Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Trailer and Towing Questions
I have a 2004 chevy silverado and I'm having trouble with the wiring for my tow package. When I turn off my truck I am still getting power running to my park lights on the left side of the trailer, but not all the lights on the left light up just 3 on the left brake and two on the top brake light on the back of the trailer. Also I am having problems with the left blinker not working on the trailer off and on... I've replaced all the fuse under the hood and in the dash for the trailer and even for the truck.. I've replace the ground wire to the trailer and cleaned the ball to insure a good ground and nothing has worked.if anyone could help I would sure apprreciate it...
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This test should tell you if the problem is in the truck wiring or the trailer wiring. The ground goes through the electrical connector and not the trailer ball. Some trailer wiring packages have a 12V supply wire that is hot all the time and is not tied to the ignition switch. Make sure you didn't hook the lighting into that supply wire by mistake. Sounds to me like you either have a bad connection or the wiring is incorrect.
If not, what else should I check? The connector into the "fuse box" (really a connector box) under the steering column seems tight. If I knew which lead should be hot, I could check for 12v there.
Any other connectors along the route to the bumper that I should check?
Thanks.
So it had never worked before - we have always charged the trailer batteries from house power before our weekend trips, and on longer trips we have had 120v in the campgrounds, so we never noticed that it was not charging up while driving.
To power up the pin in the trailer connector
(for trailer battery charging) you MUST intall
a maxifuse in Stud #1 slot in the underhood fuse
center. There should be a plastic plug already
in place which you will have to remove and insert
a maxifuse....................
I currently own (for a couple more weeks anyway, til my new one comes in) a 2000 GMC Sierra Ext cab Z71 4x4 with the 5.3 liter engine and 3.73 rear end. It is rated at 8500 lbs towing, however, I do beleive that these so-called max tow ratings are greatly inflated beyond what is reasonable for a 1/2 ton chassis if you want them to last.
I tow a boat that weighs around 3500 lbs with gear, gas, etc. The truck pulls it fine, but it is working. Personally, I would not recommend towing much more than 5000 lbs, assuming you have the 5.3 with the 3.73 gears.
How much does your trailer weigh? If it is more than 5000 lbs, I would consider getting a 3/4 ton.
Also, take care of that tranny, do a complete flush and filter change if it hasn't been done yet. Regardless of that BS 100,000 mile tranny fluid life they claim. These trannys are not the best for towing alot of weight, so meticulous maintenance is required if you want them to last.
I wish I'd found this earlier! Complete electrical diagrams and explanations. Page A-22 says you must install the fuse to activate the battery feed to the trailer connector.
Thanks a lot, I owe you a cold one!
Seems like the trailer dealer and my truck dealer can't seem to figure it out.
It was no problem with my 2005 silverado, now all of a suddden no one can figure it out.
Any help would be appreciated.
Please e-mail me at: rheck53@hotmail.com
thank you.
This took me a little research to get right and even the dealer who sold me the truck didn't know.. so here is the scoop! There is no pigtail wire set for the 2007 silverado ( new body style ) and even if you got the max trailering package the dwebs at chevy didn't wire the trailering electrical or the brake control wiring for you! What were they thinking....well they are offering an in dash brake controller in thier following series and they prewired it for that option.
1) There is a bundle of blunt cut wires below the dash to the left of the steering column above the fuse box that is labeled and tucked around some other wires. Pull the blundle down. There will be 5 wires, with black electrical tape on the ends. Red and Black is the hot , positive battery wire, white is ground, negative. Blue and white is the input tail-brake light wire and the all dark blue wire is the trailer output brake voltage. The last wire, I believe , is for the brake controller light, but I am not certain. I did not use that wire. Consult your instructions . The next step is to open the hood, take off the top on the fuse box and locate space 65 and 70. Get a 40 amp fuse and put it into space that is labeled 65, this is the brake output voltage fuse, the voltage to your brake controller, post 65. the 70 space has a 30 amp fuse in it. Now go between the left fender and the fuse box and locate the red/black wire. This is attached to the post that is larger and silver on the front of the fuse box. Nuts not included. They are metric 10-1.5 course. the other black post is 8mm. Get the red black wire wrapped below the master cyclinder and attach it to the black post ( smaller ). You can't make a mistake with the wires because they can't be attached to the incorrect post, one is smaller than the other ( the opening ) The jist is that you need 2 nuts and a 40 amp fuse. Not supplied with the truck... now.. You are set. The reason for wiring the brake controller to the post is for 12 volt use from the main batter. If you use a secondary auxillary battery the wiring will be different . Good luck and thank chevy for making this a mystery or misery as the case may be. Read your manual under brake controller and it seems a little more clear, but just a little. I read it over about 3 times before I understood what they were getting at. Boy how could they not wire the trailering wiring.? Duh!.
Chromedome
It stinks that they didn't make it as easy in the past...but other than that...this truck is awesome.
But I tend to believe you, Chevy is looking to cut corners any way they can by giving us heartaches.
Thanks for your response.
I had XM radio installed, now I have an ugly wire haning from the dash to the radio, according to the installer, thats the only way to do it.
The Wipers suck, wait until you have to buy blades, for now the only replacement blades are only available from the dealer ($30.00) until ANCO or TRICO invent an after market replacement blade.
Good luck and thanks for your input about the brake, I looked, the dealer looked and the trailer dealer looked, there is no pigtail, it has to be hard wired, (see previous post) from another person who answered my post.
Thanks..bobinpa
I am just missing something?
Thanks...Bowtielad
Do you have a GMT 800 or 900 truck(the newest body style)
What is your axle ratio? Note: Look for code off RPO sticker located in glove box. Look for these codes:
gu-6 3:42, gt-4 3:73, gt-5 4:10
Automatic or stick trans.????
Post them and can tell ya !
It calls for 6800 lbs ball hitch towing
6800 lbs. 5th wheel towing
i want to know whom of you are dealers of vehicle parts. who sell parts in market?
who need filters? i have huge amount of it.
do you know some more about the filters in vehicle?
Thanks allot for the information you posted, got me right to the wires I needed. Just curious as to where you found a good place to mount your brake controller (maybe a photo?).
I'm installing the Hidden Hitch Pilot but don't see a really good place to drill 3 screws in a round mount into. The knee bolster is an option but I think that would look dang ugly in a brand new truck. Hope you ad an idea I haven't imagined? Thanks in advance.
Russo2
Yes, I have a Prodigy. My choice of location was just above the emergency brake pedal, under the dash. It's actually out of the way there !There is one screw alerady in the under dash panel, I used it I drilled another small hole and only needed 2 screws to hold the bracket on. The unit does block the pedal somewhat but not enough to justify mounting the unit elsewhere. I've found no other place under the dash where I could mount the unit level and not bump my knee on it. All other
places are ugly.
Good Luck!!
Chromedome
-mike
On my Armada the towing package included:
Power Steering Cooler
HD ATF Cooler
HD Radiator
Tranny Temp Gauge
Hitch w/Wiring Harness
Air Leveling rear suspension
and I believe a different axle ratio
-mike
The " emergency " switch is actually a small lever on the bottom of the unit. The unit is in easy reach of my left hand..with the right hand on the wheel I would not even loose sight of the road. The unit is level with the bottom of the dash ... no problem, it's not down in the foot well.
Chromedome
-mike
Thanks
Don
dee004@rogers.com
Thanks for the info on the 2007 Silverado brake controller wiring, VERY HELPFUL, I found all the wires as you stated including an orange one under the dash, in that same wiring harness, does the on/off light work on your controller when you apply the brakes without that orange wire being hooked up?
I have a Prodigy. The Prodigy has only 4 wires and does not use the orange wire. If I understand the Chevy wiring description, the orange wire is not used. The Prodigy goes on when you move the vehicle and turn on the engine and remains on until the power saver mode kicks in.... at rest , the Prodigy does not have any light display on its screen..until you start the vehicle and then it goes on automatically from movement, it is not wired through the ignition switch.
Chromedome
Questions, you say fuses 65 + 70.... My GMC has a fuse in 65 and 70 is empty.
Also, the power from thats under the brake booster, I only find 1 red/black wire. I asume this is correct, but I want to 100% make sure.
And, where do I hook up the red/black wire. Is it on the front of the under/hood fuse box? Because you talk about small post,big post. Is there a difference.
tech bulletin with wire color chart for trailer
brake controller install on 07 GM trucks !!!!
http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64063
Why the heck did GM do away with the plug n' play
setup like the GMT-800s have???????????
Sure glad my new GmT-900 3/4 has the built in factory
controller ! :P