2003 GMC Yukon Brake Controller Installation and Verification Of 7-Way Trailer Connection

Question

Question:

Hey Everyone, First off I am new, and have no doubt these questions have come up before. I tow a tiny home with my 2012 Kia Sorento EX Maggie , Unfortunately she is just not strong enough to keep it up. I purchased a Used 2003 GMC Yukon Denali with the hopes that the Yukon Now named Brutus would be able to take the tiny home from Utah Where I currently am stopped to Florida and back this winter. I have only towed once with Brutus and so far I am impressed. I have transferred all the contents of Maggie over to Brutus for the journey, and there is still room for 7 people inside! I put Maggies Equalizing hitch system on Brutus and the hitch barely gets under the tongue of the tiny home, however once everything is in position, towing is very level. Brutus came with a tow package already on the back bumper, but since Maggie and the tiny home were custom pinned I fear there may be issues ahead. When I hooked up Brutus to the 7-way on the tiny home, I got running lights and that was it, no blinkers, hazards, brake lights, or any way to tell if the brakes on the tiny home were being triggered. Maggie has a tecumseh Primus IQ brake controller that is wired to the cold side of her brake pedal and sent back to her 7-way, so the brakes work fine. Brutus on the other hand shows no place at all for a brake controller or adjustment, and I honestly do not know if there is even one on the vehicle. I am fine re pinning the harness on the tiny home for Brutus, but I need to know where to start. If Brutus does not have a brake controller, Ill swap maggies out into Brutus, as long as its just a matter of splicing into the cold side of the brake pedal again. Right now the 7 way on the Tiny home does the following 1. right turn signals 2. left turn signals 3. brake signal 4. stop/brake lights/running lights I think 5. ground 6. aux power 13volt back to the tiny homes battery array, controlled by an isolation system under maggies hood. I have taken apart the harness on the tiny home, and would love to know where to go next. Should I just cut brutuses factory setup and repin it all?

asked by: Jason H

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

First lets begin with the Tekonsha Primus IQ Trailer Brake Controller # TK90160 that you have in your 2012 Kia Sorento. This can be easily transferred to your 2003 GMC Yukon with the Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter # 3015-P. The adapter will simply plug into the harness connection block on your Yukon. I have linked an installation video below that was done on a 2004 Suburban as you will have the same connectors. The other end of the adapter will plug directly into your Primus controller with no splicing required.

I have linked a image of a traditional 7-way vehicle side connector. Do not worry about the color of the wires you are only interested in the functions that they control. A Test Light # PTW2993 will allow you to test the various pins to ensure that the 7-way is working properly on your Yukon. If you find that you have circuits are not working you should first consult the owners manual for the correct location of the fuse that controls that circuit as it may simply be a missing or damaged fuse. If the wiring is still not working you can check the wiring going into the connector for visible damage or if the connector is internally damaged as the wiring will have power but not the corresponding terminal that the wire is connected to.

If all the vehicle side wiring is working but you are still not having all the correct terminals working on your tiny home trailer you will want to consider wiring the trailer to match the vehicle connector. As the vehicle connector is the standard way that vehicles are wired this will make it easier if you decide to change vehicles again in the future. I have also linked the trailer 7-way wiring for you to match your trailer to the vehicle harness. Again do not worry about the colors of the wires and focus on the function each wire performs.

expert reply by: Bud M

1