I have a 2000 4runner and I need to put a four pin connector for a trailer on it. The vehicle used to have a connector, but it wasn't functioning when I bought the vehicle and I got tired of it dangling so I snipped the wires a few years ago. Now I need to use those wires again to get my trailer lights working. There are four wires that I can see: brown, white, green and yellow. Can anyone tell me if this sounds like a standard setup for a wiring harness and if so, how to connect those four wires and which pins to connect them to?

 

Is your converter box still in the truck?? If not things won`t work like they should

You have 4 wires 1 is the tail lights Green

1 is ground White

The other two are the turn signals not sure which is which without testing with the meter

If your trailer is wired different who knows.

The only real way is to test every thing with a Meter.

 

First thanks for your reply. Second, I don't know where the converter box is to look for it. Where is that located?

 

It should be right near the left rear of the truck some place.

Most often just a flat black box.

In fact it should have the 4 wires coming out going to where your 4 pin plug was.

So that it can plug into the light harness at the rear of your vehicle.

Being that most trailers have the turn signal tail light and brake lights in one light while our vehicles have the turn signal stand alone.

 

I used to have the box and the universal splice in place 4 flat tow harness. The box got wet after 10+ years and failed. I got this kit designed for the 4Runner. There is no splicing. It plugs between the rear light and truck harness. IMO it's preferable. Of course I had to repair all the spliced wires caused by the old harness. You can get this from Amazon in about two days with regular shipping. $27.85; google for a free shipping code:



Read the reviews ^^^. It's a 15 minute job. Taping the old wires takes more time.

My old box was located on the drivers side behind the rear plastic. Do a search on how to get it off without breaking it. I remember the holders for the cargo cover had to come off. As I said my old wiring was aftermarket so I'm not sure if OEM was on that side.

 

Like Nervo mentioned. Get a kit that is plug and play, solves alot of headaches. Most issues I see on any truck is where someone has spliced in towing light kit and spliced in stereo wires.

 

I seem to have no problems I have been splicing into wires for years.

I guess it is all in how you do it.

Those 4 pin plugs are a pain I just use 7 pin ones and be done.

 

Thanks much for all the replies. That will help for sure.

 

Yeah, but I'm not that good at figuring out wiring and the trailer I have has a four-pin connection. But I guess there are adapters out there...

 

Update: using one of those testers that have an alligator clip you hook to ground, and a pointed tip on the other end that lights up when there is current, I have found that the brown wire is the tail lights, and the green and yellow wires both light up when the brakes are pressed. But I cannot find any kind of flashing from the tester when the blinkers are turned on--no wires seem to be lighting up the tester for the blinkers. My thought was that if the old hook up was correct, I would just need to figure out the wiring and reattach a connector--but is something wrong if I can't find anything blinking? And if so, any ideas exactly what I need to do?

 

Seems like the converter box is missing that is what gives you the turn signals

In the green and Yellow wires.

 

Thanks. It looks like I'm going to end up buying a converter box after all.

 

brown is tail lights,
yellow is left turn
green is right turn
white is ground to the trailer.

yellow and green carry the brake signal since the converter is combining the turn and brake signal for the trailer.