Brake Controller Installation in Seattle Area

[egraham]

Can you recommend a place in the greater Seattle area to have a brake controller installed on our new-to-us 2013 Toyota Tundra?

The electronics on the new cars are so complex that I am concerned that something will be damaged if the work is not done by a highly experienced and quality-oriented shop.

I'd be happy to go anywhere within a 1 hour drive of downtown Seattle.

Thanks for any recommendations.
E.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by egraham

Can you recommend a place in the greater Seattle area to have a brake controller installed on our new-to-us 2013 Toyota Tundra?

The electronics on the new cars are so complex that I am concerned that something will be damaged if the work is not done by a highly experienced and quality-oriented shop.

I'd be happy to go anywhere within a 1 hour drive of downtown Seattle.

Thanks for any recommendations.
E.

I installed a Tekonsha P3 brake controller in my tundra myself. There is nothing to it - just buy the wiring harness adapter and plug it in. I highly recommend the Tekonsha P3.

Here is info from Etrailer on how to do it in a 2013 Tundra.
https://www.etrailer.com/tv-install-...dra-90195.aspx

Even if you decide that this is more than you want to tackle, I would view the video to see how it should be done.

[Bobbie54]

I had the people who installed my hitch do it. Mann's Welding in Shoreline.

[cpaharley2008]

I would contact a Toyota dealer, either here or there....

[egraham]

Actually, no, it isn't something I want to tackle. I am still coming to terms with owning a Tundra instead of a Sequoia!

[egraham]

I do have a inquiry in with the heead of repair at the place I bought the Tundra but am hoping for personal recommendations.

[egraham]

Thanks.

[diannelgraham]

I had Roland Toyota in Everett install the first one in my 2008 Tacoma, the second one I installed myself in my 2016 Tacoma. They are a great dealer, not sure if they will just do the install, don’t see why not

[diannelgraham]

Sorry mis spelled it should be Rodland

[John in Santa Cruz]

did your tundra come with the factory tow package, and all wiring in place? my 08 Tacoma did.... and if so, as tdf-texas says, its trivial, there's a jack under the dash, you get a pigtail harness from Tekonsha for Toyotas (fits all toyotas since way back when, and all Tekonsha brake controllers), plug it into that jack, plug it into the controller, mount hte controller, and stuff any excess wire up under your dash.

[cpaharley2008]

Every dealer here in York, when confronted with brake controller install, sends it out to a third party. I pay the dealer and they sub it out to a hitch place. But with "dealer installed", your warranty is in place.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by egraham

Can you recommend a place in the greater Seattle area to have a brake controller installed on our new-to-us 2013 Toyota Tundra?

The electronics on the new cars are so complex that I am concerned that something will be damaged if the work is not done by a highly experienced and quality-oriented shop.

I'd be happy to go anywhere within a 1 hour drive of downtown Seattle.

Thanks for any recommendations.
E.

So are you visiting Seattle? Your profile says Virginia. The reason I ask is it truly is not very hard on a Tacoma or Tundra. So if you know someone who is handy, show them the video TDF Texas posted and let them do it. Otherwise Toyota of Seattle, or Lake City Toyota could do the install.

This is of course assuming you have the factory tow package. Almost all the 4x4 Tundra’s with the 5.7 liter engine have the tow package. What Trim is your 2013?

I live in Bremerton, over an hour away on the Ferry. I’d be happy to help if you want to travel that far. PM me if interested.

[Zoltan]

Call Torklift in Auburn. They are the best in the Puget Sound region
For all things hitch related.

[Zoltan]

https://torkliftcentral.com/

[egraham]

Originally Posted by arniesea

I live in Bremerton, over an hour away on the Ferry. I’d be happy to help if you want to travel that far. PM me if interested.

Thank you for the offer! I think I will investigate Lake City Toyoyta. They are one of the places that I looked for a Tundra, and I liked their shop.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by egraham

Can you recommend a place in the greater Seattle area to have a brake controller installed on our new-to-us 2013 Toyota Tundra?

The electronics on the new cars are so complex that I am concerned that something will be damaged if the work is not done by a highly experienced and quality-oriented shop.

The integration of the controller with the Tundra's electrical system consists of plugging it in to the connector provided by Toyota for exactly this purpose, as already described. No special skill is required.

Perhaps the best test of a potential shop would be that they should tell you that it is this simple, rather than feeding you some story about how much work it will be for them and that you shouldn't do it yourself.

Originally Posted by Zoltan

Call Torklift in Auburn. They are the best in the Puget Sound region
For all things hitch related.

But the Tundra doesn't need a hitch - just a controller to be plugged in.

[John in Santa Cruz]

well, you /do/ need to screw the controller bracket onto the dashboard somewhere... that takes about half the time of the installation.

[egraham]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The integration of the controller with the Tundra's electrical system consists of plugging it in to the connector provided by Toyota for exactly this purpose, as already described. No special skill is required.

Perhaps the best test of a potential shop would be that they should tell you that it is this simple, rather than feeding you some story about how much work it will be for them and that you shouldn't do it yourself.

Good advice! I did just that yesterday, after the Toyota shop from which I bought the Tundra asked me to give them a few days' notice so that they could be sure they could provide me with a loaner! However, a local repair shop said "It won't take more than a half-hour to plug it in and attach the mounting bracket". As I am looking for a shop to do my oil changes and routine maintenance (not warranty work, which has to be done by a Toyota dealer), I will take it there.

Thanks to all of you for all your help!