Where's the 2026 Trailer Brake Control Plug?

[SLJ]

I spent weeks researching before ordering. It's a big ticket purchase and I wanted to get it right without regrets.

I went to the dealer lot and actually went under the Ranger's dash to confirm it had a plug for a brake controller before I purchased it. Learned my lesson when I bought a Bronco Sport with a tow package that didn't have a brake controller or a plug for an aftermarket controller. My Previous Maverick had the Ford factory controller.

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[ShadowDragon24]

My 2025 Ranger XLT has the physical TBC. I got a Ranger with the Advanced Tow Package so it would have one. If you get the regular tow package it has a TBC in the center screen (in the software) that can be adjusted, its just not easy to grab the trailer brakes in the event of an emergency life the physical TBC.

My 25 xlt with tow package does not have the tbc in the infotainment screen, nor the instrument cluster screens. But I had the grey aftermarket plug, just had to order the bronco harness for my hopkins tbc. My options where my xlt I got. or a xlt with the fulgy chrome package with advance tow and tech package. I didnt want chrome, and I didnt want the 360 cams.

 

[ryanO]

Just wanted to chime in here - for what it’s worth the salesman at the dealer I ordered and purchased from knew this quirk back in 2024 when I was putting a preview together for my 2025 XLT. We specifically had a conversation about what the advanced tow package was worth, and he told me that the standard package didn’t have an electronic trailer brake controller. I had come into the shop thinking I could get away without buying the advanced tow package, and was quickly corrected. So, Ford definitely has made a mention of this in some way. However, as I have learned on here, dealers can be a mixed bag.
Sucks that there isn’t an easy way around this, I wish you luck.

Maybe I'm the crazy one, but I spent about 6 months of on lot and on line research before I bought. My family eventually thought I was crazy because i probably spent a total of 20 hours at the local dealer after hours going through each truck they had. Im fortunate that my local dealer, Planet Ford Spring, is one of the largest volume Ford dealers so they have 10-15 Rangers almost always and they rotate through them quickly. They typically have a few hundred F150s as well (sell between 400 & 600 every month).
I am fairly certain I know every option and trim level better than 95% of all "salesmen" at dealers. Lol

 

[Dave8311]

I stupidly assumed that I would be able to add the controller to the truck and enable it with Forscan as I have with all my previous Ford trucks that didn't come with a controller.

It's a poor choice for Ford to not include the harness as they have in the past.

Same thing with the wired keypad that could be installed by the consumer.

 

[ryanO]

I stupidly assumed that I would be able to add the controller to the truck and enable it with Forscan as I have with all my previous Ford trucks that didn't come with a controller.

It's a poor choice for Ford to not include the harness as they have in the past.

Same thing with the wired keypad that could be installed by the consumer.

Nah. Its foolish of Ford to include the plug for easy install later. They are literally cutting out their own profits by doing that. They offer it as an option and if a customer needs it, they should buy the vehicle with it.

 

[ryanO]

I stupidly assumed that I would be able to add the controller to the truck and enable it with Forscan as I have with all my previous Ford trucks that didn't come with a controller.

It's a poor choice for Ford to not include the harness as they have in the past.

Same thing with the wired keypad that could be installed by the consumer.

People have been bitching that manufacturers dont give them enough options to choose and make too much stuff standard. Now, Ford offers the TBC as a reasonably priced option and people still bitch.
Its just proof that the average human being is an unsatisfied, unhappy, and self absorbed clown.
Im sure some will take offense to that view, but doesn't make it wrong. Lol

 

[Dave8311]

The only way I could get the factory installed brake controller was to order a truck and wait, and wait, and wait for it to be built. None of the Rangers on any lot within a few hundred miles of me had one with a controller that was in my price range.

And, I've always purchased my controller from Ford parts, so they were still getting the money.

 

[Dave8311]

Why wouldn't a truck with a trailer tow package rated for 7500 lbs not have a brake controller? Who would tow a trailer that heavy without a controller?

 

[ryanO]

The only way I could get the factory installed brake controller was to order a truck and wait, and wait, and wait for it to be built. None of the Rangers on any lot within a few hundred miles of me had one with a controller that was in my price range.

And, I've always purchased my controller from Ford parts, so they were still getting the money.

Yeah, I've noticed that not a lot of the Ranger's that I wanted, XLT, are on lots with the Advanced Tow Package. I ordered one just the way I wanted it and about 3 weeks later a 99% similar one was on a lot 70 miles away so I grabbed it.

 

[stemplar]

There are a lot of facets to this story. For one; Unless you are intimately familiar with every possible available option and nuance on these vehicles, you may not even be aware that there was an integrated TBC option. Especially if you didn't order a new vehicle from the factory and instead you're buying one from a dealership lot and they only have two vehicles to choose from (both without integrated TBC).

Secondly, the vehicle came with a tow package. The last vehicle I had with a tow package came with a wiring harness to plug into.

Third; Unless you're pulling a small utility trailer, who doesn't want a TBC on there vehicle? Remember, the Ranger can pull up to 7,500lbs. That's a lot of weight to pull around without electric trailer brakes.

I suspect Ford saw the absence of a trailer brake controller as a future opportunity to add one as an expensive accessory knowing that the consumer would be asking for them. Kinda cheap on Ford's part. If they did provide a connector or some pigtails, they didn't pass that info along to the dealerships yet because nobody there seems to have a clue.

Who doesn't want a TBC on there (sic) vehicle? Not just people who only tow small utility trailers, but also people who don't actually care about towing. That's why there are three options: no tow package for those who don't tow, the "regular" tow package for those who don't need to tow more than a small utility trailer, and the max tow package for those who want to tow up to 7,500lbs. I don't think you need to be intimately familiar with every possible available option to know the difference between the options, and frankly, when you're spending $40k-$55k for a truck and you care about towing, you really should know the difference between the two tow package options.

Sure, in the past (5g rangers) the tow package included "pre-wiring" for a TBC, but remember, a factory trailer brake controller wasn't an option, or maybe it was a dealer installed option. Now that you can get a TBC from the factory, you either order it with one or you don't. Another comment says Ford is out of touch with their customers, but I don't agree there either. A dealer darn well know the difference between the options, and if they don't, go to another dealer. It seems to me like Ford knows that not everyone uses their truck the same so they offer options to meet (most of) our needs.

 

[ryanO]

Why wouldn't a truck with a trailer tow package rated for 7500 lbs not have a brake controller? Who would tow a trailer that heavy without a controller?

A small % of people buying the Ranger will tow with it. Truly. And then some people will be towing a small trailer to and from the landfill with yard waste stuff. The % of people who own a Ranger and tow 5K lbs+ is very small. So Ford gives multiple options based on needs.

 

[Dave8311]

Yes, but a controller without the option of having that stupid turn the knob to back up your trailer because you can't back a trailer without it option would be nice.

 

[ryanO]

Yes, but a controller without the option of having that stupid turn the knob to back up your trailer because you can't back a trailer without it option would be nice.

I mean, thats getting awfully picky. Its $850....in the grand scheme of things thats nothing. So if they offered the TBC seperate youd save $300? $400? Not worth giving 5 seconds of your time.

 

[Dave8311]

If they had one on the lot anywhere near me I would have bit the bullet and purchased it.

It was very high on my list of wants/needs and would have spent the money if they had any, but they didn't so I didn't and just assumed I could add one.

My bad for assuming.

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