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Towing Brake Controller

20754 Views 58 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  PPpilot, 
bourbonguy
Anyone installed a brake controller before on your Passport? I’ve got a Prodigy 2 and am not sure the best place to mount it. I wanted to put under the radio area in the center console. Where have you put them??
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Macmuchmore
HarveyW said:
No, I am referring to the control box. Once installed you have no need to access it and the center part of the console/lower dash area under the head and radio unit has a nice bit of space. Out of site out of mind.
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Yes, but it won’t reach there. The cable isn’t long enough.
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ChucklesToy
@Macmuchmore I installed the control knob as Clark Griffin shows in post #27 above and the control box on the metal vertical dash support to the right of the steering wheel post. I had pulled the left side dash panel partway down and could see this vertical support, then secured it with zip ties criss crossed through the mounting holes. It is very secure at this point but if there are any issues in the future, I can make a bracket to attach it with screws.
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sandrews53
PPpilot said:
I installed a Redarc TowPro Elite in preparation for towing a Tab400 travel trailer out to Glacier NP next week (untested). Used the spare spot next to the traction control button. Hid the main box up under the dash (secured with zip ties) and plugged it direct into the under dash wiring harness. Easy peasy. Hardest part was getting the damn plug blank out.
View attachment 7212
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What blank did you purchase to fit into the factory plug?
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ChucklesToy
sandrews53 said:
What blank did you purchase to fit into the factory plug?
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I got the universal one on Redarc’s web page where I bought the controller and cable. It did need minor modification since the Redarc blank is round on the back and the slot is rectangular. It was minor. You can see the mod needed in post #27 above.
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Macmuchmore
sandrews53 said:
What blank did you purchase to fit into the factory plug?
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Mine came with the universal blank.
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ChucklesToy
Macmuchmore said:
Mine came with the universal blank.
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Come to think of it, the universal one may have come with mine too! I just remember that there was no special one like there is for some other makes.
Checked...paid $8.41 for the universal mount.
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C
ChucklesToy said:
@Macmuchmore I installed the control knob as Clark Griffin shows in post #27 above and the control box on the metal vertical dash support to the right of the steering wheel post. I had pulled the left side dash panel partway down and could see this vertical support, then secured it with zip ties criss crossed through the mounting holes. It is very secure at this point but if there are any issues in the future, I can make a bracket to attach it with screws.
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How did you pull of the left side dash panel? Would like to do this but don't want to break any plastic clips in there. Thanks!
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ChucklesToy
cbHoo said:
How did you pull of the left side dash panel? Would like to do this but don't want to break any plastic clips in there. Thanks!
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I went to Bernardiparts.com and found the instructions to install a CD player which requires disassembly of the dash and followed step 8 where it shows how to take apart the drivers side of the dash.

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ChucklesToy said:
I went to Bernardiparts.com and found the instructions to install a CD player which requires disassembly of the dash and followed step 8 where it shows how to take apart the drivers side of the dash.
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This is very helpful! Does the doorseal just pull away without any problem, or is it attached somehow? Also, did you simply pry off the Dashboard Side Lip or do you need to do something more to get the 3 clips to release? Same with the driver’s dashboard lower cover? Thanks again for sharing your experience.
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ChucklesToy
cbHoo said:
This is very helpful! Does the doorseal just pull away without any problem, or is it attached somehow? Also, did you simply pry off the Dashboard Side Lip or do you need to do something more to get the 3 clips to release? Same with the driver’s dashboard lower cover? Thanks again for sharing your experience.
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The seal just slides away from the door edge - it is held in place by the metal in the door jam. The seal has a channel in it that fits over the metal jam. The dash is held in place by plastic clips (look at step 8 of the instructions I attached). Yes, same on both sides, just use a plastic trim tool and pry outward.
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PPpilot said:
I installed a Redarc TowPro Elite in preparation for towing a Tab400 travel trailer out to Glacier NP next week (untested). Used the spare spot next to the traction control button. Hid the main box up under the dash (secured with zip ties) and plugged it direct into the under dash wiring harness. Easy peasy. Hardest part was getting the damn plug blank out.
View attachment 7212
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I tried looking for this, but I was given two options. Either the Pilot or Ridgeline setup. Do you have a link where you bought yours or do you recall which version you purchased?
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P
Check out my prior post (post #7) in this thread.
Towing Brake Controller

Assuming you mean the Honda-specific cable to connect the Redarc unit to the tow harness under the dash, I bought the TPH-013 cable direct from Redarc. It's listed on their website for Honda Pilot and Ridgeline (and Acura) but it will work for Passport - same exact harness under the dash...
Acura/Honda suitable Tow-Pro Brake Controller Harness (TPH-013)
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Macmuchmore said:
Congratulations! I am in the middle of the install. I’ve checked all my wiring connections and they are good, but when I turn the car on, the remote head assembly LED doesn’t light up, because no trailer is attached. I’m going to call for support today (if they are open) and ask how I can test to make sure it is working, without a trailer (haven’t purchased one yet).

If I may ask, where and how did you mount the main unit, and did you use the Honda supplied 20amp fuse, or did you use a 30amp fuse as recommended by Redarc?
Thanks!
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Hey, by any chance did you figure out how to test this without having a trailer in the back hooked up? I just installed mine but it was not turning on, and the Redarc employee said that was normal until something was plugged in.
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PPpilot said:
Check out my prior post (post #7) in this thread.
Towing Brake Controller

Assuming you mean the Honda-specific cable to connect the Redarc unit to the tow harness under the dash, I bought the TPH-013 cable direct from Redarc. It's listed on their website for Honda Pilot and Ridgeline (and Acura) but it will work for Passport - same exact harness under the dash...
Acura/Honda suitable Tow-Pro Brake Controller Harness (TPH-013)
Click to expand...
I got everything hooked up, but it will not turn on. I even tried plugging my trailer to see if it would turn on but nothing happened. I used the same setup as you. Did you need to install a fuse?
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P
It's been a while but I believe you do need to put a fuse in for the brake controller. I paid Honda to have my hitch installed as part of the purchase deal and it arrived (to me) with the fuses installed.

Ref post #9 from this thread (from PANDA).
When purchasing OEM Honda Trailer hitch, among the parts INCLUDED with the hitch is the trailer brake controller wiring pigtail shown below, along with required fuses to be inserted in engine compartment fuse box, positions 2 (block fuse), position 3 (electric brake), and position 11 (power/charge).
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JLH
I finished installing a REDARK TowPro Liberty brake controller this afternoon. The install was pretty straight forward & looks decent enough. I ordered the plug-n-play wiring harness (TPH-013) and the universal switch insert (TPSI-001) along with the TowPro Liberty unit direct from REDARC. It took a bit over an hour total to install and I'm sure would have been easier if I were 50 years younger...

I took the lower left half of the dash loose which made the entire install easier. There are no screws and it pops off easier with a trim tool. You'll need to remove the small triangle shaped top left piece trim before popping the large piece loose.

I installed the control knob in the hole next to the traction control switch. (See pic# 1) The light gray 4 pin plug on the new harness gets plugged into the OEM female end harness which is also is light gray & sits a few inches above & behind the white OBD plug above & behind the emergency brake. (See pics # 2&3) I mounted the red Liberty control unit to the Emergency brake bracket with a heavy duty zip tie. I started the tie in the lower front hole of the unit, went around the brake bracket, came back through the top back hole of the unit, and over the unit and back through the end of the zip tie. It is as solid as if I had bolted it in place. (See pic # 6) It was pretty simple to find places to wrap up the excess cables. The only mod I had to do was to file off about 1/16" from both sides of a "shoulder" on the back side of the hole that the switch insert fit into. The insert was about 1/8" too wide at the back to fit all the way into the hole in the dash. (See pic # 4) I also added a thin strip of self stick cloth felt on each side of the hole in the dash to make the insert secure. (See pic # 5) The soft side of a piece of self stick velcro may work for this also, but it may be too thick. I may have uttered a couple of unkind words at REDARC ( I apologize REDARC) after the install when I hooked up the last connection & figured out that it didn't have power. A few seconds later I decided to check out whether Honda had put a fuse in for the E-brake... The fuse block is on the driver's side firewall under the hood and it takes a 20A mini fuse. It fits in slot # 3 between a 7.5A fuse and a 30A fuse. See (pic # 7)

Overall, I'm very happy with the install & I believe the REDARC controller is one of the best brands available, plus I feel it's a good value. I believe Honda should include this brake controller with every 5,000 pound hitch assembly they sell. They don't even offer one. I suppose we should be happy that they at least have the harness already installed...

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H
This question sort of dove-tails to my epic "no trailer brakes" thread. Although I think my brake controller is operating normally, it does have some tech features like self-calibration that brings into question whether it is compatible with the Lippert self-adjusting brakes on my Surveyor TT. The controller I installed is a Curt Triflex model #51140. It is plugged into the factory tow wiring harness using the correct adapter garage floors Atlanta.
In the event my controller is suspect in my no trailer brake problem, what do others use for a controller? Are there any favorites or features to look for?
My past experience with brake control goes back to the analog days with simple manual controls and settings. Is simple better?
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H
Going to be towing, and will be getting a brake controller. Currently, have comforting v6 AWD with the package philips universal remote codes.
For the controller do I have to just get the module, or do I have to get the wiring harness as well? I heard the tow package has the wiring already done.
Any thoughts or insights (especially install tips) are appreciated. I heard it's not that bad for a DIY task. Thanks, Chris
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P
I believe the tow package just adds the wiring from the rear bumper up to the under-dash wiring harness (that I think is on default passport regardless of tow package?). You still need a way to connect your tow controller to that under-dash wiring harness. Depending on which tow controller you buy, some have a plug-n-play connection harness; if not, or if you choose not to use the PNP harness, you'll have to wire that up yourself. RTFM so you don't get crossed wires.
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