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quick towing question

Andy96XLT

Well-Known Member
Joined
October 5, 2007
Messages
574
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City, State
Branchburg NJ, Bethlehem PA
Year, Model & Trim Level
96 XLT
I have a real quick question about the wiring harness for towing. I have a 1996 XLT and bought a towing harness, and it says it plugs right in but I can't find any loose sockets behind the bumper. The only one I can see is the socket that plugs into the license plate lights. Now what is weird is that the towing wiring harness will plug into this harness, but than my license plate lights won't work. I have looked pretty carefully and can't find anything else. Does this mean that my ex does not have the tow plug and I will have to wire the lights in myself? Thanks.
-Andrew

Oh PS, if I do have to wire the lights in, on the 4 pin trailer harness, I see that the white wire is ground, but than there are 3 other wires, green, brown, and i think yellow? does anyone know which color goes to stop, turn, etc. (like connect white to ground, brown to turn or whatever it is? ) Thanks
 






...The plug you are looking for is usually hidden, and tucked up behind the driver's side tail lamp...;)
 






...The plug you are looking for is usually hidden, and tucked up behind the driver's side tail lamp...;)

Thanks, thats the plug that is connected to the license plate lights but fits. Should I use that plug and than just splice the license plate lights in which is just 2 wires instead of 4? Thanks,
Andrew
 






If yours is wiring from the factory, the plug is on the right side (passenger) of the license plate attached to the rear crossmember behind the bumper. This is where our 96's is.

Our 97 did not have this plug, but it was factory wired for trailer lights (has fuses under the hoods). I bought the same trailer wiring harness (Hoppy 40915) and made it work. I unplugged the harness (for the license plate lights) below the drivers side tail light. The plug is the same. I repinned the trailer wiring plug to work the trailer lights without changing the vehicle wiring. The only thing that I did not add was the ground wire (trailer light). I ground it to the body with a screw.

I do not believe that I have my scrap paper that I wrote down which wires go where. If needed I'm sure that I can draw something up.
 






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