Recommended Wiring and Brake Controller for 2018 Honda Pilot

Question:

Hi. I plan on pulling a trailer with brakes with my 2018 Honda pilot and know I will need a brake controller. The Pilot also doesn't have any wiring so I guess i need everything. Can you break it down for me with your recommendations? Thank you SO much.

asked by: Max R

Expert Reply:

In order to install a trailer brake controller on your 2018 Honda Pilot you will need to start with a 4-Way wiring harness for which I recommend the Tekonsha T-One # 118760 because of its simple plug-and-play installation. The harness will plug right into the factory port in the rear cargo area on the driver's side.

Then with the 4-Way in place you will need to upgrade it to a 7-Way using the Universal Wiring Kit # ETBC7. This kit includes all the wiring and circuit breakers needed to convert the 4-Way to a fully-functional 7-Way connector. I have attached the complete installation instructions to assist.

Then for the brake controller itself I highly recommend the Curt Echo # C51180 because it features an extremely simple installation process that involves plugging it directly to the 7-Way connector on your Pilot and pairing it to your smartphone via Bluetooth after downloading the free app. And that's it!

Once paired, your smartphone is actually what you will use to adjust any settings, read diagnostic messages, or activate the manual override on the brake controller. I like this design a lot because it eliminates the need for a separate unit to be permanently mounted inside the cab of your Honda Pilot like with most other controllers, allowing you to maintain a clean interior whether you're pulling your trailer or not. It is a great proportional controller that will activate the brakes on your trailer at the same time and with the same intensity that you apply to them in our Pilot.

I have attached a short video demonstration as well so you can see exactly how the Echo works.