Towing with '04 Nissan Quest

[demont]

Has anyone rigged their '04 Quest for towing? I installed an after market hitch and wiring harness, but the turn signal does not work. When tried it clicks twice and quits.

[Twosted]

I have the same problem. It's wierd because if you step on the brake the blinkers opperate normally.

[Twosted]

I just got a reply about this problem from another forum.
Posted - 06/11/2004 : 09:43:46 AM

NISSAN recommends a Modulite converter for the 04 Quest.
A little heftier converter.. probably around 10-18 amps.. and mopre importantly is powered directly from a battery lead fused with a 20 amp resetable breaker...or a 20 amp in line fuse.

The sensitve flasher relay/computer sensors in your relay detects the converter amperage fluctuation outside of its regulated parameters..

BK

I am going to try it and let you know how it works.

[chubbybubba1]

If you guys take off the left rear interior panel, yep the big one with the cupholder and arm rest, you'll find a single wire with a white connector coming out of the main harness. Now locate the fuse box under the hood, and look for the fuse location "trailer tow". Insert a 20 fuse and bingo, you have power to your aftermarket trailer light convertor you bought. I installed one and everthing works primo!

[Nostood]

I've got a basic, low-amperage draw utility draw so I bought an inexpensive Reese tail light "converter" ($15.95) The Modulite is considered a "powered" converter but also costs $59 - $69.

The Reese converter says to hook the white wire up to the "ground"

My question is this - reading the prior post, can I tap into the white wire in the back by taking off the panel and inserting the 20 amp fuse under the "trailer tow" up front? Will powering the converters "ground" with vehicle power work, even though its not the Modulite powered converter?

Don't really want to burn up the van...(ask me though about the time I thought I'd save a buck and not get replacement Power Wheels batteries for my daughter's Power Wheels jeep. Motorcycle batteries wired in parallel will cause wiring to burn! I've seen it first hand. Great way to create garage sale material out of a $300 toy!)

Thanks

[chubbybubba1]

I'd stick with the powered convertor. And yes if you take off the left rear panel, you'll find a single white wire with a quick connect on the end. I cut the connector off and spliced the power wire of the powered convertor to it. I insereted a 20 amp fuse in the "trailer tow" and it now has power. Nissan power convertor from the factory pugs into this lead.

Splicing your unit ground to the vehicles power lead will not work. Buy a powered convertor.

[dartmouthpride]

I'm planning on performing this shortly. I've installed the hitch and have yet to buy my Modulite. The white wire is a great tip. 1. Is the wiring harness for the lights in the same area? 2. did you put the converter in this same area. 3. where did you pop outside? Thanks

[chubbybubba1]

When you are standing at the rear of the van, the rear panel on the left side needs to come off. Then the next panel on the left side. That's where you will find that white wire with the quick connect on the end. Snip off the quick connect and splice it to the power wire for your convertor. Install a 20 amp fuse under the hood in the location marked "trailer tow". I mounted the convertor with double faced tape to the inside of the metal body panel behind, behind the first interior panel you removed.

You will see the harness for the left lights after you remove that first panel. You'll need a test light to figure which wires are stop, turn, and tail. Splice into the appropriate ones. For your right turn signal remove the right side rear panel and run the right turn signal wire from the convertor and tap into the right turn wire on that harness. I ran this wire under the carpet. Just be aware of all the orange panel clips when reinstalling them. A few broke on me and had to buy 6 from the dealer.

I figure I spent less than $250, hitch and convertor. From the factory this option is $550.

[dartmouthpride]

One last question, i hope before i tackle this over the weekend. Where did you pop out to your hitch?

Thanks for your help chubbybubba1

[chubbybubba1]

Behind the left (or driver's side) tire, I found a black retangular grommet in the floor board. I assume that was where the factory would also of ran the flat 4 pin plug in. Then I resealed with black automotive RTV. Look hard and you'll find it. If I remember right I first stumbled upon it when I had the carpet up for a moment in the farthest rear part of the cargo area. You know where you put your groceries. That lower cubby area. Hope this helps.

[04'QuestSmoke]

chubbybubba1,

First, I would like to thank you for all the information you have provided so far regarding this topic. Now for my question, How or where did you start to take off the Rear Left Panel. I have been able to take off the first left panel, the one with the little storage area. But am having trouble taking off the panel below the Arm Rest/Cup Holder area. Can you please help???? Like you mentioned earlier I'm trying to avoid as much as possible of breaking off any of the tabs, so any assistance you can provide would be great.

BTW, for all those who plan on installing the hitch, once installed it looks pretty darn good.

[chubbybubba1]

You just have to start to pry up on one corner, and the orange clips should start to give way. Just take your time and be gentle.

[dartmouthpride]

Job completed - Thanks chubbybubba1- I did one thing differently and a couple of hints that I'd like to share.
When running your wire to the right flasher. I ran it under the trim piece near the hatch. This section becomes loose when you pull each side panel anyway.

The power line was attached near the left taillight assembly (blue yellow wire)

When probing the tail, brake and turn wires, they are in the green and blue color family, the brown and red do not need to be probed. The right taillight wire is the same color as the left when you get to that side.

Lastly, once proving which one is power ,leave the power connection for last, I clipped off the connecter, then when I went to unbolt the ground connection in that corner, my ratchet hit the exposed power line and blew my first fuse.

[chubbybubba1]

After reading this, I remember that I ran the right flasher wire under the rear panel as well. Thanks for clarifying what I didn't remember from spring of 04'. This will for sure help future viewer's.

[ldschneider]

I just finished the same install. Here are some details on how I did it. I had a class III hitch installed at U-Haul. They would not touch the wiring since they said it could damage the computer. I checked with the dealer and they said that there was no aftermarket wiring harness available.

I then checked around (including this site) and found that I indeed needed the DrawTite Modulite converter. I did some shopping on the net and found it (#18146) for only $26.88 at www.browns-of-tworivers.com/page31.htm - with freight it was only $33.13 - about a third of the local price. They wanted $79.95 for the part and $179.95 for the part and installation. I saved a bundle for just a little cursing as I did the work.

I started by pulling off the left rear plastic panel. But it would be MUCH easier if you take off the rear panel in the well first. Just pull the real panel from the bottom carefully and when the plastic buttons pop then lift the whole thing up to take it off.

Then remove the left rear panel. Same process, be careful pulling and be sure none of the blue plastic snaps come out of the panel - if they do, recover them and snap them back in place.

I didn't find a white wire to power the Modulite, mine was also a blue/yellow wire in the main wiring harness down near the far rear left corner under the breakouts for the left light wiring. The fuse in the engine compartment makes this wire live.

I installed the Modulite on the floor just behind the rubber grommet mentioned above. Screwed it down with two sheet metal screws. For my Quest I followed the three wire instructions on the Modulite instructions. Tail light wire was green/white for me, the stop lights were green/yellow and the left stop light was solid green. These wires all come out of the wiring harness just above the blue/yellow power wire and the grounding bolt (that you ground the white Modulite wire to).

I ran the right stop light wire over to the right tail light area, took off the plastic panel and hooked it up to the solid green right stop light wire in the wiring harness.

Since I won't use my hitch very often I decided to run the wiring harness and connector for the trailer out through one of the holes in the storage compartment in the rear of the left panel. I just coiled it up in the storage space and will hang it out through the weather-stripping when I need it.

Buttoned everything back up, put the fuse under the hood and everything worked just fine. It was a hassle figuring out how to get the panels off but take your time, move slowly, and everything should turn out OK.

Hope if you do it that it works out as well as it did for me. The advice here was very helpful to me.