What is this electrical connection behind the rear bumper for? Name that part! Solved

Road Bull

Road Bull

Senior Member
So when I took off the OEM bumper on my 2002 to test fit my 4X Innovations bumper, I noticed, what looks to me to be some sort of factory connection coming out of the rear baffle plastic piece. I just can't figure out what is supposed to connect to. I might end up re-purposing it for something unless it is used for something useful.

Answer is: Electrical tow connection through Pressure Vent
 

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It isn't OEM for the 4runner, or at least my 99 doesn't have one. The flapper per se covers the whole opening.

Remove the interior cladding and see where it goes.....
 
My '01 has that connector. It is a pigtail for the 4 pin wiring harness for towing if I remember right. I'm not near my 4Runner, or I'd take a look for you.

Did your rig not have a 4 pin towing harness when you bought it? Get a multimeter, have someone press the brake pedal, and check for voltage on each pin. If it is the tow harness, you'll get 12V+ on one of the pins only when the pedal is depressed.
 
LittleCaesar said:
It isn't OEM for the 4runner, or at least my 99 doesn't have one. The flapper per se covers the whole opening.

Remove the interior cladding and see where it goes.....
Click to expand...

I am thinking it might be specific to 2001 & 2002. If you zoom in on the plastic piece, the piece that the power cord come out of looks factory.

It looks like earlier 4runners have, as you described, one large flap.
 
BigFishAllDay said:
My '01 has that connector. It is a pigtail for the 4 pin wiring harness for towing if I remember right. I'm not near my 4Runner, or I'd take a look for you.

Did your rig not have a 4 pin towing harness when you bought it? Get a multimeter, have someone press the brake pedal, and check for voltage on each pin. If it is the tow harness, you'll get 12V+ on one of the pins only when the pedal is depressed.
Click to expand...

That's what I was suspecting. I figured it would have something to do with towing, but no, my hitch didn't seem to have a 4 pin connector mounted to it. I think it had, what might be a 4 pin connector inside the rear hatch cargo area when I bought it. It looked to me to be non factory, and sketchy looking. I don't tow, so I had not messed with it or thought about it much till now.

I wonder if the original owner knew it was even there if he bothered to try to wire something else up.

It could be handy if for nothing else perhaps to set up power to my swing out license plate relocation lights.
 
BigFishAllDay said:
My '01 has that connector. It is a pigtail for the 4 pin wiring harness for towing if I remember right. I'm not near my 4Runner, or I'd take a look for you.

Did your rig not have a 4 pin towing harness when you bought it? Get a multimeter, have someone press the brake pedal, and check for voltage on each pin. If it is the tow harness, you'll get 12V+ on one of the pins only when the pedal is depressed.
Click to expand...

Correct. It's for the 4 pin harness.
 
Would you mind grabbing a part number off of it?
I have my CB cable running out of the flap on my 98 and it lets dust in this looks to be a much better option to run the coax
 
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You can buy a harness that plugs into it and has a 4 pin on the other end for pretty cheap on amazon. I then got a 4 pin extender and used that to wire up my license plate lights.
 
Unner said:
You can buy a harness that plugs into it and has a 4 pin on the other end for pretty cheap on amazon. I then got a 4 pin extender and used that to wire up my license plate lights.
Click to expand...

Oh sweeeeet! You don't happen to have that part number handy do you?
 
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