Tailgate light bar

powerhaulic · September 7, 2019

Tried to install my tailgate light bar tonight. Got the GM packaged OE accessory. Putco builds it, and GM built a nice insert harness to go behind the 7-pin pug at the bumper to plug into.

Get it all wired in tonight and discover there is no power at the trailer plug. GM had decided to not power the plug constantly, needs to see the load of trailer lighting to trigger a power relay.

sdelam · September 7, 2019

Found the same thing installing a light under the bed cover. Guess the truck is smarter than I am.

Opiedeegs · September 7, 2019

This works on the 1500

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Basketcase · September 17, 2019

I have this light bar built into my sled deck. I will be throwing it in the box in the next month or two for snowmobile season... This is disappointing to know it won't work.

cdh7917 · September 17, 2019

My buddy and I just put this on his 2020 AT4. With the part shown by Opiedeegs, it was completely plug and play.

Run/Turn/Brake/Reverse, and bright as hell.

I just ordered it as well. Colorado drivers suck, so a little extra light won't hurt. And hopefully the reverse function will be helpful to add some more light too. Winter's getting close, days are getting shorter. Soon it'll be more and more driving in the dark.

powerhaulic · September 18, 2019

Yes that is the harness needed, too bad thats not the harness included with the light bar from GM. They send a easy connect harness that plugs into the 7pin connector, and say it is good to go.

I'd be really pissed if this wasn't one of the perks I got for being a GM business choice member.

MTU Alum · September 18, 2019

Did you guys try to go into the trailer app and where you can add a new trailer, there is an option to add accessory? I haven't tried this but it could be worth a shot.

#iworkforGM

cdh7917 · September 25, 2019

On 9/17/2019 at 7:31 PM, powerhaulic said:

Yes that is the harness needed, too bad thats not the harness included with the light bar from GM. They send a easy connect harness that plugs into the 7pin connector, and say it is good to go.

I'd be really pissed if this wasn't one of the perks I got for being a GM business choice member.

I picked my tail light bar up from the local dealer this past weekend. The Putco harness was included in the box, in its own silver bag.

Waiting for my neighbor to get back from vacation to help remove/reinstall my tailgate so I can put it on.

sdelam · September 25, 2019

On 9/18/2019 at 6:07 PM, MTU Alum said:

Did you guys try to go into the trailer app and where you can add a new trailer, there is an option to add accessory? I haven't tried this but it could be worth a shot.

#iworkforGM

I did, no luck using a 2 prong connector plugged into the 4way in the bed. Just gave me a no trailer connected message.

sdelam · September 25, 2019

17 minutes ago, cdh7917 said:

I picked my tail light bar up from the local dealer this past weekend. The Putco harness was included in the box, in its own silver bag.

Waiting for my neighbor to get back from vacation to help remove/reinstall my tailgate so I can put it on.

Is there a part number on the harness? Curious if it is the same as posted above for the 19's.

cdh7917 · September 25, 2019

10 minutes ago, sdelam said:

Is there a part number on the harness? Curious if it is the same as posted above for the 19's.

No, I just checked. The silver bag that the harness is in has no labels. The harness itself has no labels either.

The only part number is the light bar itself - GM# 19418352.

The harness basically inserts a jumper into each sides' taillight harness underneath the truck. The other end of the harness is a 4 pin trailer connector with a separate reverse wire. The light bar then connects to the 4 pin trailer plug and the reverse wire. It's very easy to install and the instructions that come with the light bar come with very clear pictures and descriptions.

powerhaulic · September 25, 2019

1 hour ago, cdh7917 said:

No, I just checked. The silver bag that the harness is in has no labels. The harness itself has no labels either.

The only part number is the light bar itself - GM# 19418352.

The harness basically inserts a jumper into each sides' taillight harness underneath the truck. The other end of the harness is a 4 pin trailer connector with a separate reverse wire. The light bar then connects to the 4 pin trailer plug and the reverse wire. It's very easy to install and the instructions that come with the light bar come with very clear pictures and descriptions.

That is the correct harness, the harness that came with mine simply went in the 7pin harness

Basketcase · November 18, 2019

Just to bump this thread..

My sled deck has this same light bar built into the back. The wiring harness that plugs into the truck is a 4pin trailer plug, with a separate wire that you need to tap into the reverse light. Is that still how this harness works as well? If I could avoid tapping into my taillight wiring harness for the reverse, I would do this. But it sounds like it is the exact same setup as what I already have?

sdelam · November 18, 2019

1 hour ago, Basketcase said:

Just to bump this thread..

My sled deck has this same light bar built into the back. The wiring harness that plugs into the truck is a 4pin trailer plug, with a separate wire that you need to tap into the reverse light. Is that still how this harness works as well? If I could avoid tapping into my taillight wiring harness for the reverse, I would do this. But it sounds like it is the exact same setup as what I already have?

I bought a Putco harness but have not installed it yet.

https://www.amazon.com/529005-Connect-Harness-Silverado-Sierra/dp/B07V82RZNT

Coolade · November 20, 2019

I too installed my sled deck and have also installed additional lighting on the truck. I tried everything i could possibly imagine to get this all to work on the truck without getting the trailer connected message to no avail, until I installed this harness. It has a reverse wire in the harness to connect to the reverse wire on the light bar. This harness works flawlessly and should solve the aforementioned issues. I should mentioned that I took it a step further in that I made a pigtail harness to plug into the harness 4-wire so that I can connect several things in(sled deck, tailgate bar, additional lights on truck).