2018 Tundra with 4.6 engine trailer brake install

So I am just checking,
daemonjeep.15365 from the first posting said to use The blue is the feed back to the 7 round, and the black is +12 volts[/QUOTE]
TundraTSS19, said just plug the black and white wire I to the factory harness. [/QUOTE]

Sorry I just want to make sure I connect the right color wire to the factory harness Black & Blue or Black & White

 

TundraTSS19, said just plug the black and white wire I to the factory harness. [/QUOTE]

Sorry I just want to make sure I connect the right color wire to the factory harness Black & Blue or Black & White[/QUOTE]

Just as I stated previously. You may be a little confused. If you look at the factory harness on the tundra that's on the passenger side you'll see there's a black and blue plug. The tekonsha harness has a black and blue wire as well. You have to take the tekonsha white end plug apart to plug those wires to black and blue. White is ground and the red wire goes to the brake sense at the brake switch. Pictures were posted by @JayTundra as well how to take the tekonsha harness apart. It's very easy.

 

[QUOTE="TundraTSS19, post: 1089039, member: 22626"]Now just plug the black and white wire I to the factory harness. It should plug in very snug and I just used electrical tape around it to hold it. Then run the red wire by extending it to the tan wire in the brake light switch using a T tap. Also don't forget to ground the a ground wire loop.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the response not confused now.

 

I installed a Tekonsha Voyager today in a 2019 Tundra. Thank you for all the info - incredibly helpful!

 

I could sure use some help.....I've got my Tekonsha P3 installation just about done but having a heck of a time finding access to the brown brake wire......I've got the plug off the brake switch and can see the wire but just can't seem to get enough access to tap in.....so I'm wondering if there is another access point? How did you get to that wire?

 

How did you get to that tan wire.....from directly under the dash? I can see the wire but can't get any slack or enough room to get a splice on it? Is there a trick or another place to tap in?

 

On my 2018 SR I removed the lower dash panel under the steering wheel kinda let hang and on the left side left of the brake peddle there was a black wire loom with the brown brake sense in it. I have smaller hands and it was tight. pulled the brown wire out and put a water tight wire crimp like you use on trailer lights around the brown wire finger tight then pushed the red in one handed. It stayed wile I crimped with small pliers. took two or three tries but nice and tight.

 

Hello, I'm new to this forum and I have a question. I have a 2019 Toyota Tundra SR-5 with a 4.6L V8.
I went to the dealer to see if they could/would install an electric brake controller on my Tundra, and they said that they couldn't install a wired one, but they would sell me a wireless one. They said if I had a 2018 or older they could, but on the 2019's with radar (for cruise control) and automatic braking they couldn't install one, even though the wiring harness for electric brakes is right there behind the panel next to my traction control.
My question, is it possible to install OEM electric trailer brake controller switch to the harness without shorting out the automatic truck brakes myself? or should I just get an after market set up and run all new wiring from the switch to the trailer harness?

 

I have the same truck but the wiring in in behind that panel wasn't for brakes I'm guessing yours is the same. I wired my prodigy controller into the wires behind the glove box with no problems no need to run any wires

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll see how I need to wire it up when I receive my package from Amazon.

 

Can anyone help me find the tan wire for the brake switch that needs to be T-tapped to connect the red wire from the Tekonsha harness?

 

Read the entire thread.

The same question was asked in Post #4. There are other posts on difficulties with length of tan wire, etc. This is the OP's reply:

 

Thank You for pointing that out.

Has anyone ever used the Curt ECHO brake controler? No wiring. Connects via Bluetooth. MSRP is around $225.

 

I have not been able to find the connector on the passenger side in the kick area as described by daemonjeep in the first post. I can't seem to find it on my 2018 Tundra Limited. Wondering if my truck has it - or if there was a change at some point where it was eliminated or moved.

Also, if I do end up finding it, it doesn't seem like the

$15 Tekonsha 3031-P Tekonsha Trailer Brake Controller Harness, Compatible with Select Toyota Tacoma, Tundra

Tekonsha 3031-P Brake Control Wiring Adapter would fit it as the connector on the adapter is different that the connector on the truck. Has anyone actually been able to plug the adapter into the connector on the truck?
Thanks in advance

 

You need to go back through and read the entire thread. I provided input on this as I myself had successfully installed a brake controller on the 4.6L.nothing has changed. Tundra is the same no matter trim leve .

 

As you say, it helps to read the entire post.

 

I went to local car dealer[where I bought truck/not a Toyota dealer/no Toyota dealer w/in 3 hour drive] asking to have a trailer brake control installed. After 2 1/2 hours told couldn't be done w/ aftermarket controller - not in synch with truck's computer. Suggested I go from a $250 aftermarket one they were going to use to a $500-$600 one from Toyota...maybe have a Toyota dealer install. Was it just too hard for them, or were they right about touchy compatibility of these parts & the truck's electronics? They must have wired the whole thing up, then de-installed it for it to take that long.

I have tow function button on dash and tow hitch assembly, but was a bit aware of no trailer brakes hauling a 9,300-lb excavator last Monday on a tandem axle trailer for 10 miles. My Tundra's a 2015 w/ a 5.7L.

 

Yeah, I can see how towing 9300 pounds could be puckery with no trailer brakes.

If you have a tow haul button, then you have the tow package. The tow haul button only changes the transmission shift points...it has nothing to do with the trailer brake controller. You should also have the transmission fluid cooler up front built into the top of the AC condenser. The tow hitch with 4/7 receptacles is standard on Tundras without the tow package.

Factory integrated brake controllers (IBC) that are integrated with the trucks computer didn't start on Tundra until 2018(?). You're better off with an aftermarket controller anyway; there have been a lot of problems with the factory IBC.

Through 2017 model year, addition of an aftermarket brake controller is easy-peasy plug-n-play. There is a factory-supplied connector behind the lower dash trim just to the right of the steering wheel. You will need an adapter harness like the Tekonsha 3031-P. The Tekonsha P3 is a popular aftermarket controller choice, and they have great tech service. A replacement trim panel to recess mount the controller right below the three buttons is also available.

Do a search on brake controller, Tekonsha, Prodigy P3, etc.

$15 Tekonsha Trailer Brake Controller Harness, Compatible with Select Toyota Tacoma, Tundra

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0781KTCPT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P17NXQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$35 ESP Truck Accessories Brake Controller Mounting Plate for 2014-2019 Toyota Tundra, Black Steel Dashboard Mount

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HP9GH2W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

After reading so many threads about the unsatisfactory performance of the Toyota integrated trailer brake controller (IBC), I decided not to spend any time messing around trying to get that to work and to go ahead and install a Tekonsha P3 in my (new to me) 2018 Tundra 5.7l. I just finished the installation.

Some tips from my project:

Even with excellent tips from daemonjeep (thanks so much for pointing us in the right direction), I had difficulty finding the IBC connector, thinking it would be dangling there like his photos showed, but that was just my lack of imagination. Why would it just hang there not plugged in to something? It is there up under the dash on the passenger side, plugged into the IBC box. The IBC controls on the dash are only half of the system. The brain is behind the glove box.

I decided that, for how I was going to make my connections, it would be essential to have better access to the IBC connector so I removed the kick panel, the knee air bag (didn't unplug it, just cable tied it up so there was no strain on its wire) and the glove box.





I also remove the kick panel and airbag on the driver's side so that I could access the brake light cable. All were very easy to remove and ultimately to replace when I finished wiring.

On the IBC connector I snipped the black and blue wires coming out of the connector. Then I tested to see if the computer would give me a warning that the brake controller had a fault. I assumed that the computer would not know the difference between not having a trailer connected or having those wires clipped. It didn’t, so I proceeded.

I crimped a black and a blue 12ga stranded wire, fed these over to the driver's side just behind the heater controls and crimp connected them to the pigtail that came in the Tekonsha box.

I tapped the brake light wire, which is the beige wire coming off the switch by the brake pedal (again, thanks to daemonjeep) by soldering a 14ga red wire to it and fed that up through the boot that goes over the switch. I routed that over to the Tekonsha pigtail and crimp connected it to the red wire going in to the Tekonsha.

I’m not a fan of Scotchlok connectors – I feel like they might be unreliable. I also used marine butt connectors and heat shrank their insulation. Probably way overkill – but I had them, so it wasn’t a big deal.

I liked the look of the ESP Tekonsha P3 dash mount, but wasn’t psyched about the price. Plus I couldn’t see how the Tekonsha was held in that piece, so I modified my panel by making a plate with the cutout for the Tekonsha out of 1/8” ABS plastic. I cobbled up brackets that connect to the Tekonsha’s mounting holes so that it is held in place by the screws that hold the homemade plate to the dashboard panel.





I unscrewed and pushed the IBC dash controls into the dash cavity and left it connected so the computer won’t freak out.

So far the Tekonsha P3 brake controller works perfectly, and the truck doesn’t know the difference – it thinks that no trailer is connected.

The only thing I might add is an automatic resetting circuit breaker on the black wire to protect it from overload. It is fused but the circuit breaker will reset and let me keep going in a pinch.

 

@dwkarl Good write-up on converting a 5.7L IBC to an aftermarket P3. You should probably post that as a dedicated thread. @2Tundras has a 2015, so the Toyota IBC was never a really an option for him.

 

Thank you John and DWKarl for your input. I looked at the service dept. receipt and this was what they said:

COMPLAINT: Install brake controller.
CAUSE: Needs module from Toyota and wiring.
CORRECTION: ADV - Brake controller will have to come from Toyota , vehicle needs module.

Aside from that, they put in 7.9 qts. of Mobil 1 for $96 and that went well.

Jeff B.

 

IF your lower dash trim panel looks like the pic below:

You'll need to order the Toyota lower dash trim panel with the controller recess for an OEM-appearing dash installation.

https://parts.toyotaofcoolsprings.com/oem-parts/toyota-switch-panel-554470c020c0

The ESP mounting plate that I linked previously installs perfectly into the recess in that 55447-0C020-C0 trim panel. The Tekonsha P3 controller is held tightly in the ESP mounting plate by interference and is prevented from rearward movement by the manual braking lever on the bottom of the controller.



Finished installation looks like this:

 

I have a 2019 4.6L and installed my brake controller the same way everyone else has but it appears the black wire is a constant 12v and not a 12v ignition wire. There for, my brake controller is always on even when the truck is off. Anyone else run into this issue??

 

On as in light stay on or on as in when you squeeze the brake controller lever it will power up? If it's the later then you're fine because it doesn't use any power until you slide the lever.

 

On as in an indicator light stays on and it does operate when manually operating it. This is a Reese proportional controller. Its just an LED indicator. Minimal draw but I'll keep my eye on it and a jump pack in the truck just incase. I guess I could just put a switch in line if it ends up draining the battery.

 

I don't thunk an led light is going to drain the battery at all. When I had my controller installed there was no led indicator but I woukd work when I slid the lever without the key in ignition. It was a non issue. I've since upgraded now. I have a 2020 Tundra I got last December and of course all of them come with the tow package.

 

I've a 2019 with the crappy integrated controller so am looking to add a 3rd party brake controller as well. Are the pics and instruction above by dwkarl (thanks) for an 18 the same as for my 19? Thanks.

PS: When I go to etrailer it lists this custom wiring and says it's compatible with my 2019, is that a mistake?

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Tekonsha/3031-P.html

 

For 2018+ Tundras, all the brake controller connections for the Toyota integrated controller are on the passenger side as @dwkarl explains. Unless there are wire color changes, his directions should work for 2018+ Tundras with the tow package.

And, Yes, that information on etrailer's site for the Tekonsha harness is incorrect. The

$15 Tekonsha 3031-P Tekonsha Trailer Brake Controller Harness, Compatible with Select Toyota Tacoma, Tundra

Tekonsha 3031-P adapter harness works on late model Tundras through 2017. You could make that harness work by extending the wires to reach across the dash, but it will not be plug and play. There are probably longer generic Tekonsha harnesses available that will work better. You're not going to be able to use the end connector that plugs into the truck harness anyway.

 

I am trying to install the Tekonsha P3 controller. I connected a 12ga blue and black wires to the connector on the passenger side, white wire to ground, and red wire to the tan brake wire. The existing Toyota controller is plugged in and shoved behind the dash. I am getting a brake controller error NO TRAILER, SEE DEALER on the dash board of the Tundra and the P3 controller says output short, does anyone know what this can be?

 

This is a common problem with the Toyota IBC, and the false diagnostic will still occur even if the controller is shoved back into the dash. You have given us no information about your MY or your engine size, so we are left to assume you have a 2018+ Tundra with a 5.7L.

See Post #49 of this thread by @dwkarl. He had an IBC on a 2018 5.7L, and he essentially eliminated the IBC's function (and false alarming) by snipping the blue and black wires at the connector. Read the entire post. He has details about installing the P3 in the IBC hole that you won't need, but I would read carefully the wiring installation details.