What are these wires, tail light.

[Nuttzeh]

I'm not a mechanic by any means, I do play with car stereo wiring but that's as in depth as I get.

When I went to change my tail light I noticed a little harness with what looked like a red nipple and four wires coming out that were cut. I want to know what this is

All of my lights work, my rear backup sensors do not but those appear to be smaller wires.

Previous owner installed a tow bracket so he may have disabled the sensors, I have no idea. But I've narrowed it down to the wires for my sensors or the wires for maybe wiring up a trailer light plug.

If this is a factory feature I'm sure you guys would know. I don't know whyat it is but I don't like cut wires if I don't know what they are for.


Also while I'm here, what are the speaker wire colors POST amp in a 2000 explorer Eddie Bauer I'm installing a new head unit and don't want to run all new wires if I can just tap in back there and bypass the factory amp

 

[1998Exp]

Trailer lights connector. For some reason Ford chose to use a round plug on our generation of Explorers, while virtually all trailers use a straight one. Adapters exist, but the previous owner probably just cut off the round plug and soldered a standard straight one to the harness -- which is a much more reliable solution.

...
When I went to change my tail light I noticed a little harness with what looked like a red nipple and four wires coming out that were cut. I want to know what this is.
...

 

[chefduane]

+1^ what he said. Also, if your EB originally came with the trailer tow package (which it probably did) not only was the wiring harness for the trailer electricals in place, you also probably got an external auxiliary transmission fluid cooler and the 3.73 LSD rear end. The tag on your rear diff cover should tell you that, and if you crawl up underneath the front fascia behind the bumper there should be a small cooler mounted there. Or if you happen to have the original sticker you can look for "Trailer Tow Prep" and see if it is listed. OR, check the vin here:
http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleSelection.do
to find out how that particular vehicle was originally equipped.

 

[koda2000]

2 of my Explorers came with the towing package. Both had the plug-in factory trailer wiring harness still in the OE plastic bag sitting in the jack compartment. As I have a trailer, I installed the harnesses, which included a bracket to install the plug under the rear bumper. Someone had installed a cheap aftermarket trailer harness (using quik-splices) on one of my Ex's, which I removed in favor of the OE harness.

 

[Nuttzeh]

The 4 cut wires were spliced in heavier gauge wires. I'm assuming he did as you said and spliced another plug in and cut it out. makes sense now that I know what's what. the original harness was still wired in, so that's good news.

I also spotted another set of cut wires running along the frame of the truck on the passenger side, blue and black.

Prev owner also had an electric brake controller installed and I think that's what that is, the reverse sensors feed from the passenger side tail light. Am I wrong?

 

[koda2000]

The 4 cut wires were spliced in heavier gauge wires. I'm assuming he did as you said and spliced another plug in and cut it out. makes sense now that I know what's what. the original harness was still wired in, so that's good news.

I also spotted another set of cut wires running along the frame of the truck on the passenger side, blue and black.

Prev owner also had an electric brake controller installed and I think that's what that is, the reverse sensors feed from the passenger side tail light. Am I wrong?

It's possible that the blue & black wires were for the electric brake, but usually (if done the right way) the brake controller is wired into the trailer plug. In any event, if they're cut and everything is working the extra wires are no loner needed.

 

[murkinstock]

2 of my Explorers came with the towing package. Both had the plug-in factory trailer wiring harness still in the OE plastic bag sitting in the jack compartment.

Now I know of a new random goody to look for while at the junkyard. Thanks!

 

[koda2000]

Now I know of a new random goody to look for while at the junkyard. Thanks!

It's a nice piece. It includes a bracket to hold the plug under the bumper, the bolt & nut to hold the bracket on, a 4-flat trailer plug which slides into the bracket, a built-in plug cover and the other end just plugs into the OE socket found on either side's tail light harness under the red plastic cover. IIRC it even included several plastic wire holders that fit into preexisting holes in the bumper bracket. If you can't find one at the salvage yard, The Ford dealer probably still sells the trailer wiring harness, which I doubt is model year specific.

It looks like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trailer-Tow...ash=item33b6118455:g:49MAAOSwll1W0yRP&vxp=mtr

 

[murkinstock]

It's a nice piece. It includes a bracket to hold the plug under the bumper, the bolt & nut to hold the bracket on, a 4-flat trailer plug which slides into the bracket, a built-in plug cover and the other end just plugs into the OE socket found on either side's tail light harness under the red plastic cover. IIRC it even included several plastic wire holders that fit into preexisting holes in the bumper bracket. If you can't find one at the salvage yard, The Ford dealer probably still sells the trailer wiring harness, which I doubt is model year specific.

Thanks for the info. I don't really need it, but I like finding and getting stuff like that. Last time I was there I came across the instruction sheet on changing a spare tire for my first gen, so I grabbed it. I obviously know how to change a spare since I was at a junkyard, but I thought it would be neat to have. haha

 

[chefduane]

It's a nice piece. It includes a bracket to hold the plug under the bumper, the bolt & nut to hold the bracket on, a 4-flat trailer plug which slides into the bracket, a built-in plug cover and the other end just plugs into the OE socket found on either side's tail light harness under the red plastic cover. IIRC it even included several plastic wire holders that fit into preexisting holes in the bumper bracket. If you can't find one at the salvage yard, The Ford dealer probably still sells the trailer wiring harness, which I doubt is model year specific.

I have mine mounted below the bumper under the drivers side tail light. I seldom tow but I'm one to always be prepared (USCG '77-'83 Semper Paratus CGC Point Evans MSO LA/LB
I could never get the rubber grommet insert cover to stay in the plug so I got one of these (similar, not this one) http://www.delcity.net/store/4!Way-....t_1.r_IF3003&mkwid=xksGHrE6&crid=11472933143
and now the connectors don't get road crud in them. Also, I can check periodically to see if everything is still functioning correctly.

 

[239]

I'm not a mechanic by any means, I do play with car stereo wiring but that's as in depth as I get.

When I went to change my tail light I noticed a little harness with what looked like a red nipple and four wires coming out that were cut. I want to know what this is

All of my lights work, my rear backup sensors do not but those appear to be smaller wires.

Previous owner installed a tow bracket so he may have disabled the sensors, I have no idea. But I've narrowed it down to the wires for my sensors or the wires for maybe wiring up a trailer light plug.

If this is a factory feature I'm sure you guys would know. I don't know whyat it is but I don't like cut wires if I don't know what they are for.


Also while I'm here, what are the speaker wire colors POST amp in a 2000 explorer Eddie Bauer I'm installing a new head unit and don't want to run all new wires if I can just tap in back there and bypass the factory amp

You have rear back up sensors? I'm trying to install them on my 2000 but I don't know where the speaker connects. Someone said its underneath the steering wheel. Would you mind looking at yours to see if it's true?