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Ford Escape The Ford Escape has been thoroughly updated, reinforcing the character and appeal that have made it America's perennial best-selling small sport-utility vehicle. The improvements nearly cover the spectrum, and inject a new level of refinement. We'd call the Escape a little truck among small SUVs. Its new styling deliberately invokes Ford's larger, truck-based SUVs.

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Old 09-19-2009, 12:07 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Default U-Haul trailer hitch?

I found a nice looking hitch on Ebay for my new (new to me) Bike Rack.

2009 09 FORD ESCAPE TRAILER HITCH 78278 CLASS 3:eBay Motors (item 300328544511 end time Oct-05-09 11:40:56 PDT)
The hitch looks like an easy DIY install..

But, I'm wondering about wiring, if I ever needed to tow a small trailer..

I see there is a 4 wire connector hanging under the left side of the rear bumper.
It has an un-used plug in it. (to seal out water I guess).



What this connector used for?
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Old 09-19-2009, 12:59 PM   #2 (permalink)
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You need a special wiring kit like this one from etrailer.com
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Old 09-19-2009, 01:23 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XRing View Post
I found a nice looking hitch on Ebay for my new (new to me) Bike Rack.

2009 09 FORD ESCAPE TRAILER HITCH 78278 CLASS 3:eBay Motors (item 300328544511 end time Oct-05-09 11:40:56 PDT)
The hitch looks like an easy DIY install..

But, I'm wondering about wiring, if I ever needed to tow a small trailer..

I see there is a 4 wire connector hanging under the left side of the rear bumper.
It has an un-used plug in it. (to seal out water I guess).



What this connector used for?
That's for the trailer wiring harness although you'll some kind of pigtail to adapt to a standard 4-pin flat trailer plug. You also need three relays added to your box in the engine compartment.
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Old 09-19-2009, 03:22 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theoldwizard View Post
You need a special wiring kit like this one from etrailer.com

Wow, 50 bucks! I remember hooking up my old boat trailer back in the 70s
and it wasn't that complicated (or as costly).

Thanks for the info.. That video was great..
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Old 09-19-2009, 03:50 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wptski View Post
That's for the trailer wiring harness although you'll some kind of pigtail to adapt to a standard 4-pin flat trailer plug. You also need three relays added to your box in the engine compartment.
I wish it was that easy. I've got one of those cheaper versions (XLS?)
where they didn't add the contacts for the fuses and relays..
If you look down in the the socket, there's no metal contacts.
2009 Escape Trailer Wiring Connector - Ford Forum - Enthusiast Forums for Ford Owners

IIRC, there might be one contact in the two fuse sockets.
It would be nice if one of those contacts was connected back to the rear
socket, to enable routing +12V back for an add-on harness, like the one
from etrailer.com.

I'll have to trace that cable back up forward, if I ever decide to install a kit.

The problem with a $50 kit is, I can just rent a pickup instead of a trailer,
for those times I want to do some hauling..
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Old 09-19-2009, 09:35 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XRing View Post
I wish it was that easy. I've got one of those cheaper versions (XLS?)
where they didn't add the contacts for the fuses and relays..
If you look down in the the socket, there's no metal contacts.
2009 Escape Trailer Wiring Connector - Ford Forum - Enthusiast Forums for Ford Owners

IIRC, there might be one contact in the two fuse sockets.
It would be nice if one of those contacts was connected back to the rear
socket, to enable routing +12V back for an add-on harness, like the one
from etrailer.com.

I'll have to trace that cable back up forward, if I ever decide to install a kit.

The problem with a $50 kit is, I can just rent a pickup instead of a trailer,
for those times I want to do some hauling..
A plug with no contacts! That makes no sense at all!

I have a Limited with the back-up sensor and the tow package, so at that location I have a larger connector. The electrical diagram of what's there is a bit confusing but "appears" to be for a trailer hitch. I'll have to take another look at the diagram again. This connector issue has come up before here or in some other forum.

Looking again at your picture. Looks like a thick harness of wires right behind the connector, is that going to that connector? If so, it surely contains more than one wire. One contact means only one wire!
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Last edited by wptski; 09-20-2009 at 08:30 AM..
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Old 09-20-2009, 11:54 AM   #7 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XRing View Post
I wish it was that easy. I've got one of those cheaper versions (XLS?)
where they didn't add the contacts for the fuses and relays..
If you look down in the the socket, there's no metal contacts.
2009 Escape Trailer Wiring Connector - Ford Forum - Enthusiast Forums for Ford Owners

IIRC, there might be one contact in the two fuse sockets.
It would be nice if one of those contacts was connected back to the rear
socket, to enable routing +12V back for an add-on harness, like the one
from etrailer.com.

I'll have to trace that cable back up forward, if I ever decide to install a kit.

The problem with a $50 kit is, I can just rent a pickup instead of a trailer,
for those times I want to do some hauling..
Looked at the wiring diagram again. According to the diagram, the circuits in the 4-pin square connector are the same as the 4-pin flat bumper mounted connector if one has the OEM tow package.

I assume if you had the tow package, you'd have a pigtail going from that connector to the bumper connector. Mine has the three relays needed in a sealed package in the vehicle the day that I got it.

Funny the three relays(8T2T-CA) weren't installed but the fuse is! You said that you don't have the 15A fuse in Pos #14?
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Old 09-20-2009, 02:52 PM   #8 (permalink)
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It's 4 wires and the connector has 4 pins. I believe it's part of the tow package.
If the fuse box parts were installed, it would be tow-ready with a 4 pin
Ford-to-Trailer adapter cable.

Maybe this one..
Trailer Hitch Wiring 2008-2009 Escape w/o Backup Sensor:eBay Motors (item 140328330889 end time Oct-18-09 10:34:02 PDT)


That little harness sure looks like it has the right connectors..
The picture of the socket in their install pdf looks like the pic that I took..

Cheap too. I wish that it was usable on my XLS..
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Old 09-20-2009, 02:57 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wptski View Post
Looked at the wiring diagram again. According to the diagram, the circuits in the 4-pin square connector are the same as the 4-pin flat bumper mounted connector if one has the OEM tow package.

I assume if you had the tow package, you'd have a pigtail going from that connector to the bumper connector. Mine has the three relays needed in a sealed package in the vehicle the day that I got it.

Funny the three relays(8T2T-CA) weren't installed but the fuse is! You said that you don't have the 15A fuse in Pos #14?

No #14 or #8.. and I think those fuse sockets only have a single contact in them.. Not usable.
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Old 09-20-2009, 03:41 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XRing View Post
No #14 or #8.. and I think those fuse sockets only have a single contact in them.. Not usable.
That's odd! Why would they have only part of the electrical wiring there??
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