Trailor brakes on 2003 2500 chev

[joel]

We just purchased a 2003 2500 HD with the duramax and as I was reading the owners manual I was more than a little confused about what was needed to hook up my brakes. I have a tekonsha controller. The book said in one place that there was a brake lead allready installed from the dash to the hitch , and in another place it said a harness would have to be purchased from the dealer . I know that i have an 8 wire harness allready to the hitch.If anyone can shed some light on this I would appreciateit. Thanks

[John]

Joel,

Check the glove box and see if there's a connector with some wires sticking out of it. This is the wire harness for your brake controller. Chevy has a connector under the dash that it pulls into. The brake controller then mounts under the dash by the steering column.

John

[Chas]

I just helped a buddy of mine put a controller on his 98 chevy 2500. His did not have the tow package but we did find the battery and brake feed running from the firewall back to the rear bumper area. You just need to poke around a bit. I think they build most all of the heavier trucks with the wiring in place, seems the easiest in a production setting, they just don't tell you about it so you will pay the extra bucks for the supposedly "extra wiring". Your controller instructions are the best place to get the unfettered details on where the wiring exists and does not exist. You will probably need to install your own circuit breakers or fuses if you don't have the factory tow package though.

Chas

[joel]

Thanks guys . I have not had time to go through all the systems on it yet . I just bought it last friday . We got lucky and were visiting family in pensacola florida when we spotted this one in front of a dealer with a demo sticker on it . '''' our christmas present for the next 4 years'''' . Thanks

[davidz71]

Joel,
When I purchased my '01 2500hd, the wiring harness was rolled up and placed in the passenger side door pocket. It had a white tag tied to it with instructions explaining what each wire was to be connected to. I had to look in the owners manual to get more info as to exactly where the plug was to be connected in the courtesy center below and to the left of the steering column.

[Gene Wissink]

Joel
do not forget the battery isolater in case you do some overnight at Walmart and try to start your truck with a dead battery.

[John]

Joel,

Did you find the wire harness?

John

[joel]

No I did not . I called the dealer and he said as a cost cutting measure you had to purchase them now . They are 12$ at the dealer. I appreciate all the help .I'm really looking forward to hooking up my 31 and hitting the road. We have a week off in April and are ready to go trout fishing on the white river in Mountain Home Arkansas. It's only a 3 hour run from the house.

[john hd]

thats too bad your connector wasn't included, but for twelve bucks it is still a deal vs. running the wires to the back of the truck the old way.

john

[Pahaska]

Originally posted by joel
No I did not . I called the dealer and he said as a cost cutting measure you had to purchase them now . They are 12$ at the dealer. I appreciate all the help .I'm really looking forward to hooking up my 31 and hitting the road. We have a week off in April and are ready to go trout fishing on the white river in Mountain Home Arkansas. It's only a 3 hour run from the house.

Just bought a 2004 and the wiring harness is again included. It was in the glove compartment rolled up with a fuse taped to it.

Interesting point, I kept my old harness, but GM switched wire locations in the connector between 2001 and 2004. The hitch shop said that GM did this without a word to anyone and it had cost them a lot of time trouble shooting when it first happened. GM finally came out with a bulletin.