Recommended Trailer Wiring Harness for 2016 Toyota Highlander Towing Boat Trailer w/ Surge Coupler

Question:

I have a 2016 Toyoya Highlander and a boat trailer. The boat trailer has a 5 wire harness surge brakes. What car side wiring kit do you recommend?

asked by: Ron C

Expert Reply:

There are two different options available. You can use a plug and play wiring harness like the Tow Ready # 118449 along with an adapter like part # 47515. The 'extra' blue wire from the adapter would tap into the circuit feeding the reverse lights on the rear of the vehicle. This would be the easier installation, but it involves using an adapter.

The other alternative would be a powered converter, part # 119177KIT. You'd access the taillight wiring harnesses behind the taillight assemblies and use the included circuit testers to determine which wire in the taillight harness carries which taillight function. The yellow wire taps into the left turn, green into the right turn, white grounds to the vehicle chassis, brown into the running lamp circuit, red into the brake lamps and blue into the reverse lamp circuit. This installation is initially more difficult, but it uses an integrated 5 pole trailer connector, and there won't be any adapter needed which in the long run will prove more reliable.

If it were my vehicle, I'd go with the second alternative so an adapter wouldn't be needed.

expert reply by: Mike L