How do I Connect a Brake Controller to a 2013 Subaru Tribeca

Question:

My SUV is already wired for general trailer towing and has a 4 pin connection. I am assuming I can use a 7 RV Blade to 4 Flat adapter for connecting a travel trailer with electric brakes, correct? Also, I understand some SUVs come with pre wired plugs to connect a controller. I am unfamiliar with the Subaru Tribeca wiring layout, would you know if there is a plug and play connector under the drivers side dash to connect a brake controller and also connect power to the controller with out going through the headache of manual wire connection and installation?

asked by: Joseph

Helpful Expert Reply:

From the information I was able to find, your 2013 Subaru Tribeca does not have a brake controller connection under the dashboard, so you will be required to do some hard-wiring work. In order to install a 7 way connection on the back of your vehicle you can use the Universal Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controllers # ETBC7 to plug into your existing 4 way; from there you'll just need to run a brake controller, aux power wire, battery wire and ground.

Since there are no plug and play brake controller adapters for your 2013 Subaru Tribeca, if you wanted to skip the under-dash wiring for a brake controller completely, I recommend using a wireless brake controller like the Curt Echo Mobile # C51180 which plugs in between the 7 way plug on the vehicle and trailer side connector; for ease of use, the Curt Echo is controlled through your smart phone. This is by far the easiest brake controller to install since it uses the wiring that you already have run for your 7-way connections and plugs into the back of your vehicle.

I've attached a few videos on the Curt Echo and the installation of the ETBC7 to help you through the process.

expert reply by: Erik B