Should the BK Indicator Light on the Curt Adapter be Lit up While Vehicle is Off and No Trailer

Question:

Should the Bk light indicator be lit up when my vehicle is shut-off and no trailer is hooked-up. And, if it should not be lit up, what does it mean if it is lit up under the conditions I described above?

asked by: James P

Expert Reply:

The BK light indicator on the Adapter 4 Pole to 7 Pole and 4 Pole w/Test Lamps # C57674 that you referenced means that your brake controller is sending power to the pin in the 5 o'clock position. This should only be lit up when you are either coming to a stop with a trailer hooked up or using the manual override lever on your brake controller to send max power to the 7-Way.

The only indicator light that should constantly be lit up is the 12V indicator light which is connected to the battery of your tow vehicle - this will be the pin in the 1 o'clock position. If the 12V indicator light is not lit up then there is a good chance that the adapter was installed incorrectly.

To properly install the Curt adapter you will want to plug the 4-Way flat into the existing 4-Way flat on your vehicle, and then install the White to the vehicle frame for a Ground, the Yellow is typically the Reverse Light Circuit (depending on your trailer - it is the center pole on the adapter), the Blue wire should be connected to the Brake Controller, and the Black wire is routed to the vehicle Battery for 12V Power.

If the Blue and Black wires were swapped during the install then that would be your problem. You can simply test this by setting your brake controller to max power and then watch the 12V indicator light as someone uses the manual override on the brake controller. If the 12V light only lights up when the manual override is used then the Blue and Black wires will need to be swapped.

If this doesn't fix your issue let me know and I can help you troubleshoot further.

expert reply by: Jon G