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Solved SOLVED- 20 Limited plug in & tow? No way?

Post number 20 has been selected as best answered.

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May 16, 2021
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City, State
Fort Wayne
Year, Model & Trim Level
2020 explorer limited
Bought a 2020 limited (w/o tow package) with rear damage, body shop replaced with a salvage OEM bumper & reciever which included OEM 4 pin and 7 pin connections.

The 4pin and 7 pin plugs don't work. I figured it was plug and play, it's all oem. If I recall correctly, Before installing the harness it didn't have the "towing and haul mode" and now it does.

I double checked the plugs yesterday.

Stealership charges $200 to run computer programming and $300 find wiring issue.
 



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The light harness plugs into the factory harness under the passenger side quarter panel. There are two plugs to have all of the 7 pin functions Have you looked to see if it is plugged in there?

You also have fuses for the lights that may of blown.
 






The light harness plugs into the factory harness under the passenger side quarter panel. There are two plugs to have all of the 7 pin functions Have you looked to see if it is plugged in there?

You also have fuses for the lights that may of blown.
The light harness plugs for the 2020 I have found are on the driver side rear quarter panel. I'll check the fuses right now but the lights have never worked but good observation. There is a grey plug and black plug.
 






OK, sounds like they swapped the sides from what I have on my 2016.

The light harness should T into those two plugs.

You can check your owners manual for the fuse locations.
 






The light harness plugs for the 2020 I have found are on the driver side rear quarter panel. I'll check the fuses right now but the lights have never worked but good observation. There is a grey plug and black plug.
There wiring coming out of a black grommet in the rear passenger quarter panel. That wiring goes into a small black box but cannot access without taking off the bumper. Is that it?

20210516_150751.jpg
 












That bottom picture looks more like what mine does. I tried to get a picture of mine but I can't get far enough away to actually see what it is.

Does the factory plug to to the box or to the black and grey plugs?
 






That bottom picture looks more like what mine does. I tried to get a picture of mine but I can't get far enough away to actually see what it is.

Does the factory plug to to the box or to the black and grey plugs?
I have grey to grey and black to black. They all match up and are properly connected.
 












Mine is aftermarket but it T's into those connectors and then goes to my 7 pin trailer connector. So what I did was to disconnect those plugs. Then plugged in the new harness and plugged the Explorers light plug back into it. I did this on both factory plugs.

Where does the factory plug wire to?

You may get a idea by going to Etrailer and watching one of their videos on installing a wiring harness for the trailer connection.

 






Mine is aftermarket but it T's into those connectors and then goes to my 7 pin trailer connector. So what I did was to disconnect those plugs. Then plugged in the new harness and plugged the Explorers light plug back into it. I did this on both factory plugs.

Where does the factory plug wire to?

You may get a idea by going to Etrailer and watching one of their videos on installing a wiring harness for the trailer connection.

Foind a YouTube video that refers this, but I have the OEM hitch/bumper combo so not sure why it's still not working?
 






Foind a YouTube video that refers this, but I have the OEM hitch/bumper combo so not sure why it's still not working?

What a fluster cuck. I guess I'll have to take the bumper off and test with a multimeter. Or take it to the stealership and get it programmed for $100 +/-
 






I would wager that when the replaced the bumper that they either unplugged something or cut the wires.
 






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If I recall correctly, Before installing the harness it didn't have the "towing and haul mode" and now it does.

...............................................................
If the 6th gen is similar to the 5th gen then it likely did have the tow mode. My 2011 Limited did and it didn't have the factory tow package.
BTW, you're limited to towing 3000 lbs.

Peter
 






If the 6th gen is similar to the 5th gen then it likely did have the tow mode. My 2011 Limited did and it didn't have the factory tow package.
BTW, you're limited to towing 3000 a
I would wager that when the replaced the bumper that they either unplugged something or cut the wires.
All wires and adapters are there.
 






On the older Expeditions and F-150’s you could add the 7 wire plug, but also had to plug in additional relays and fuses to make it work. U-haul and others had a kit that included all the parts. My understanding was that the relays isolated the trailer wiring, and the fuses gave full amperage for lights and 12 volt charging to the trailer connector.
 






On the older Expeditions and F-150’s you could add the 7 wire plug, but also had to plug in additional relays and fuses to make it work. U-haul and others had a kit that included all the parts. My understanding was that the relays isolated the trailer wiring, and the fuses gave full amperage for lights and 12 volt charging to the trailer connector.
Yes I could see that but all the trailer/tow related fuses referenced in the owners manual are installed in the fuse box and functional.
 












Out of curiousity what trailer wiring did you buy to tie into this and did it work with both brake and turn signals?
Used OEM trailer harness that was connected to salvage bumper. Towing lights still don't work.

My assumption is I will have to take it to the dealership and have it programed. ($200)
 



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*******************UPDATE**********************************

As mentioned previously our 2020 Limited 2.3L came from the factory WITHOUT a OEM hitch.
Purchased it from IAAI and Body shop replaced damaged bumper with OEM hitch and bumper combo.

"FIXED"*******Service Tech said the computer recognizes the towing harness connected BUT there is no way they can plug and play the new OEM into the existing bumper harness and get the lights to work without adding some BTM module or something. He said that Ford poorly designed the hitch and the only way to get the 4-pin to work is to buy PART FT1Z15A416A and have it installed. All said and done came out to around $450.

Spoke with the Tech and said that this vehicle is capable of towing 5000lb and with that part you should be fine.
 






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