2015 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY wiring

Trailer
ActionMessage
The current gain setting for the trailer brake.TRAILER BRAKE GAIN: XX.X[OUTPUT]
The current gain setting for the trailer brake when atrailer is not connected.TRAILER BRAKE GAIN: XX.X NOTRAILER
Accompanied by a single chime, in response to faultssensed by the TBC. See Trailer Sway Control (page190).
TRAILER BRAKE MODULEFAULT
A correct trailer connection (a trailer with electric trailerbrakes) is sensed during a given ignition cycle.TRAILER CONNECTED
A trailer connection becomes disconnected, eitherintentionally or unintentionally, and has been sensedduring a given ignition cycle. Disregard this status ifyour vehicle is not equipped with a factory installedtrailer brake controller. This message may appear whenan aftermarket TBC is used even when the trailer isconnected.
TRAILER DISCONNECTED
Your trailer sway control has detected trailer sway soyou need to reduce your speed.TRAILER SWAY REDUCESPEED
Faults with your vehicle wiring and trailer wiring orbrake system. See Towing a Trailer (page 189).WIRING FAULT ON TRAILER
4WD
ActionMessage
A fault is present in your 4X4 system. See UsingFour-Wheel Drive (page 151).CHECK 4X4
Your 4X4 system is making a shift.4X4 SHIFT IN PROGRESS
You need to apply the brake in order to shift into4X4 LOW.FOR 4X4 LOW APPLY BRAKE
When your vehicle is at a stop and you need to shiftinto Neutral before you select 4X4 LOW.FOR 4X4 LOW SHIFT TO N
When your vehicle is moving and you need toreduce your speed to select 4X4 LOW.FOR 4X4 LOW SLOW TO 3 MPH
101
Super Duty (), enUSA
Information Displays

TRAILER SWAY CONTROL (IF
EQUIPPED)
WARNING
Turning off trailer sway controlincreases the risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, serious injury or death. Forddoes not recommend disabling this featureexcept in situations where speed reductionmay be detrimental (such as hill climbing),the driver has significant trailer towingexperience, and can control trailer swayand maintain safe operation.
Note:This feature does not prevent trailersway, but reduces it once it begins.
Note:This feature cannot stop all trailersfrom swaying.
Note:In some cases, if vehicle speed is toohigh, the system may activate multipletimes, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
This feature applies your vehicle brakes atindividual wheels and, if necessary, reducesengine power. If the trailer begins to sway,the stability control light flashes and themessage TRAILER SWAY REDUCESPEED appears in the information display.The first thing to do is slow your vehicledown, then pull safely to the side of theroad and check for proper tongue load andtrailer load distribution. See LoadCarrying (page 178).
RECOMMENDED TOWING
WEIGHTS
Note:Do not exceed a trailerweight of 5000 pounds (2268kilograms) when towing with, orby, bumper only.
Note:Make sure to take intoconsideration trailer frontal area.Do not exceed 60 feet2 (5.6
meters2) trailer frontal area.
Note:Exceeding this limitationmay significantly reduce theperformance of your towingvehicle. Selecting a trailer with alow aerodynamic drag and roundedfront design helps optimizeperformance and fuel economy.
Note:For high altitude operation,reduce the gross combined weightby 2% per 1000 feet (300 meters)starting at the 1000 foot (300meter) elevation point.
Note:Certain states requireelectric trailer brakes for trailersover a specified weight. Be sure tocheck state regulations for thisspecified weight. The maximumtrailer weights listed may be limitedto this specified weight, as yourvehicle's electrical system may notinclude the wiring connectorneeded to use electric trailerbrakes.
Your vehicle may tow a class I, II,III and IV trailer or fifth-wheeltrailer provided the maximumtrailer weight is less than or equalto the maximum trailer weightlisted for your vehicleconfiguration on the followingchart.
190
Super Duty (), enUSA
Towing

•Service your vehicle morefrequently if you tow a trailer.See your scheduledmaintenance information.
•If you use a rental trailer, followthe instructions the rentalagency gives you.
See Load limits in the LoadCarrying chapter for loadspecification terms found on thetire label and Safety Compliancelabel and instructions oncalculating your vehicle's load.
Remember to account for thetrailer tongue weight as part ofyour vehicle load when calculatingthe total vehicle weight.
Trailer Towing Connector
When attaching the trailer wiringconnector to your vehicle, only usea proper fitting connector thatworks with the vehicle and trailerfunctions. Some seven-positionconnectors may have the SAEJ2863 logo, which confirms that itis the proper wiring connector andworks correctly with your vehicle.
FunctionColor
Left turn signal and stoplampYellow
Ground (-)White
Electric brakesBlue
Right turn signal andstop lampGreen
Battery (+)Orange
Running lightsBrown
Reverse lightsGrey
Dynamic Hitching Using theRear View Camera System
Note:Active guidelines and fixedguidelines are only available whenthe transmission is in reverse (R).
Use the centerline (B) guidelineto assist you in setting yoursteering wheel properly to helpalign the trailer hitch and tongue.
194
Super Duty (), enUSA
TowingE163167

WARNINGS
damage, loss of vehicle control,and personal injury. Contact anauthorized dealer to purchasegooseneck and fifth-wheel hitchesthat are compatible with yourvehicle.
Towing trailers beyond themaximum limit of the towingsystem could result in vehiclestructural damage, loss of vehiclecontrol and personal injury.
The hitch rating listed on thetrailer hitch label is themaximum possible trailer rating.To find the maximum trailerweight allowed for your specificvehicle, consult an authorizeddealer or the RV & Trailer TowingGuide provided by an authorizeddealer.
Your vehicle may be equippedwith a fifth-wheel prep package.This package enables your vehicleto accept certain fifth-wheeltrailer hitches and gooseneck ballhitches. The fifth-wheel trailerhitch attaches to the fourmounting pads in the pick-up bed.An optional 7-pin trailer wiringconnector may be in the bed aswell. The gooseneck ball hitch isa separate mounting pad from thefifth-wheel hitch, located in thecenter of the bed.
Shorter pick-up boxes, such as the6½-foot box on the F-250 andF-350, provide less clearancebetween the cab and thefifth-wheel and gooseneck trailercompared to longer box pick-ups,such as an 8-foot box on theF-250 or F-350. When selecting atrailer and tow vehicle, it is criticalto check that this combinationprovides clearance between thefront of the trailer and tow vehiclefor turns up to 90 degrees. Failureto follow this recommendationcould result in the trailercontacting the cab of the towvehicle during tight turns that aretypical during low-speed parkingand turning maneuvers. Thiscontact could result in damage tothe trailer and tow vehicle.
Safety Chains
Note:Do not attach safety chainsto the bumper.
Always connect the safety chainsto the frame or hook retainers ofyour vehicle hitch.
To connect the safety chains,cross the chains under the trailertongue and allow enough slack forturning tight corners. Do not allowthe chains to drag on the ground.
197
Super Duty (), enUSA
Towing

•TRAILER CONNECTED:Displays when the systemsenses a correct trailer wiringconnection during a givenignition cycle.
•TRAILER DISCONNECTED:Displays, accompanied by asingle audible time, when thesystem senses a trailerconnection and then adisconnection, eitherintentional or unintentional,during a given ignition cycle. Italso displays if a truck ortrailer-wiring fault occurscausing the trailer to appeardisconnected. This messagecan also display if you use themanual control lever without atrailer connected.
Procedure for Adjusting Gain
Note:Only perform this procedurein a traffic-free environment atspeeds of approximately 20-25mph (30-40 km/h).
The gain setting sets the trailerbrake controller for the specifictowing condition. You shouldchange the setting as towingconditions change. Changes totowing conditions include trailerload, vehicle load, road conditionsand weather.
The gain should be set to providethe maximum trailer brakingassistance while making sure thetrailer wheels do not lock whenusing the brakes. Locked trailerwheels may lead to trailerinstability.
1.Make sure the trailer brakes arein good working condition,functioning normally andproperly adjusted. See yourtrailer dealer if necessary.
2.Hook up the trailer and makethe electrical connectionsaccording to the trailermanufacturer's instructions.
3.When you plug in a trailer withelectric orelectric-over-hydraulic brakes,TRAILER CONNECTEDappears in the informationdisplay.
4.Use the gain adjustment (+ and-) buttons to increase ordecrease the gain setting to thedesired starting point. A gainsetting of 6.0 is a good startingpoint for heavier loads.
5.In a traffic-free environment,tow the trailer on a dry, levelsurface at a speed of 20-25mph (30-40 km/h) andsqueeze the manual controllever completely.
6.If the trailer wheels lock up,indicated by squealing tires,reduce the gain setting. If thetrailer wheels turn freely,
increase the gain setting.Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until the
200
Super Duty (), enUSA
Towing

gain setting is at a point justbelow trailer wheel lock-up. Iftowing a heavier trailer, trailerwheel lock-up may not beattainable even with themaximum gain setting of 10.
Initial Output Setting
The trailer brake controller letsyou customize how aggressivelythe trailer brakes engage. Thedefault value is set to “Light”. Werecommend this setting for themajority of trailers. If you are usingan EOH trailer with a high settingvoltage, or if you prefer to feelmore brake feedback from thetrailer, then select “Medium” or“Heavy”.
Trailer Brake Effort Setting
The trailer brake controller allowsthe user to customize howaggressively the trailer brakesengage. The default value is "Low"and is the recommended settingfor most trailers. If your trailer'sbrakes require more initial voltage,or if you prefer more aggressivetrailer braking, then select eitherthe "Medium" or the "High"setting.
Information Display WarningMessages
Note:An authorized dealer candiagnose the trailer brake controllerto determine exactly which trailerfault has occurred. However, yourFord warranty does not cover thisdiagnosis if the fault is with thetrailer.
TRAILER BRAKE MODULEFAULT
Displays in response to faultssensed by the trailer brakecontroller, accompanied by asingle tone. If this messageappears, contact an authorizeddealer as soon as possible fordiagnosis and repair. Thecontroller may still function, but
with degraded performance.
WIRING FAULT ON TRAILER
Displays when there is a shortcircuit on the electric brake outputwire.
If this message displays,accompanied by a single tone,with no trailer connected, theproblem is with your vehicle wiringbetween the trailer brakecontroller and the 7-pin connectorat the bumper.
201
Super Duty (), enUSA
Towing

If the message only displays witha trailer connected, the problemis with the trailer wiring. Consultyour trailer dealer for assistance.This can be a short to ground(such as a chaffed wire), short tovoltage (such as a pulled pin ontrailer emergency breakawaybattery) or the trailer brakes maybe drawing too much current.
Points to Remember
Note:Do not attempt removal ofthe trailer brake controller withoutconsulting the Workshop Manual.Damage to the unit may result.
•Adjust gain setting before usingthe trailer brake controller forthe first time.
•Adjust gain setting, using theprocedure above, wheneverroad, weather and trailer orvehicle loading conditionschange from when the gainwas initially set.
•Only use the manual controllever for proper adjustment ofthe gain during trailer setup.Misuse, such as applicationduring trailer sway, could causeinstability of trailer or towvehicle.
•Avoid towing in adverseweather conditions. The trailerbrake controller does notprovide anti-lock control of thetrailer wheels. Trailer wheelscan lock up on slipperysurfaces, resulting in reducedstability of trailer and towvehicle.
•The trailer brake controller isequipped with a feature thatreduces output at vehiclespeeds below 11 mph (18 km/h)so trailer and vehicle braking isnot jerky or harsh. This featureis only available when applyingthe brakes using your vehicle'sbrake pedal, not the controller.
•The controller interacts withthe brake control system andpowertrain control system ofyour vehicle to provide the bestperformance on different roadconditions.
•Your vehicle's brake systemand the trailer brake systemwork independently of eachother. Changing the gainsetting on the controller doesnot affect the operation of yourvehicle's brakes whether youattach a trailer or not.
202
Super Duty (), enUSA
Towing

•When you switch the engineoff, the controller output isdisabled and the display andmodule shut down. Thecontroller module and displayturn on when you switch theignition on.
•The trailer brake controller isonly a factory-installed ordealer-installed item. Ford isnot responsible for warranty orperformance of the controllerdue to misuse or customerinstallation.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailerlamp wiring to the vehicle'stail lamp wiring; this may damagethe electrical system resulting infire. Contact your authorizeddealer as soon as possible forassistance in proper trailer towwiring installation. Additionalelectrical equipment may berequired.
Trailer lamps are required on mosttowed vehicles. Make sure allrunning lights, brake lights, turnsignals and hazard lights areworking.
Using a Step Bumper (IfEquipped)
The rear bumper is equipped withan integral hitch and only requiresa ball with a one-inch (25.4millimeter) shank diameter. Thebumper has a 5000-pound (2268kilogram) trailer weight and a500-pound (227 kilogram) tongueweight capacity
If it is necessary to relocate thehitch ball position, you must installa frame-mounted trailer hitch.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping andbacking up to get the feel of yourvehicle-trailer combination beforestarting on a trip. When turning,
make wider turns so the trailerwheels clear curbs and otherobstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Do not drive faster than 70mph (113 km/h) during the first500 miles (800 kilometers).
•Do not make full-throttlestarts.
•Check your hitch, electricalconnections and trailer wheel
lug nuts thoroughly after youhave traveled 50 miles (80kilometers).
203
Super Duty (), enUSA
Towing