution for you. There aren't any "plug and play" wiring harnesses available for the 2001 Xterra, so you're going to need a splice in (hard wire) solution like the Curt Powered Tail Light Converter # C59236 . This harness requires a direct connection to the battery that will help reduce strain on the vehicle's wiring and will give you the 4 way connection you need to allow for the additional trailer connections.
From here, you'll want to install the # ETBC7 to create a 7 way connection for your car trailer with brakes. The 4 way harness on the # C59236 will plug into the harness on the # ETBC7 to eliminate a bit of the wiring, but you'll still need to run a wire for the brake controller, 12v power, auxiliary power and connect the ground wire to complete the installation of the 7 way connector. One of the nice things about the # ETBC7 is that it leaves your 4 way intact so that if you need to use it, you won't need to unplug or re-wire anything.
If you don't already have a brake controller for your 2001 Nissan Xterra, the Tekonsha Primus IQ # TK90160 is one of our more popular controllers that provides you with a reliable unit at a great price. If you wanted to upgrade to a brake controller that isn't a "knee knocker", so to speak, I recommend going with the RedArc Tow Pro Liberty # RED24FR . I really like that this system only leaves the control button/knob visible and the controller can mount just about anywhere in your vehicle- so you don't have to worry about having a controller sitting near your legs for you to bang your knees against. RedArc makes some really great products that are becoming popular choices now, and I like the clean install that this unit provides.
I've linked a couple of helpful videos that will show you a little bit more about the brake controllers and some helpful installation videos that should help you along the way.
Products Referenced in This Question
Universal Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controller - 7-Way RV and 4-Way Flat - 10 Gauge Wires
- Accessories and Parts
- Trailer Brake Controller
- Installation Kits
- etrailer
more information >
Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller - Dash Knob - 1 to 2 Axles - Proportional
- Trailer Brake Controller
- Proportional Controller
- Electric
- Electric over Hydraulic
- Automatic Leveling
- Dash-Mounted Knob
- Hidden
- Up to 2 Axles
- Indicator Lights
- Redarc
more information >
Tekonsha Primus IQ Trailer Brake Controller - 1 to 3 Axles - Proportional
- Trailer Brake Controller
- Proportional Controller
- Electric
- Automatic Leveling
- Under-Dash Box
- Dash Mount
- Up to 3 Axles
- LED Display
- Up to 90 Degrees
- Tekonsha
more information >
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Curt Powered Tail Light Converter with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector
- Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
- Trailer Hitch Wiring
- Converter
- Universal Fit
- 4 Flat
- CURT
more information >
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