Installing theTekonsha ZCI Circuit Protected Vehicle Harness on a 2010 VW Golf

Question:

Hello: I recently purchased and installed a Tekonsha powered system from e-trailer. The trailer has standard flat four connector and two-filament 32/30p bulbs. The golf has three wires to each taillight running/brake, reverse, turn. So I ran the red wire to ground. With the lights on the same wire carries the brakes light. How? I dont know but I do want to understand how the trailer tail/turn gets a brake light signal from the car using this system. I watched the install video of the 2012 Jetta and it has four wires i.e. a separate brake light wire. My 2010 golf has only three wires and I verified the brake light is energized by the same wire as the running light. Please advise what I need to do to get this system working properly. Thanks

asked by: Jim M

Expert Reply:

To properly install the ZCI Circuit Protected Vehicle Wiring Harness with Install Kit # 119250KIT to your 2010 Volkswagen Golf, you will need to use a Circuit Tester, like part # PTW2993, to figure out which wires have the running light signal, brake signal, left turn, and right turn. Once you find that out, then you will splice in the appropriate wire from the wiring harness using the quick splice connectors.

Here are the connections that you will make:

Brown on harness - Running lights
Red on harness - Brake Signal
Yellow on harness - Left turn (driver's side)
Green on harness - Right turn (passenger's side)
White on harness - Ground
Black on harness - Power (route to battery)

If you ran the red wire to your ground, then that would be why you do not have brake lights on your trailer. Once you connect the red wire into your brake signal, your trailer's brake lights should work properly.