What is included in a tow hitch package ??

[TerryTundra]

When I bought my 02 Tundra v6 , I needed a tow hitch put on . I told the salesman I need to tow a travel trailer . He included it in the price $450.00 , What I got is a valley hitch bolted on and a 4 pin connector wrapped in duct tape and a trans cooler . Now I ask you , is this what I should have got ??? NO I dont think so , really makes me wonder how dealers stay in business . I called the salesman , told him we must have got our wires crossed cause I needed a 7 pin connector and I think a wire harness into the cab for the Electric brake... Am I missing something ? When u ask the dealer for a tow package, is it normal to get this ?

[nhparrot]

Originally Posted by TerryTundra

When I bought my 02 Tundra v6 , I needed a tow hitch put on . I told the salesman I need to tow a travel trailer . He included it in the price $450.00 , What I got is a valley hitch bolted on and a 4 pin connector wrapped in duct tape and a trans cooler . Now I ask you , is this what I should have got ??? NO I dont think so , really makes me wonder how dealers stay in business . I called the salesman , told him we must have got our wires crossed cause I needed a 7 pin connector and I think a wire harness into the cab for the Electric brake... Am I missing something ? When u ask the dealer for a tow package, is it normal to get this ?

On the 2002 Tundra the tow package only included a 4 pin flat connector. 7 pin connector wiring was introduced on later model Tundra's.

[ricqik]

Wow, $450, you could've gotten your own hitch of choice, brake controller, and a 7pin plug and wired it yourself and still have leftover $$

[TerryTundra]

I just got off the phone with the salesman , I told him what I thought of this Customer service slogan , I have already paid to much on this truck plus roll over from the junk Impala trade in . Now he says I need to pay extra for the harness and a 7 pin adaptor Hold it right there!!! so I went off and told him some things and now I am angry ...... He knew I needed to haul a 4800lb (gross weight) camper , he doesnt show me the v8 with a hitch attached setting at the other lot ....he sells me a v6 and the hitch that needs to be installed .....now i have to pay more NO WAY ..To add things to a hitch ive already paid for ....and i see now Ive over paid .!!

he said he would get back to me on the wire harness ...yea right ....

PS , The dealership I bought from is NOT Howe Motors as my profile indicates, I didnt have the option to select "other".

The dealership is
somersworth nissan isuzu in New Hampshire

[ricqik]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

On the 2002 Tundra the tow package only included a 4 pin flat connector. 7 pin connector wiring was introduced on later model Tundra's.

Make you wonder why they put a 4pin on a truck that is rated to tow 7200lbs. And the newer tundra's tows less but has a 7pin..?????

[KLS]

Terry,
Don't expect the saleman to know anything nor to know what is a fair price. $450 for the receiver plus an OEM transmission cooler and taillight adapter is high but not way out of line. I agree, they also should have run the wiring for the 7-pin connector, but, again, don't expect them to even know such things exist. Did you get the taillight adapter or the OEM special Toyota 4-pin connector that is made to plug into the adapter?


Ken

[TerryTundra]

Originally Posted by KLS

Terry,
Don't expect the saleman to know anything nor to know what is a fair price. $450 for the receiver plus an OEM transmission cooler and taillight adapter is high but not way out of line. I agree, they also should have run the wiring for the 7-pin connector, but, again, don't expect them to even know such things exist. Did you get the taillight adapter or the OEM special Toyota 4-pin connector that is made to plug into the adapter?


Ken

no I havent recieved anything more than what I stated above ...except maybe a hard time ....If I not mistaken a 4pin adapter to a 7pin wont work with a electric brake ..I need a complete harness ....right?
I see he doesnt know , however now should I have to pay out of my pocket ? I asked for, paid for , and then havent recieved what was agreed upon . Is it my abligation to make it right or his ?.......hmmmm

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by TerryTundra

no I havent recieved anything more than what I stated above ...except maybe a hard time ....If I not mistaken a 4pin adapter to a 7pin wont work with a electric brake ..I need a complete harness ....right?
I see he doesnt know , however now should I have to pay out of my pocket ? I asked for, paid for , and then havent recieved what was agreed upon . Is it my abligation to make it right or his ?.......hmmmm

Yes, you need the complete harness with the brake wire but you're probably going to find it impossible to get a full 7 pin "tow package" harness out of the dealer for the simple reason that on an '02 Tundra, the official Toyota factory/dealer tow package only included a 4 pin connector and wiring. The factory simply did not put the needed wires for a brake controller into the truck's wiring harnesses. Very few Toyota dealership personnel...be they salespeople or parts people...have much knowledge about tow wiring, especially about the wiring requirements for hooking up an electric brake controller. Since the towing wiring harness that the Toyota parts catalog lists for an '02 is 4 pin only, the dealership is likely to be totally clueless about what it would take to provide you with a 7 pin connector and brake controller interface. They're also likely to be completely clueless about what kind of aftermarket connector and wiring is needed.

Until the '03 model, if you wanted an interface to a trailer brake controller and brake wire back to the hitch, you had to have that separately installed regardless of whether or not the truck was sold with the factory tow package. Same-same for the 12V power wire needed to recharge the "house" battery on a travel trailer...you had to install that yourself as well on all pre-'03 models.

Sooooo....a 4 pin adaptor can be used as a starting point for the 7 pin plug...it provides the needed signals for brake lights, turn signals, and taillights to the trailer. No, it does not provide the trailer brake wire. My advice is to simply bite the bullet and do the wiring yourself for the brake controller...or take the truck to a hitch or RV shop and let them do it for you. The most you'll probably get out of the dealership is a small refund.

Yeah, it's pretty pathetic that it wasn't until the '03 model (IOW after 4 model years) before Toyota finally understood that the tow package wiring for a half ton truck needed to have a brake controller interface and a 7 pin connector by the hitch.

[ricqik]

Best advice now is to get an aftermarket 7pin and do it yourself. Mines a 00 and I bought a plug that had both the 4pin and 7pin all-in-one to replace the corroded sometimes working stock 4pin and it bolted right up to the stock bracket holder w/some minor work. The only thing I haven't wired yet is the extra 3 wires since I haven't bought a brake controller yet.

[TerryTundra]

yes I see things a bit clearer now , I think I will take it to the RV dealer that I bought the camper from . They have been great to me and I know they will do things right
thanks again for all your input and allowing me to reflect on things .