Q7 Brake Controller Install
 

Hi guys!
I have been searching the Internet for days, I've called 5 dealerships, two trailer supply houses, yet I still can't get an answer...

Can somebody please tell me where to get or what the part number is for the harness that plugs in under the dash of a 2011 Q7 TDI with a factory tow package to hook up a trailer brake controller?

I've seen a few people say "I simply plugged in the harness under the dash and wired it to my brake controller" but I can't find where to get the dang harness!

Thanks in advance! :)

Re: Brake controller install
 

Hi, Wondering if you ever got your brake controller problem solved? I have a Q7 '09 and am just running into similar problems. No one wants to install it for me and Audi centers tell me they won't touch aftermarket stuff, so not sure how I bought a vehicle rated for towing with a tow set up and now they won't help me out with and install so I can tow.

I'm hoping you've worked through this problem and have now found success?

Anyone get this sorted? I pulled my controller off my q5 and once it's a little warmer here I'll peek under my dash to see if my cable fits.

I'm also wondering where others are mounting the controller.

Q5 Brake Controller
 

Hello,

I am having trouble determining if the computerized system in my newly purchased 2011 Q5 performs the functions of a trailer brake controller or not.

Does anyone here have experience with this and know if I need a separate brake controller and if so does that mean an after market one or does Audi make a unit for this function? I have a really hard time accepting that a company like Audi has not thought this through but I keep coming back to needing some darn after-market gizmo installed around the drivers feet which just seems wrong to do to such a well thought out car.

Any help or insight would be really appreciated.

Mark Nay - Pasadena, CA

Hello Mark,
I installed all thats needed in to my 2010 Q5 a while back. Are you asking if the 6 pin connector as part of the tow package comes with the ability to controlll your trailer breaks? the answer is kinda. You still need a break controller that isn't supplied by audi. There is a 4 pin connector under your steering wheel where you can create a connector and connect that to an after market break controller.

Does this help or do you have more questions?

I'm about to wire my controller in to the car. According to the paperwork I have, it would appear that the wiring would go as follows:

Car end connector to Tekonsha controler

1 brown to White
2 red/yellow to black
3 black/red to red
4 blue to blue

The numbers are what's listed on the female connector I bought from Audi that plugs in to the male connector under the dash of my Q7.

I'll add pics of my setup which if works out will allow me to remove the controller with ease when not in use and if all works out, will hide the mounting location.

Ah only if ideas were easier to make a reality ;).

Wish me luck!

So just to confirm, although the colors on my car aren't as labeled here, I was able to make the cable and test with my break controller. Next step is mounting so that it's either hidden or removable without signs of having one... lots of ideas with little skills ;).

One step closer. I've wired a connector (plug you'd find on a computer power supply that connects to an old hard drive) so now I can easily disconnect my brake controller when not in use.

My next project is the removable mount for the Brake Controller itself. I found the connector I need, now just need to mount.

Wish me luck.

Here are some pics of my mount both with and without the controller attached,

the reason I wanted this is I didn't want to damage the car and I don't keep the controller on all the time, only when needed.

Sorry about the poor quality pics ... if anyone is interested in the way I did this, I can take better or more detailed ones.

Cost of connections, $0.60
I painted it flat black for looks. $12 in paint
and I had liquid plastic to secure the second part to my break controller. $0.00
Oh and I also wired a computer power supply male/female connector (taken out of a dead computer) for easy connection ... seen in the last pic. $0.00

the wire running across from left to right if my dash cam power cord. Still need to wire that thing in also.

Hello Ponch. Do you have a part number for the female connector. How did they know to give you the one that fit the male?

2014 Q5 TDI electric brake issues
 

I have been trying to get an electric brake set up for my trailer. Two trailer installation businesses say they can't do it on this vehicle. I called Audi Service and Parts. They say it requires an electric brake recognition module, in addition to the controller module. The parts are "not even available in the US and would have to be ordered from Germany." The cost is just north of $1200 for installation and parts. The Q5 already has the original factory hitch and wiring harness installed.

I would have appreciated it, upon purchase, if I knew this was required. It looks like a very technical issue. Just hard to believe this is not an option easily available from the Audi Service department and part of the new vehicle introduction. Looks like I'm not the only one.

Details of ponch's zero cut install
 

Ponch, do you have more pics of how you made the bracket work on the install? I know this is old but I'm going through the same on a 2011 q7 and don't want to drill holes. I got the dash apart and I recognize those slide brackets as the flush mirror brackets you can get at hardware stores (super cheap on Amazon) but where / how did you attach the base to the dash? :confused:

Hi Ponch. Do you have a section number for the female connector. How could they have been able to they know not you the one that fit the male?

Part number for under-dash connector
 

I'm not sure this will be correct for you, but the Tech Service Bulletin 2012975 shows many of the details of the wiring harness for a Q7. It says that the one under the dash is 1J0-972-772 and the mate that you need is 1J0-972-782.

Now my question: has anyone found a ready-made connector for the Tekonsha P3 to this connector on the 2017 Q7? I found a hand-fabricated one on ebay that is for a Toureg and probably will work. It has a relay that the Toureg needed, making me a bit uncertain if it will work for my Q7.

I am also looking for a detachable installation on my Q7. Can you share what parts you used if you made it work?

Yes!!! I found a ready-made harness on e-Bay today which plugs directly into Tekonsha brake controllers for the 2017 Audi Q7 with factory tow package as well as older models.
I know this harness is correct because I found the factory harness plug under the Q7 dash, and the connector is the same type (rectangular, 4 wire, Audi has used the same brake control harness for many years). The other end of the harness is the standard plug for Tekonsha brake controllers.

e-Bay has two harnesses:
1) Harness for use with Tekonsha Primus or P2 brake controllers at this link: VW Touareg Plug and Play Trailer Brake Control Harness Audi Q7 Porsche Cayenne | eBay
2) Harness for use with Tekonsha P3 brake controller is same as above, but also includes a relay which is recommended for the P3 controller installed in Audi / VW:
VW Touareg Plug and Play Trailer Brake Controller Harness Audi Q7 Porsche Cayenn | eBay

I just ordered the 2nd harness because I am purchasing a Tekonsha P3 brake controller

This will be very useful to me! Thank you for your posts!

Have you confirmed the relay is really needed for Q7?

Any idea on the parts for detachable mount mentioned earlier?

I don't know if the relay is really needed for late model Q7's. There was a Tekonsha Tech Bulletin (TB0021 dated Jan. 2009) that confirmed the relay is needed for P3's installed in 2005-2008 VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Even if the relay isn't needed, I suspect it will work either way, so I went ahead and ordered it with the relay. The eBay website lists which vehicles should use either of their 2 harnesses, and the harness with the relay is recommended for Q7.

As far as mounting the brake controller, yes, I am going to drill 2 small holes on the underside of the dash to attach the controller bracket. The holes will not be visible unless you get upside down under the dash. No one will ever notice if the brake controller is unplugged and removed at some future date. The harness can be tucked back up underneath the dash. No one will notice, no harm done.

Yeah, I also read the old tech bulletin. I am a little bit paranoid about the relay if it is not absolutely needed. To me, it is another possibility of failure. If it fails, I will lose the brake on the trailer.

I checked my Q7 and the best location may be above my right knee. It will be mounted to the leather covered dash knee panel. I don't tow anything most of time and will hate to leave holes there. If mounting it lower to the plastic under dash panel cover, I am not sure if it would be too low.

Can you post some pictures after you mount the brake controller?

From my prior tow vehicles, I know that knee clearance is important for the brake controller. Not just during driving, but clearance getting in and out of the vehicle as well. So for the Q7, this will force me to mount the brake controller low & forward, underneath the dash. It will be a little hard to reach while driving, but I don't want it against my knee.

If you look on etrailer.com, you will see many brake controller installation photos on different vehicles. Pretty much everyone mounts it like I have described, to the right of the steering column. I don't think you want to mount it on the left side of the steering column, even if you're left handed because there is greater risk of hitting it when entering and exiting the vehicle. It's really about picking a location that won't impact your knee, but is visible and also reachable while driving (so you can use the manual braking lever if necessary).

Thanks for your kind reminder. I was planning to install on the right side of steering column. Since you said that, I will look again to see if it is better to go lower.

Buy this custom harness for the Tekonsha P3 brake controller (which work excellent) to the Q7 wiring harness that is under the dash. Plug and play. I have two of them for my two Q7's.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283252270206?ul_noapp=true

Peter, is your newest Q7 a 2015? Just trying to confirm if I need to order the one with a relay for my 2017 Q7.

Thanks

We have both a 2015 and a 2019 Q7 both with factory tow package. Its the same cable. No relay, just a straight connection. I installed it with the Tekonsha P3 years ago in the 2015. To use the same controller I just bought a new cable and a hanger for the controller. It works great in both vehicles towing an approx 5,000 lbs travel trailer.

As a side note the 3.0 TDI diesel engine on the 2015 is so much better for towing. Such a shame Audi stopped importing diesels.

Pete

Sweet! You just saved me the extra $30! I also have the P3 that I will be transferring from our Jeep Wrangler to our 2017 Q7.

Now I just need to get under the dash and fish out the connector.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Finding the cable was easy on the 2015. It had some thin gray foam wrapped around the connector so look for that. The 2019 was a bitch because the lower dash needed to be pulled apart. I tried twice and then just had the dealer do it. I have no idea how the 2017 is.

Mission accomplished, and it only took an hour! I would have never found it had I not read all the stories online of others experiences.

Mine was run down behind the insulation all the way to the floor board. I had to drop the whole bottom dash panel to find the harness. From there it was a matter of pulling on it hard enough to get it out from under the floor insulation. So glad it was the brake controller connector and not connected to something important! It was the only wiring harness that I couldn't see already connected, and I figured that an unattached plug would likely follow gravity.

Thanks Peter for your help! I'll be ordering that eBay harness now.

Dale

The knowledge and experiences of others available on the internet is a wonderful thing. I am glad it worked out well.

Pete

Do you know if this will also work for 2014 Q7 TDI /

I bought this one for my Touareg, should work for Q7 as well:

Curt Trailer Brake Controller Harness 2007 To 2017 Audi Q7 x 51522

Audi trailer harness locations
 

sharing on this older thread, per chance it helps someone…since this thread really helped me find my brake control harness on a 2015 q7 tdi. The advice about the front plug being wrapped in gray foam was accurate for me. My harness had been bundled up with yellow tape and stuff up right behind the fuse box on the drivers side. Invisible from below, even with the kick panel removed under the steering wheeel.

1. When I removed the left side cover to the fuse panel (where you can check your fuses), it was visible on the left of the fuses. It was a bear to get loosened up though, because the larger harnesses were bound to the front dash structure with some sort of special fasteners. I didn’t want to cut them so I just pried them out of the way enough for the connector to slip down towards the floor.

2. there’s a link to an Audi service bulletin somewhere on this thread that shows instructions for Audi techs to make this cable available for customers who are installing brake controllers. It was consistent in describing the front drivers seat area with what I just experienced, but it also mentioned that the harness, as installed, was NOT connected all the way to the rear trailer plug. The harness goes to the right rear tire well area and must be connected to the trailer towing control box. The harness ends in a female plug, dangling in that well, and the towing control box has a loose male plug, dangling as well. They are, from the factory, NOT connected, per this service bulletin. So, after tearing apart my right rear paneling and determining they meant the tire well, I found the connecotrs, and for reasons unknown, they were connected!

hope this ramble helps someone, some day.