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Requires CURT powered converter wiring kit #55151 or similar
Warranty: One-Year Limited Warranty
Output Type: 4-Way Flat
Tail Light Circuits: 5.0 Amps Per Circuit
Turn and Brake Circuits: 3.0 Amps Per Circuit
Installation Time Exact (Minutes): 0
When your vehicle does not readily provide an electrical connection for hooking up your trailer, CURT electrical converts offer the solution. Working tail lights on your trailer are absolutely essential any time you tow, and a converter provides an effective way to properly equip your vehicle for safe towing. A CURT electrical converter, much like our custom vehicle-to-trailer wiring harnesses, provides a trailer connector on your vehicle by splicing into the vehicle's electrical system. Electrical converters are designed to splice directly into the taillight wiring, rather than plugging into various sockets, giving them the nickname "taillight converters". Though it requires a little extra work compared to a custom wiring harness, a tail light converter offers a reliable, long-term connector solution. This CURT electrical converter is designed to convert a 3-wire system to a 2-wire system and provides a standard 4-way flat connector socket to plug in your trailer. This converter is made with cutting-edge surface-mount technology (SMT) circuitry, featuring electrical components that are mounted directly to the surface of the board rather than being inserted into a series of holes. SMT circuits have longer life cycles, lower resistance, reduced heat generation and are more reliable than through-hole-mounted components.
CURT offers a variety of high-quality trailer hitches and accessories for select vehicle models. Find the perfect fit for your towing needs at TowUniverse.
CURT, a Lippert brand, offers a complete line of towing products and is the leading manufacturer of custom-fit trailer hitches. We offer the broadest selection of custom-fit hitches, and each one is designed, welded, and coated in Wisconsin.
CURT is also a leader in flat towing products, as well as 5th wheel, gooseneck, and weight distribution hitches, ball mounts, electrical components, cargo solutions, and other towing accessories.
For everything from passenger cars and vans to full-size pickups and SUVs, CURT is 'The First Name in Towing Products®.'
Experts available to answer your questions
Call 888-634-9494The Curt 56187 is a tail light converter that converts your vehicle's taillight signals to a 4-flat trailer connector. It reads the vehicle's left turn, right turn, tail light, and brake light circuits and outputs them through a 4-flat connector for trailer use. It is designed for 12 volt negative ground electrical systems only.
The Curt 56187 converter system is designed for 12 volt negative ground systems only. It will not work on 24 volt systems or positive ground systems.
The converter can be used as a powered module for 2-wire systems, but if you do so, the red stop wire must be grounded. Consult your trailer documentation or the manufacturer if you are unsure whether your trailer is a 2-wire system.
You will need: a test lamp to identify vehicle wires, wire taps to attach converter input wires, cable ties to secure wires, a drill with a 3/32" bit for the ground mounting hole, and a screwdriver. The converter comes with double-sided tape for mounting, a ground screw and eyelet, and a fuse holder with 10 amp fuse. You must purchase separately: 12 gauge wire or larger for the battery power supply, a ring terminal for the battery connection, and the 55151 kit (which includes the fuse holder and fuse).
You must purchase the 55151 kit separately, which includes the fuse holder and 10 amp fuse. You will also need to purchase 12 gauge wire or larger for routing to the vehicle battery, and a ring terminal for the battery connection. These items are not included with the converter.
Taillight wiring is typically located in one of these areas depending on your vehicle type: behind the driver's side tail light housing, behind the passenger's side tail light housing, behind the driver's side rear access panel, behind the passenger's side rear access panel, behind the driver's side rear bumper, or behind the passenger's side rear bumper. Refer to the typical locations diagram in the manual for your specific vehicle type.
Yes. You must temporarily remove the vehicle's negative battery cable from the battery before wiring the power supply. This is a safety requirement to prevent electrical shock or short circuits during installation.
Use a test lamp to identify the corresponding wires in the harness. Activate each signal on the vehicle one at a time (left turn, right turn, tail lights, and brake lights) and probe the wires with the test lamp to identify which wire lights up for each function. Once identified, attach the converter input wires to the corresponding vehicle harness wires using wire taps as indicated in the wiring diagram.
Connect the converter wires as follows: Brown wire to the tail light circuit, Yellow wire to the left turn circuit, Red wire to the brake light circuit, and Green wire to the right turn circuit. Use wire taps to attach these input wires to the corresponding vehicle harness wires you identified with the test lamp.
Locate a clean, accessible mounting location for the converter module. If mounting outside the vehicle cabin, choose a clean surface that is out of the path of spray and debris from the rear wheels and road surface. The converter should be placed on the driver's side of the vehicle. Mount it using the double-sided tape provided.
Locate a suitable mounting location for the ground eyelet on the vehicle's frame or cross member near the converter. Remove any debris or undercoating to expose a clean metal surface. Drill a 3/32" hole and mount the white ground wire using the ground screw and eyelet provided with the converter.
Drill a 3/32" hole in the vehicle's frame or cross member where you will mount the ground eyelet. Before drilling, verify that no miscellaneous items are hidden behind or under the surface to avoid damage to the vehicle or personal injury.
Yes. You must drill a 3/32" hole in the vehicle's frame or cross member to mount the ground eyelet for the white ground wire. Before drilling, verify that no miscellaneous items are hidden behind or under the surface to avoid damage to the vehicle or personal injury.
Use 12 gauge wire or larger for the battery power supply connection. Route this wire to the vehicle battery location, making sure to avoid any pinch points. This wire is not included and must be purchased separately.
The converter uses a 10 amp fuse maximum. The fuse holder and fuse are included in the 55151 kit, which must be purchased separately. Install the fuse after all other installation steps have been completed.
Place the converter on the driver's side of the vehicle and route the green wire (right turn signal) to the passenger side of the vehicle. This ensures proper signal distribution across the vehicle.
Before installation, temporarily remove the vehicle's negative battery cable from the battery. Before drilling, verify that no miscellaneous items are hidden behind or under any surface to avoid damage to the vehicle or personal injury. The converter system is designed for 12 volt negative ground systems only; do not attempt to use it on other electrical systems.
Two testing methods are available. With a circuit tester: attach the ground lead to the exposed ground terminal of the 4-flat end, activate the tow vehicle's left turn, right turn, tail, and stop lights one at a time, and probe the three receptacles of the 4-flat end to confirm proper functionality. With a trailer: mate the 4-flat with the trailer and run the same test using the trailer lights. If a trailer light function does not work, disconnect the 4-flat, turn vehicle functions off, and recheck with a circuit tester. If the circuit tester shows good functionality, check the trailer for potential problems.
Disconnect the trailer 4-flat connector, turn the vehicle functions off, and recheck the function with a circuit tester. If the circuit tester shows good functionality, the problem is with the trailer, not the converter. If the circuit tester shows the function is not working, there may be an issue with the converter installation or wiring.
The Curt 56187 is designed for 12 volt negative ground systems on cars with taillight wiring accessible behind tail light housings, rear access panels, or rear bumpers. It will not work on 24 volt systems or positive ground systems. Consult the manual's typical locations diagram to confirm your vehicle type is supported.
You must purchase the 55151 kit (fuse holder and 10 amp fuse), 12 gauge wire or larger for the battery connection, and a ring terminal for the battery. A test lamp, wire taps, cable ties, and a drill with 3/32" bit are also required but may already be in your toolbox.
Yes. You must temporarily remove the vehicle's negative battery cable before wiring the power supply to prevent electrical shock or short circuits.
Use 12 gauge wire or larger for the battery power supply. The converter uses a 10 amp fuse maximum. The fuse holder and fuse are in the 55151 kit, purchased separately.
Disconnect the trailer 4-flat connector and turn the vehicle functions off. Recheck the function with a circuit tester by attaching the ground lead to the exposed ground terminal of the 4-flat end and probing the corresponding receptacle while activating the vehicle signal. If the circuit tester shows good functionality, the problem is with the trailer, not the converter. If the circuit tester shows the function is not working, there may be an issue with the converter installation, wiring connections, or vehicle harness identification.
| Kit # | Pkg # | Bulk # | 30-Pack# | Powered | Circuit-Protected | Signal Circuit | Taillight Circuit | SMT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59496 | 56496 | -- | 56497 | Yes | Yes | 3.0 amps | 6.0 amps | Yes |
| -- | 56130 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3.0 amps | 5.0 amps | Yes |
| -- | 56175 | -- | -- | Yes | Yes | 3.0 amps | 5.0 amps | Yes |
| 59187 | 56187 | -- | -- | -- | Yes | 3.0 amps | 5.0 amps | Yes |
| 59190 | 56190 | -- | -- | Yes | -- | 7.5 amps | 7.5 amps | Yes |
| -- | -- | 58240 | -- | -- | -- | 2.1 amps | 5.0 amps | Yes |
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