Where's the 2026 Trailer Brake Control Plug?

[ryanO]

Not me. I checked first. Ford is just being a jerk to their customers.

I just dont see it as being jerks. It's business.

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[Dave8311]

If Ford sells the brake controller over the counter at their parts store, how are they losing money?

 

[KevinH-TX]

FWIW that’s kind of where I recall the bare wires for the TBC being on my 2021 5G Ranger.

For those struggling to find the TBC wires in the cab, I’m curious if you’ve checked to see if there are all 7 wires going to the 7-pin connector in the back? If not, then probably a bad sign for finding the harness up front.

I have a 2026 XLT with factory tow package....no gray plug under the dash/kick panel....but it DOES have 7 wires going to the factory 7-pin plug.

 

[artvarck]

I have a 2026 XLT with factory tow package....no gray plug under the dash/kick panel....but it DOES have 7 wires going to the factory 7-pin plug.

Right, it's been determined elsewhere (I think in this thread) that '26 models don't have the connector.

 

[KevinH-TX]

Right, it's been determined elsewhere (I think in this thread) that '26 models don't have the connector.

I'd really love to know if there's a way to tap into the appropriate wiring on a 2026 to "feed" the Redarc harness, as if the connector had been there.

If the wiring from the 7-pin plug makes it all the way up to driver's footwell area the same way that it does in a 2026 with a factory brake controller.....then it seems like we ought to be able to produce the needed input output connections for a Redarc.

 

[Scotty B.]

I have a 2026 XLT with factory tow package....no gray plug under the dash/kick panel....but it DOES have 7 wires going to the factory 7-pin plug.

Yes, correct. I had a local trailer shop wire in my trailer brake control to the back of the 7 pin connector and other locations because they couldn't easily determine where all of the wires terminated under the instrument panel.

 

[saxdogg]

Somewhere on the Redarc page or similar I found the PDF instructions for tapping into the truck's wiring...partially why I decided I'd go with the wireless controller when the time comes.

 

[KevinH-TX]

Somewhere on the Redarc page or similar I found the PDF instructions for tapping into the truck's wiring...partially why I decided I'd go with the wireless controller when the time comes.

The Redarc Tow-Pro Link wireless controller looks like a great option. The inline harness installation under the bed/bumper is clean.

 

[saxdogg]

The Redarc Tow-Pro Link wireless controller looks like a great option. The inline harness installation under the bed/bumper is clean.

Yes I liked that too, plus IIRC, you can use phone or their controller (or both).

 

[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.

I don’t think I agree with these assessments. First, I don’t think it requires being “intimately familiar” with options so much as having done due diligence on the vehicle options when you’re spending $40k-$55k on a vehicle. If you’re not ordering from the factory the buyer should still be aware of the options and also interact with sales staff, though the latter shouldn’t really be relied upon in my experience. Second point about your last vehicle: that last gen Ranger had one option for a tow package and didn’t come with a tbc from the factory so you can’t compare them. You can’t make any assumptions about the 6th gen wiring harness or vehicle options based on what your 5th gen had. I mean, you clearly can’t make assumptions on the wiring harness or vehicle options from one model year to the next as we’ve discovered and discussed here time and again. As for the third point, I agree that most who tow should want a tbc and the laws are well-defined about when they’re required.

 

[KevinH-TX]

Yes, correct. I had a local trailer shop wire in my trailer brake control to the back of the 7 pin connector and other locations because they couldn't easily determine where all of the wires terminated under the instrument panel.

I've seen statements by folks on a Facebook page that claim that the wires that "would have been used" for the plug are still there, individually taped up, then covered up by the outer tape wrap on the wiring loom. I have no interest in unwrapping my wire harness to explore.... has anyone here tried it? (I apologize if I missed a prior comment).

 

[Dave8311]

It is unacceptable that Ford engineered a vehicle capable of towing 7,500 lbs without providing a plug-and-play solution for a trailer brake controller.

While I understand not including the hardware in the base MSRP, it is nonsensical to sell an official Ford controller through parts departments that cannot be easily connected to the truck, especially when the factory-installed option clearly utilizes a dedicated harness location.

Why would Ford intentionally restrict or complicate such a critical towing feature?

 

[saxdogg]

Why would Ford intentionally restrict or complicate such a critical towing feature?

Easy....$$$

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