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Explorer brake controller?

Post number 2 has been selected as best answered.

Just installed the Tekonsha P3 tonight. Thanks to all the pictures and ideas posted on here, I was able to mount it all in about 30 mins. Hooking up the trailer tomorrow to test it

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Hi all,
Would this the Tekonsha 90160 work with a 2020 explorer ST? Looking to tow a passport 240bhwe sl series travel trailer. Its dry weight is 5069lbs which should be no sweat for the ST.

Thank all!

Also considering the CURT 51180 Echo Mobile Electric Trailer Brake Controller with Bluetooth-Enabled Smartphone Connection, Proportional instead.

You do realize you will be far overweight for the Explorer towing that camper, right?
 












An update on the Redarc-

The Redarc TowPro Elite with the TPH-006 is plug and play with the 2020 Explorer with the factory tow package. I know, because I just plugged and played. :)

Mike
 






An update on the Redarc-

The Redarc TowPro Elite with the TPH-006 is plug and play with the 2020 Explorer with the factory tow package. I know, because I just plugged and played. :)

Mike

Awesome news! Thank you.

Where did you mount the knob?
 






Awesome news! Thank you.

Where did you mount the knob?
I haven't yet, simply because I was in a hurry to get on the road. I routed the wire and the knob out through the hole for the access panel to the fuse block by the driver's left knee and just left them dangle there. I'm probably going to mount the knob to that panel anyway, so that way if I screw up and drill the hole wrong, I buggered up a replaceable piece. Also, this means that I can buy a replacement from Ford and return the vehicle to original condition if I take out the brake controller and the hole bothers me. I checked, there is plenty of clearance behind the panel for the knob module, and enough slack in the cable to remove the panel to get access to the fuses.
 






I haven't yet, simply because I was in a hurry to get on the road. I routed the wire and the knob out through the hole for the access panel to the fuse block by the driver's left knee and just left them dangle there. I'm probably going to mount the knob to that panel anyway, so that way if I screw up and drill the hole wrong, I buggered up a replaceable piece. Also, this means that I can buy a replacement from Ford and return the vehicle to original condition if I take out the brake controller and the hole bothers me. I checked, there is plenty of clearance behind the panel for the knob module, and enough slack in the cable to remove the panel to get access to the fuses.

OH, yeah, thats a good way to go. I was thinking of mounting the knob to the right of the headlight knob but then if I take the brake out there is a hole, the fuse lid is a better spot as like you said, replacement is cheap and goes back to stock.
 






I thought I'd share pics of my install. I have a Tekonsha Prodigy P2. The pigtail is the same as the previous gen Explorer.
I added a bracket to the top of the P2 bracket (see pic) with a few small washers as spacers. Now when I want to use it I just slide it over the trim around each side of the OBD connector (see pic). On my last Explorer I drilled holes in the trim to install. This way I do not have any holes. I have the plug tucked in on the left side so I just pull it out and snap it on when needed.
Nice Job on this. Does this look like the correct adaptor type:
 












OK here's what I did. The little flimsy section below the OBD port is mostly good enough but I didn't drill it yet. Used some high strength velcro (credit to my wife on this one!) and fed the cable over the top of another harness behind it so that it doesn't hang back by the brake pedal.

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Do you know the part number to the cable that is needed to plug into the Explorer & the Tekonsha P3?
 
























What is the part number for the wire harness for the 2020 Explorer?
It is 3035-P - this is the one I bought for my 2016 and when I transferred the harness and controller to my 2020, it worked perfectly.
 






The brake controller connector is below the steering column behind and above the air bag. My chin is only for reference in the attached photo! I installed the
Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller. The control unit is hidden away and the control knob is easy to mount.

View attachment 176399

View attachment 176400

View attachment 176401

View attachment 176402
The brake controller connector is below the steering column behind and above the air bag. My chin is only for reference in the attached photo! I installed the
Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller. The control unit is hidden away and the control knob is easy to mount.

View attachment 176399

View attachment 176400

View attachment 176401

View attachment 176402
 






The brake controller connector is below the steering column behind and above the air bag. My chin is only for reference in the attached photo! I installed the
Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller. The control unit is hidden away and the control knob is easy to mount.

View attachment 176399

View attachment 176400

View attachment 176401

View attachment 176402
Looking for a part number for the cable to connect the REDARC Tow-Pro controller with the 2020 Explorer? Thank you
 






Well okay, been some time since I was on the forum. The Lincoln dealer will be of no help at all. When I approached them, the first question they asked was; "Is it made by Lincoln?" When I answered no and that Lincoln did not provide any factory trailer brake controls but Ford did on numerous models but most specifically the pickups.

They were unimpressed and refuses to install the RedArc controller.

I went to my RV service place and they put the thing in, but despite all my research into which adapter cable was needed, they had to splice the one I provided for the brake controller, with one they had for the chassis.

They were not happy about how much work it took to install the thing and I'm sure that any wiring issues I might have in the future will be blamed on the trailer brake controller and warranty denied.
 






Yes, it is hard to find behind a cover under the steering wheel. It has been addressed in this forum before.
The actual answer is NO it does not have a built-in brake controller. It has the brake controller plug which you referred to but not the unit itself as was mentioned in a subsequent post.

Peter
 






The brake controller connector is below the steering column behind and above the air bag. My chin is only for reference in the attached photo! I installed the
Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller. The control unit is hidden away and the control knob is easy to mount.

View attachment 176399

View attachment 176400

View attachment 176401

View attachment 176402

Thank you for the pictures and installation information, Installed the TowPro today without issue. There was a dummy plug in the connector, through me off for a couple of minutes.
 



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Anyone have access to factory wiring diagrams? Since all explorers have the brake controller plug under the dash I would like to know where that terminates on non towing package explorers. My work vehicle is a 2021 XLT 202A with appearance package, wanted towing package also but slim pickings. So bought a class 3 hitch and bolted it on, that was cheap and easy. Bought a prodigy brake controller and plug and play harness for cheap on ebay. And I bought some tail light adapter that might work but didn’t get that far.
It’s not my car so I could just starting pulling wires and drilling holes but I’m sure there is a cleaner way to do this. Im sure that brake controller harness exits the body somewhere that I could tap into or buy a harness repair plug and make it almost factory.
 






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