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Installing an Electric Brake Controller on 2007-2013 GM Full-Size Truck or 2007-Present GM SUV

Technical Bulletin

SUBJECT / Summary: Wiring electric brake controls on 2007-2013 GM full size trucks and 2007-present GM SUVs including Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Silverado (new body) Chevy Suburban, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Sierra (new body) and GMC Yukon.PROBLEM: General Motors quit offering the plug in type connectors on these vehicles with a factory tow package. These models have four (possibly five) blunt cut wires under the left side of the instrument panel to the left of the steering column. The wires can be identified by a white label and the color of the wires. The wire colors are (1) Red/Black wire, (1) White wire, (1) Light Blue/White wire and (1) Dark Blue wire and possibly (1) Orange wire.Watch a brake controller installation on a 2010 Chevy Silverado Video

Custom Fit Brake Controller

Custom Fit Brake Controller Image
Brake Controller Wires Image
Connect the Brake Controller as Follows:
GM Wire toBrake Control WireFunction
Red/BlackBlackBattery Power
WhiteWhiteGround
Light Blue/WhiteRedBrake Light Signal
Dark BlueBlueBrake Output to Trailer
OrangeN/ACenter High Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL)
SOLUTION: There are two wires under the hood that have to be connected to make the tow package functional, one is the power wire to the brake control and the other is the battery charge line to the 7 way connector. These wires are both Red/Black with eyelets on them. They are coiled up under the hood and will need to be connected to the under hood fuse box. One of the wires is located between the under hood fuse box and the left (driver) side fender. The other is located under the master cylinder/brake booster assembly.
Battery Charge Wire and Brake Control Wire Image
The battery charge wire and the power wire to the brake control have different size eyelets on them and will connect to the threaded studs under the Gray handle at the front of the fuse box. The two studs are also different size.NOTE: GM does not supply the attaching nut required to secure the wires to the studs. These can be obtained locally. You will need (1) M6 x 1.0 nut and (1) M8 x 1.25 nut.CAUTION: Raising the Gray handle more than 3/8 of an inch to gain access to the studs may result in the fuse box coming disconnected from the electrical connector. If disconnection occurs you may have to consult your local GM dealership for repairs.Bulletin Date: 3/27/2009Bulletin Number: TB0007Updated By: Dani S.Last Updated: 3/3/2021

Delmar H.

11/2/2023

I used this and hooked everything up without any problem, and saved a ton of money over going to the dealer to get it done.

Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

11/15/2023

@DelmarH We're glad to hear that! Anytime you can get something done yourself without needing to go to the stealership, it's a good thing!

Mike I.

6/25/2023

I have read alot on here & none answer my question. 1st: what I have is a 2008 Suburban 1500 4x4 LS that did NOT come with the integral brake controller on the left kick panel. I want to add that to my trk. I bought the correct kick panel and controller switch as would have been on a trk that came like that from Chevy. it is the wiring that is so troubling, 1) I can not even find the blunt covered wires for said switch/ aftermarket switch. am I barking up the wrong tree here??? TIA

Etrailer Expert

Heather A.

7/17/2023

@MikeI I have done some research on adding a factory brake controller to a 2008 Suburban 1500 that did not come with the JL1 integrated brake controller option from the factory and there is not a good way to add it. I did find a GM tech bulletin that said the factory OEM controller cannot be added if it was not an option from the factory because it could possibly mess with the LIN bus network. There may be a way to make it work but it will probably end up costing you thousands in the long run. I recommend to just add aftermarket controller. The Red Arc Tow-Pro part # RED24FR is going to be your best option because it uses a low-profile knob in a knockout panel much like the style of the integrated switch. The wires will be in a bundle under the left side of the instrument panel to the left of the steering column. They will normally have a white label on them and may be tucked in with other wiring. You can check the wires with a meter to make sure you have the correct wires. The red/black wire should be 12-volt power so it should read 12 volts. The white is ground. The light blue/white should only have power when the brake pedal is pressed. Dark blue is the output to the trailer brakes. Please keep in mind wiring colors can vary so it is best to check by function. These are just the common colors and functionalities.

Andy W.

6/4/2023

This worked great on our 2010 Chevy Suburban 1500 LT 4x4. Thank you for the instructions and good customer service eTrailer.com

Bill N.

5/17/2023

my red brake signal wire is constantly 12 v

Etrailer Expert

Chris R.

5/18/2023

@BillN The red wire is likely the 12V battery wire on your truck, which is why it's getting a constant 12V. This is normal. According to the chart above, you want to look for the light blue/white wire on the truck and that should be for the brake light signal. I still recommending testing it though to be sure.

J M.

4/26/2023

I am new to towing a travel trailer. I have a GMC Sierra 1500 SLE with the factory towing package. If I am reading the posts correctly, GM did not connect the wires to power them on the 7 Pin connector of my truck? I trul apologize if this has been asked and answered many times in the past. Can someone confirm this is the case? That would mean that I would need to install an aftermarket controller or connect the wires in the instructions below to use electric brakes. Correct?

Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

4/27/2023

@JM If you have the factory tow package, everything should be hooked up already. If you don't have the OEM brake controller installed in the dash, you can install an aftermarket one pretty easily. We really like the Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty, part # RED44FR. The harness you'll need will depend on the model year of your Sierra 1500. If you can reply with that info, we'll recommend the correct harness for you.

James M.

5/10/2023

@MikeL I have a 2013 Cadillac Escalade and I am having trouble tracking down that harness. Can you assist?
Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

5/15/2023

@JamesM The 2013 Escalade doesn't have a connector under the dash, just a wiring harness ending in bare wires. For a Redarc brake controller, you'd use # RED69FR and wire it directly to the tow package harness as outlined in the help article we've linked for you.


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