hondo2016

NEW 2016 F-150 XLT Tow Package (53C) / +12vdc Dead

I am attempting to wire up LED reverse lights under the bumper AND also connect several LED (clear) lights on the trailer for backing as well as for loading and prepping the boat in the dark. The additional lighting will be remotely controlled with a wireless key fob once I get the power squared away.

I am trying to get these trailer LED's powered from the Ground / WHT / -12dvc and the Aux Power / BLK / +12vdc. I have tested the continuity of the harness and every wire is good... I cannot get anything from the +12vdc and -12vdc. Every other wire performs as designed (left turn, right turn, tail lights, backup and brakes), it's just the Aux +12vdc that is dead. I do not have a trailer physically connected, I am simply testing pins with a VOM.

I also tried setting up a trailer profile / type with my foot on the brake and again off the brake... didn't make a difference for enabling +12vdc.

I have had the truck for a week and a half old... I didn't have this issue on my other / older F150. I suspect a button or switch needs to be flipped or something.

in the attached diagram, Auxiliary Orange is Backup Light. My issue is with the BLK at 11 O'clock and WHT at 5 O'clock on the Car End Diagram.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

Thx Rich

PS... it seems that 72 watts (Two 36w 12/LED 7" Bars) may be too much for the backup light circuit... they light up in reverse, then strobe. I may need a relay for that and tap LED power from the +12vdc after that is enabled.

Steve Osborne

not sure why your not powering up...mine worked from the start.....no problem using the wire at the rear of the 7 pin plug...mine are I think 18w each...its been awhile since I have had them...

I know my work has 2 suppliers of led's some use the white for power others use the black....

also mine are using a dedicated ground wire back to a ground point on the frame....this may help....possible the bcm computer supplies a ground path for the lighting(surprizing to see truck lets you know when a light is out on a trailer) and power side is protected with a fuse at the panel..

miniceptor86

Is the fuse or breaker in place in the fuse block for the trailer power circuit? Sometimes the fuse or breaker is left out on assembly to be installed only if that feature is wanted. You might find the fuse or breaker in the glove box waiting to be installed.

Steve Osborne

09-14's have that...15's up use a different circuit protection setup...haven't found which fuse actually protects the turn/brake or park on the trailer wiring yet..but its not like the previous generation..

hondo2016

I have checked everything that has a reference to trailering (see diagram). I cannot find anything on trailer battery charging which is what they say this +12vdc is for.

Steve Osborne

im looking at my install ...try a separate ground.....once a 4 or 7 pin plug is plugged in the bcm/ecm looks at it...like mine a separate ground has caused no problems

hondo2016

Steve,

The truck is at the dealer today. When I explained the issue over the phone and in two separate emails, it was a mystery to them. When I showed up with the truck, trailer connection po out, fuse diagram and my results of testing... they said, "we won't be need any of that... we already know what the problem is - this happens a lot".

I also moved my lights from the hitch bar (near the chain hooks), out to the end of the bumper like yours! they sat way too low under the hitch and now they're tight against the bumper.

Additionally, I ran a separate ground to the frame and then powered it from the running light pin and then the backup lights pin for testing... no strobing. and the kicker is that the white / ground wire from the truck outlet goes the same screw that my ground wire is connected to. electrically it's the same thing but it seems to have solved that problem.

btw, I think we have the same truck (magnetic metallic supercrew).

Rich

hondo2016

Steve,

Could you try something for me (if you can) please?

Test the +12vdc to Frame ground and the White -12vdc / Ground on the truck outlet with a Volt Meter and NO load... They said, the wire now works BUT it will not work without a trailer connected. They supposedly used a trailer simulator.

Steve Osborne

no go..tried the aux to the white gnd as well and dead...this I think has something with the smart battery charge system() and the trailer plugged in and cycle brakes to activate......the aux to bumper/chrome worked with test light but the 12v/black didn't..

hondo2016

i guess they were ONLY intended to trickle charge a battery. I want to use that +12vdc for other lighting. the dealer didn't give me any technical info. if they called AUX or +12v then it should function that way. I guess my next step is to see if they'll identify the relay... if they will identify the (because it's not listed on the P.D. Box or the fuse box) wire, I'll pull the relay and identify the pin that feeds that black wire and jump it to battery pos and bag the relay for future use.

thank you for test you pins!!!