Trailer Wiring

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jchampion116

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I have a 05 liberty sport, I just installed a hitch on it and was about to wire up the trailer lights....of course no one around here has the kit to just hook it up....i have the flat connector and all the wiring...can i just splice into the wires for the tail lights or to I absolutely need this kit.....I have hooked them up in the past on other vehicles but when i try to find what wires are what on the tail lights I am striking out online....If i can splice directly in does anyone have the diagram for what wires are for what lights....thanks
 

tjkj2002

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You need the proper kit,your light system is computer controlled and just splicing off of them can blow fuses,fry the multi-function switch,or much worse(fry BCM).

Get the correct kit,some of those cheap kits(most out there) have issues with our systems.I'd spend the money and buy the OEM kit,no issues and is a simple plug and play and designed for your system.
 

ShafferNY

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Get the correct kit,some of those cheap kits(most out there) have issues with our systems.I'd spend the money and buy the OEM kit,no issues and is a simple plug and play and designed for your system.

Words of wisdom!

I bought a cheap plug-n-play from etrailer.com and it melted on me. It nearly caught the Jeep on fire! When I contact them about it they said they haven't had any problems reported to them. I figure it must have been a fluke. I installed another one from them and it popped a light bulb on the driver's side. The bulb got so hot it discolored the bulb socket and started to melt it. Thank god the fuse blew.
 

LibertyFever

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Check with your local dealership for the kit. The Liberty has relays to supply the trailer lights and a harness from them should be plug'n'play.
 

kb0nly

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Go to Etrailer.com and get the 42475 that plugs inline with the rear end harnes on the passenger side rear. It's the same as the factory type. I compared so i don't care what anyone says it is.

Bear in mind, that these converters, even the factory OEM unit, is only rated for your typical trailer with a set of tail/turn lights, a couple marker lights, and a license plate light if it has it. If you have a trailer with a lot of lights your going to have to buy a higher amperage converter and run a hot wire back from the battery to power it.

ShafferNY... How many lights total was on the trailer you were using when it melted? Sounds to me like you went over budget on the amps if you blew a fuse and melted stuff.. You can't use a regular converter for more than about 4 amps.

eTrailer has some heavy duty converters also that you can buy, they include running a heaver gauge wire to the battery.

jchampion... The problem is not the splicing, the problem is converting the wiring setup on the vehicle for the trailer. Just splicin in won't work like the older days!
 

jcbll95

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From what I gather the main problem with splicing the wires is that on a flat 4 harness the brake and turn light run on the same wire. On the jeep they are seperate lights if you tried to splice it together when you hit your brakes your turn lights would burn also and vice versa. So in short you need the converter.
 

ShafferNY

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ShafferNY... How many lights total was on the trailer you were using when it melted? Sounds to me like you went over budget on the amps if you blew a fuse and melted stuff.. You can't use a regular converter for more than about 4 amps.

When the first unit melted on me, I didn't even have a trailer connected. I had one of those brake lights that go into the tow hitch(which I also bought from etrailer). It operates off a single bulb.

The second issue I had was similar to the first, only I didn't even have the brake light in the tow hitch. Nothing was connected to it. I was actually parked, with the engine off, waiting to catch a ferry. When I restarted my Jeep, smoke started pooring out of the driver's side taillight. I immediately shut it off and pulled the taillight. I didn't want my Jeep going up in flames aboard a ferry in the middle of Lake Champlain. Not cool.

Other than the extremely overheated bulb and socket, and the blown fuse for the driver's side parking lights, there was nothing apparently wrong. I replaced the fuse and all has been well since.

BTW, The only thing I tow with my Jeep is a 14' boat trailer with two taillights.
 

tjkj2002

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Go to Etrailer.com and get the 42475 that plugs inline with the rear end harnes on the passenger side rear. It's the same as the factory type. I compared so i don't care what anyone says it is.

Bear in mind, that these converters, even the factory OEM unit, is only rated for your typical trailer with a set of tail/turn lights, a couple marker lights, and a license plate light if it has it. If you have a trailer with a lot of lights your going to have to buy a higher amperage converter and run a hot wire back from the battery to power it.
The OEM trailer harness hooks into a plug in the right/rear inner cargo area,does not splice into any light wiring harness.

I know,I installed mine.
 

brucebotti

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Go to Etrailer.com and get the 42475 that plugs inline with the rear end harnes on the passenger side rear. It's the same as the factory type. I compared so i don't care what anyone says it is.

Bear in mind, that these converters, even the factory OEM unit, is only rated for your typical trailer with a set of tail/turn lights, a couple marker lights, and a license plate light if it has it. If you have a trailer with a lot of lights your going to have to buy a higher amperage converter and run a hot wire back from the battery to power it.

ShafferNY... How many lights total was on the trailer you were using when it melted? Sounds to me like you went over budget on the amps if you blew a fuse and melted stuff.. You can't use a regular converter for more than about 4 amps.

eTrailer has some heavy duty converters also that you can buy, they include running a heaver gauge wire to the battery.

jchampion... The problem is not the splicing, the problem is converting the wiring setup on the vehicle for the trailer. Just splicin in won't work like the older days!

I got this one also....it works great. Besides, especially on electrical suff, kbOnly is the MAN!

Bruce
 

kb0nly

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The OEM trailer harness hooks into a plug in the right/rear inner cargo area,does not splice into any light wiring harness.

I know,I installed mine.

Exactly... Thats how the 42475 adapter installs, EXACTLY THE SAME...

I went to the dealer and looked at one, they wanted a fortune for it, then i looked at eTrailer and i was like it looks the same so WTF?

I found a OEM harness in a junk yard, on a rolled KJ, someone cut up the harness's bad to get various parts out of it but the converter was there. I gave them five bucks and chopped it out, cut it open, and what did i find? Exactly the same as the aftermarket units. There is NO RELAYS in there like the dealer claims, just large diodes to combine and convert. No mystery.. And yes it was a OEM converter, had the chrysler logo and part number on it.
 

kb0nly

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I got this one also....it works great. Besides, especially on electrical suff, kbOnly is the MAN!

Bruce

Thanks... I do know my way around a wire or two... Spent most of the day yesterday at a tower site doing nothing but.... What a hot sweaty, yet fun day!
 

kb0nly

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When the first unit melted on me, I didn't even have a trailer connected. I had one of those brake lights that go into the tow hitch(which I also bought from etrailer). It operates off a single bulb.

The second issue I had was similar to the first, only I didn't even have the brake light in the tow hitch. Nothing was connected to it. I was actually parked, with the engine off, waiting to catch a ferry. When I restarted my Jeep, smoke started pooring out of the driver's side taillight. I immediately shut it off and pulled the taillight. I didn't want my Jeep going up in flames aboard a ferry in the middle of Lake Champlain. Not cool.

Other than the extremely overheated bulb and socket, and the blown fuse for the driver's side parking lights, there was nothing apparently wrong. I replaced the fuse and all has been well since.

BTW, The only thing I tow with my Jeep is a 14' boat trailer with two taillights.

Gotta ask... Was the one that smoked and made the taillight smoke, is that the unit that you pull both taillights and plug inline with the bulb harness? Etrailer has that version also, so i assume thats what you had since you pulled the taillight, etc.

That style has been problematic at best... The quality of the wiring and plugs isn't the greatest.
 

ShafferNY

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Gotta ask... Was the one that smoked and made the taillight smoke, is that the unit that you pull both taillights and plug inline with the bulb harness? Etrailer has that version also, so i assume thats what you had since you pulled the taillight, etc.

That style has been problematic at best... The quality of the wiring and plugs isn't the greatest.

You got it. That's the one! It installs right behind the driver's side taillight.
 
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