Installing a Brake Controller on 2024 Adventurer: Plug-and-Play or Splicing?

[phak1]

We just purchased a 2024 leftover adventurer and to my surprise, after the dealer sold and installed a tow dolly, there seems to be no electric brake controller, even though the unit has the tow package. Contacting the dealer they will install one for $660 plus tax. After doing a little research, it appears that ford has already included a plug to attach a controller using the appropriate harness, but the dealer spec’d out a universal harness meaning they will have to cut and splice the controller in.

I’m not to keen on that idea. Does anybody added a controller or have a suggestion?

 

[be happy]

So I take it your new tow dolly has electric brakes. With that being said you need a controller for those brakes. The controllers job is to regulate the amount of power going to the brakes. You have to adjust that power so your coach and tow dolly more or less act as one when applying the brakes. There are many different models of brake controllers, never having to install one myself, but have had three different units installed in three different coaches not sure about the harness hook up you are talking about. Does the $660 include the coast of the controller? You might try and get information from Ford as to the harness connection.
Good Luck

 

[l1v3fr33ord1]

phak1-

Three pictures at this post. The middle one, copied below, shows the four-pin connector on the left.

As you indicate. it is not necessary to cut off the connector. You can buy a pigtail to make the installation plug-and-play. This post lists the Ford part number for the "pigtail," along with a picture of it. My post is immediately above that one.

Ford Wiring Assembly LU9Z-14A348-A

 

[l1v3fr33ord1]

phak1-

A popular trailer electric brake controller is the Tekonsha P3. Here is a link to etrailer's product page for the P3. Also available at RVupgrades.com (link here) and other online sellers. According to posts, many people install these themselves.

 

[Waterbug]

The connector under the Ford dashboard is Ford specified. The connector under GM dashboards is GM specified. Each brake controller manufactured specifies their own connectors. The brake controller manufacturers sell a pigtail to mate their controller to the vehicle manufacturer's connector. It eliminates the necessity of splicing wires. "Etrailer.com" sells a large selection of brake controllers and associated pigtails.

 

[phak1]

I checked with eTrailer and they don’t have a harness listed for a 2024 F53 Chassis. I also stopped by a Ford dealership and they confirmed that part# LU9Z-14A348-A is for 2020 thru 2026 F53 chassis. Looks like that may be my only choice.

 

[CharlyR]

We just purchased a 2024 leftover adventurer and to my surprise, after the dealer sold and installed a tow dolly, there seems to be no electric brake controller, even though the unit has the tow package. Contacting the dealer they will install one for $660 plus tax. After doing a little research, it appears that ford has already included a plug to attach a controller using the appropriate harness, but the dealer spec’d out a universal harness meaning they will have to cut and splice the controller in.

I’m not to keen on that idea. Does anybody added a controller or have a suggestion?

I'm interest in your result. I have a 2025 Winnebago Spirit/Minnie Winnie 31K on a 2025 Ford E-450 cab/chassis. I can't find a modular plug-in pigtail harness to connect to the E-450 trailer brake module in the dash for this or recent year E-series. All modular harnesses I've found are only for older E-series. I would like to use a Tekonsha Prodigy P3 controller, but their web site doesn't show a modular pigtail for newer E-series. Anyone found one that works?

 

[phak1]

No result yet as my RV is still at the dealer getting some other issues fixed, but I did buy the harness (pigtail) that plugs into the Ford electric brake connection so at least I can make the splices in the harness and not cut up factory installed wiring. Like you, I looked for a “plug ‘N” play” harness to link a controller to the Ford connection and also found that there were none. I called eTrailer and they confirmed that none exists. I also contacted Ford Customer support and they assured me that the connection for the brake controller did exist, most likely buried behind wiring installed by Winnebago. They sent me info on where it is located and a diagram of the pinout so when I get my RV back, I have a good chance at being successful.

 

[l1v3fr33ord1]

CharlyR-

Look at page 41 of the 2025 E-Series Body Builder Layout Book (link here). It shows the trailer electric brake controller connector and connector wiring. The connector itself is up in the dash, behind the "change cup." You can remove the change cup or perhaps will find it easier to remove the engine cover and reach up behind the dash to pull the connector down.

The Tekonsha 3036-P (link here) (Tekonsha part number 303600, link here) pigtail/harness will plug into the Ford connector and allow you to make this a plug-and-play installation.

 

[l1v3fr33ord1]

No result yet as my RV is still at the dealer getting some other issues fixed, but I did buy the harness (pigtail) that plugs into the Ford electric brake connection so at least I can make the splices in the harness and not cut up factory installed wiring. Like you, I looked for a “plug ‘N” play” harness to link a controller to the Ford connection and also found that there were none. I called eTrailer and they confirmed that none exists. I also contacted Ford Customer support and they assured me that the connection for the brake controller did exist, most likely buried behind wiring installed by Winnebago. They sent me info on where it is located and a diagram of the pinout so when I get my RV back, I have a good chance at being successful.

phak1-

I'm a bit confused by your reply. The harness you bought for your F-53-based coach "does" exist, and should work. You do plan on using it, yes?

 

[phak1]

Yes, I do plan on using it. The only obstacle is finding the Ford electric brake connector. My dealer, whom I have little confidence in, stated that they looked at my RV three separate times and could not find this connector.

They also said that after speaking to their warranty department, they would not install the controller (the one they quoted $660 to install), because if I had any issues later down the road, related to splicing the wiring, it would void my warranty. This was my suspicion and one reason I didn’t want to splice into the factory wiring in the first place.

 

[CharlyR]

CharlyR-

Look at page 41 of the 2025 E-Series Body Builder Layout Book (link here). It shows the trailer electric brake controller connector and connector wiring. The connector itself is up in the dash, behind the "change cup." You can remove the change cup or perhaps will find it easier to remove the engine cover and reach up behind the dash to pull the connector down.

The Tekonsha 3036-P (link here) (Tekonsha part number 303600, link here) pigtail/harness will plug into the Ford connector and allow you to make this a plug-and-play installation.

Thank you sooooo much!

 

[CharlyR]

CharlyR-

Look at page 41 of the 2025 E-Series Body Builder Layout Book (link here). It shows the trailer electric brake controller connector and connector wiring. The connector itself is up in the dash, behind the "change cup." You can remove the change cup or perhaps will find it easier to remove the engine cover and reach up behind the dash to pull the connector down.

The Tekonsha 3036-P (link here) (Tekonsha part number 303600, link here) pigtail/harness will plug into the Ford connector and allow you to make this a plug-and-play installation.

Thanks again, you gave me exactly what I was looking for. After more research, I agree the 3034-P module won't work due to wiring differences. Per the wiring diagram on the Ford module (Page 41), the following Tekonsha modules all appear to have the same shaped module and the same matching wiring: 3036-P, 303600 and 22292. Are you aware of any differences between these three as to why they have different part numbers? Thanks!

 

[l1v3fr33ord1]

CharlyR-

Can't say for sure why Tekonsha has three part numbers. I do note that "3036-P" and "303600" both start with "3036," so maybe that's just a variation on the same product number. Who knows on the "22292?" I've not seen part numbers look like that; the most familiar are the "dash-P" numbers. I compare the pictures of the connectors and their wires to figure out what adapter looks correct.