Install: 7-Way RV Upgrade Kit for Trailer Brake Controller Installation on a 2023 Toyota Highlander

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Hey everybody, Ryan here at etrailer. Today, on our 2023 Toyota Highlander, we're gonna be showing you how to install the etrailer.com seven-way upgrade kit. But before we get into that, why don't we just take a minute, check this out and make sure it's gonna work for you. A kit like this, it's gonna be ideal for those of you for a few different reasons. First off, what it's even gonna do, it's going to give us a seven-way round-type connector as well as a four-way flat-type connector. So you'll be able to hook up to pretty much any trailer.
But with that said, the seven-way isn't going to have all the functions working. So this is just gonna supply us with the lighting signals, so your brake lights, your tail lights, your turn signals, and one other signal which is 12-volt auxiliary power. So this will be ideal for those of you that you might have a trailer that has a seven-way round-style connector on it and all you need is the lighting signals, it don't have electric brakes or nothing like that. This would work out real well. Another reason would be if your trailer has a battery on it, because you can utilize that 12-volt power to charge that battery while you're towing it.
So some pop-up campers, you know, maybe a trailer that has a winch on it, something along them lines. And probably the most popular reason that people use this kit is to use a wireless type brake controller, like this one here. This is really popular. This is called the Curt Echo. So if you're pulling a trailer that has electric brakes and you need a way to operate them brakes but you don't want a brake controller mounted up to your dashboard or anything, this is gonna be a great solution.
This will give you those signals and that 12-volt power and that's all the Curt Echo is gonna need to work. It'll plug in, it'll have the power that it needs, it'll hook your, if I can manage to get in there, you hook your trailer end up to this side and you'll download an app on your mobile device, and that will allow this to apply the trailer's electric brakes. I do wanna mention, if you are looking for more of a traditional-style brake controller, one that's actually mounted up on the dashboard that you can operate within there and it kind of stays permanently attached to the vehicle, this kit wouldn't be ideal. There's one very similar that's designed to work with those traditional-style brake controllers, see etrailer.com universal brake controller install kit. Almost the same thing as this.
It comes with the few extra parts and pieces that you're gonna need though to make a trailer brake controller like the traditional style actually be able to operate. So if that's what you're looking to do, definitely check that out. But with that in mind, I do want to talk about, you are gonna need an existing four-way flat trailer wiring to be able to hook up to this. So in our case today, kinda lucked out. We actually had factory four-way flat wiring, so we we're just able to plug right in. The good news is though, we carry a kit here that's made by Tekonsha that will work in conjunction with this. So if your Highlander don't have any trailer wiring at all, that's definitely where you want to start. And the good news with that too, the installation is fairly simple for that wiring. Essentially, you plug in a couple of connectors and you're in pretty good shape. Other than that, not really a ton to the kit. They do give you this mounting bracket here. Keep in mind though, if you have an aftermarket hitch, it might be better to pick up a no-drill long bracket as well, that way you can attach that bracket to your aftermarket hitch and this one will bolt up to there. So just keep that in mind. Pretty well made though. Pretty standard stuff. I do like how you get your seven-way and the four-way flat, and they're both gonna work, so that's pretty convenient. You have both connections. It's not like you're gonna lose your four-way flat. And then if you have a different trailer, you're not gonna have to bother with getting an adapter or reducer or anything like. So that's really convenient. And at the end of the day, a good kit, honestly, because a handful of people find themselves in that situation where they're trying to use the wireless brake controller, just trying to power

[@amos4art]

Thank you! Your video is very clear and helpful. Planning to upgrade 4 pin to 7 pin for Curt Echo on my Kia Sorento 2018.

[@etrailer]

Nice, please let us know how it goes!
www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/etrailer/ETBC7L.html

[@berkeleyu.8734]

So I don't really need a brake controller device in my Sienna, correct? I could change 4 pin to 7 pin without a brake controller, correct?

[@etrailer]

You will still need to add a brake controller if your trailer is equipped with brakes. If it's not then you'd be good to go without one.
If you need one, the 7-Way Upgrade Kit will get you all the wiring needed, but you still need something to actually send power back to the trailer brakes when stopping your Sienna. A really simple and reliable option is the Curt Echo www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brake-Controller/CURT/C51180.html

[@berkeleyu.8734]

@etrailer I did exactly what you roccomended, works great with Bluetooth and saved $$$ for installation cost, you guys are awsome, thank you for your help