I did try a search, and came up empty handed. I recently installed a towing package and plug-n-play light kit on our xterra (because it has a higher tow rating than my colorado). I purchased the two of these at etrailer.com
In the instruction manual, it says a relay is needed to have the brake lights work properly. I do not care to call the dealer. I will never do business with them again, but that is another discussion. Does anyone know what these relay's are, where they go, and if I can get them at a local parts store? I have gone into baxter, and they are confused as well. Thanks in advance!

you should be able to easiy find the relay, but i wonder are the 05's not prewired like the first gens? Basicly thing of a relay as a remote weith to tell another higher powered wire to turn on while taking very little from the one that tells it to turn on. Btw i'm local and an electronic engineering dropout but know enough to do this.

Right on, a local.. anyways, so if my lights don't draw a lot of power, i don't need a relay? It is pre-wired, all I had to do was plug the 4-flat harness in to the 6 pin plug. The instructions said that i need the relay to get everything to work right, is this BS?...

should be fine with the 4 pin, if you were doing a 7pin with a brake controller then it looks like you need them
http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchant2/m...ode=999T8-N5005

but here its showing the 4pin as just the wiring adapter
http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CP&Product_Code=18399

That is exactly what I have. The 4-pin one. But the part I am getting confused on is where it says "2005 to current model year Xterra with factory tow package". It did not come with the factory tow package. I put an aftermarket "Valley" package on it. I appreciate your prompt responses. Thank you for your help. Am i looking to far into it? I do see where it specifically says I need relays for the 7-pin connector, but not the 4-pin one...

so this is what you bought?
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-VWH~118399.htm?vehicle=2005%A0Nissan%A0Xterra%A0%20With%20Tow%20Package

i'd say your fine. The reason for the with tow package comment is i know for the first gen they didn't put the wiring in to use this plug in manual ones, just the autos. Since that plug relies on you having the factory wiring already they say factory tow package.

yep, thats what I have. Thanks for your help!!!

Ok, not to beat a dead horse, BUT, I was cleaning the garage tonight, and found the instructions. This is quoted from the installation instructions.

4. Nissan Xterra without Tow Package
A. Tailight function on the tow plug will not work unless an OEM relay harness (not included) is purchased. See Nissan Dealer for more information.

well grab yourself a multimeter and give it a test then. you can see the pinouts here
http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_diagram.htm
If you get juice then i would say it works. Besides, if that was the case i would imagine xterraparts would sell just the relay set too with the 4pin adapter.

"well grab yourself a multimeter and give it a test then. you can see the pinouts here"

I did just that - I installed the 7 pin harness on the back end, tested with a multi meter. Found not all the lights worked (don't recall exactly which ones.) Then after I installed the relay/harness thingy up front everything worked.

My "philosophy" (for what it's worth) is that you got a $20 something grand truck. Don't cut corners and blow off the $55 harness - do it once, do it right!

That is why i posted this topic. I want to do it right. Like my first post says, I was hoping to find out where it goes, what exactly it is, and if I can get it at a local parts store..

You have to buy the relays which go inside the passenger side kickplate. There are no aftermarket mfgs. at this time that I could find. They only sell the cheap half of the wiring harness which is fine if you are going to drive only during the day. The relay kit is expensive, but you will not have tail lights if you do not install the relays.

I was frustrated with the set-up also, found no other solution and went to the dealer and bought the relays with the wiring harness kit. The bonus is that if you ever tow a trailer with electric brakes you will not blow the fuses.

good luck.

Were you using 7 pin or 4 pin? I would say that would answer it, the guy above was using a 7pin which clearly shows you need relays but theres no confirmation on the 4 pin version and thats whats in question.

doesn't matter if it is a 4 pin or not, you still wont have tail lights untill the relays are installed. I found this out the hard way. After installing the $15 4 pin wiring harness with my aftermarket hitch the only lights that work are the blinkers and brake lights. Then the nissan harness, available only in 7 pin, was bought and a 7 to 4 adapter was purchased at checker or someplace. Then and only then did the tail lights work. Sorry if I was unclear earlier.

So your saying when just plugging in the 4pin adapter it does not output power for parking lights? Just brakes and signal? Not to be rude but you did remember to turn your headlights on correct? Man that seems like some dumb design. Blake if you want to come by i'm in se just off 205. We could try and figure something out but since the xterraparts site lists the individual part numbers it may be easier to just try and order those. Which dealer is it that you hate so much? I used to work for one (not nissan but one of the big name chain dealers).

"Then the nissan harness, available only in 7 pin, was bought and a 7 to 4 adapter was purchased at checker or someplace. Then and only then did the tail lights work."

Same here - i remember now - no tail lights until the relays were installed. I've got 7 pin with 4 pin adapter.

Right, I was little dumbfounded myself. I turned on the lights and put a multimeter at the plugin back by the left rear tire, nothing. Now if you are clever and have the time, you can run a jumper wire from the taillight wire to the 4-way harness you already have. I started down that route, and got frustrated laying on the ground under the truck at 8 pm the night before an elk hunting trip and said the heck with it. No offence taken, If I hadn't experienced it first hand I would have asked the same quesiton.

Thanks for the great info... I just got back inside with my multimeter... My findings were exactly what was posted here. Everything works, except the running lights.. Very, very stupid, if you ask me, but hey, I didn't design the vehicle! My initial thought was going the jumper wire route, like you were saying, BUT, I know how tempermental my other truck is electrically. Literally EVERYTHING is run thru the PCM, and I don't want to somehow backfeed power thru that, and wind up frying something. The dealer that really made me upset is Beaverton Nissan.

Well, I just spoke with the dealer, to purchase the relay, and they are unsure what I'm talking about... This is a hassle... He says I need a 7 pin connector, with harnesses, and relay's and everything.

Considering you don't want to deal with your local dealer any way, why not just call Courtersyparts.com? If they can't sell you just the relay assembly, you'd just have to buy the $55 7 pin harness + relays (1st of the 2 links on the previous page), and just install the relay pack up front.

You wouldn't need the 7-pin adapter since you already have the 4-pin in the back.

To do it "by the books", you'd install the 7-pin adapter in the back (included with the harness kit), then also buy the 7-pin to 4-pin adapter.
(that's how I did it)

Linky: 7 pin - 4 pin adaptor

Linky (complete kit as shown on prior page)

However, in your case, you'd probably just buy the $55 relay/harness combo and not use 7-pin thingy.
If Courtesy can't get the relays as a separate entity, I doubt anyone will.

Thank you, that's what I'll do. When I get it, I'll post part numbers for future members, in case they run into the same problem. Thanks for the help everyone!

I just installed my hitch and wiring harness yesterday. Just go to the dealer, pay the fifty bucks for the real wiring harness and relays. It took me all of 15 minutes to install and everything's all hunkey dorey, no messing around with voltmeters or wondering how it all works. It's all a simple plug and play install with good instructions. It's totally worth $50 in my book.

Having put a quarter million miles on a trailer rig myself and having had every problem known to man come up during that time, I can assure you that relay isolation between the tow vehicle and the trailer is worth every penny. Trailer wiring is notoriously crappy and some trailers draw quite a load on running lights. Doing it right is totally worth the time and energy. It's a heck of a lot better than having your trailer lights burn up the headlight switch in your vehicle and stranding you without lights in the middle of the night with someplace to be in the morning (not to mention the added trouble and expense of replacing a $100 switch now). Plus in the time you spent writing to the forum and researching how to get around using relays you could have installed them already.

Sorry to seem blunt, but I have a lot of experience with this stuff, and some things just aren't worth saving a penny over. This is one of them IMO. Good luck whatever you decide.

I have an '06 Xterra S 4x4 that did not have the factory tow prep package. A local aftermarket roof rack and hitch dealer set me up with Draw Tite's 4-pin harness expecting it to work. When I plugged it in, I had the same problem as you guys - I could light everything on the trailer except the parking lights.

When I took this problem back to the aftermarket dealer, they were surprised to find it didn't work. Apparently, this was the first they had seen of the Xterra issue. Upon calling Draw-Tite's parent company for tech support, it turns out that Draw Tite does not support the new generation Xterra's that aren't pre-wired for towing. All they sell is the cheap Mickey Mouse extension cord.

If you bought a 4-pin and run into this problem, here's what you need to do:

- Go to your Nissan Dealer
- Buy a 7-pin tow harness kit for $55
- Skip to the part in the instructions where you install the relay harness and relays under the passenger-side kick panel. These relays will activate your running lights.
- Save all the other parts for scrap. Your 4-pin should be fully functional now.

I thought I would be able to buy the relays and the relay harness individually for cheaper than the 7-pin kit, but it turns out the kit is your most economical option.

Do you have the part number for the Nissan wire/relay harness??
Thanks

Never mind, I just ordered the stuff from Courtesy Nissan