Most of the hitches have the bracket that holds the four flat socket as part of the receiver. Example is the one from Quadratec.

Quadratec Premium 2" Receiver Hitch for 07-18 Jeep Wrangler JK

Our Premium Class II receiver hitch for JK is Essential for having fun and getting things done. Simple bolt-on installation takes minutes to install with no vehicle modifications. We dare you to compare our Exclusive hitch to others with its premium design and construction without a premium price.

www.quadratec.com

The factory wiring is enclosed in what appears to be 3/8" split loom flexible conduit. The wire comes with two plugs and is inserted into the wiring harness behind the left tail light. Here is a Quadratec kit with instructions (link in the listing image).

Quadratec 92015 8001 Plug-n-Play Tow Hitch Wiring Harness for 07-18 Jeep Wrangler JK

We now offer a complete plug and play wiring solution for your towing needs. Our 4 Prong harness is made to the original specifications and keeps you from having to make frustration and costly modifications to your vehicles wiring. The harness clips onto the factory Mopar and Quadratec tow hitches.

www.quadratec.com

 

Thanks! I was wondering where it plugged in at. Ill have to check and see if there is one hidden there. If not I'll buy one.

 

If it's aftermarket tow package then they usually run the plug on the end of a wire and hide that wire/plug under the carpet or similar. When you need it you feed the wire/plug out the back door before closing it. If this is the case then you will find the cord inside near to one of the tail lights.

 

I'm not sure if it is aftermarket or not but I will check the cargo area in case they did that. Thanks

 

It is possible that your Jeep has an aftermarket hitch installed. The installer may not have installed the wiring harness. As other's said, it's extremely easy and inexpensive. It plugs into the left tail light harness.

 

It sounds like the harness was never installed, not uncommon. If you decide to add a harness, I'd recommend you install one with both the 7 wire plug as well as the 4 wire plug.

 

I have never seen a trailer wring harness looped out the rear passenger door to the back. The first thing is it will take a lot more wire than normally comes with them. It sounds more like a home built rig by someone who didn't want to spend the time to run one up the rear.

Another thing is that it would be dangerous and likely to have issue. when turning left, the wire would be able to sag down enough to drag on the pavement. Now I have seen some that were wired into the trunk area of a car and the just opened the trunk and flipped it out and then closed the trunk. Granted, rolling your own from a plug/socket piece (about $4 at HD) and a 25' roll of wire ($12) is less expensive, but a lot more hassle, and the space in which you have to work is very small.

 

I have never seen a trailer wring harness looped out the rear passenger door to the back. The first thing is it will take a lot more wire than normally comes with them. It sounds more like a home built rig by someone who didn't want to spend the time to run one up the rear.

Another thing is that it would be dangerous and likely to have issue. when turning left, the wire would be able to sag down enough to drag on the pavement. Now I have seen some that were wired into the trunk area of a car and the just opened the trunk and flipped it out and then closed the trunk. Granted, rolling your own from a plug/socket piece (about $4 at HD) and a 25' roll of wire ($12) is less expensive, but a lot more hassle, and the space in which you have to work is very small.

|Not the back (passenger) door. The back TAILGATE door.

Every vehicle we have had was wired that way (aftermarket installs by qualified and licensed service stations). A length of cord in the back that you take out from under the carpet, flip out and close the door/trunk lid. Never had any safety issues with any of them.

 

If an aftermarket wire was wired that way at a shop, I certainly would never take it back to them . Jeep has provided a safe secure way to insert the trailer wiring harness since at least the 1997 TJ. My TJ had a hitch installed on it when I bought it in 2014, and a trailer wire jury rigged almost like you said, where it was clipped onto the wiring harness in the back, but then it was snaked down into the void behind the left tail light (right past the nice socket and plug that Jeep had installed on all to connect the left tail light) then out and tucked into the end of the rear bumper.

I removed all that and purchased the wiring kit from Quadratec and hooked it into the wiring harness at the point designed for it right behind the left tail light, then out to the bracket to hold the 4 flat socket, and pressed the socket onto the bracket. It is handy right beside the reciever. Hook up the trailler, attach the chains, plug in the lights, test the lights and go. The factory installed harness on my JKU is just about the same, except the plug and socket behind the left tail light is different.

Here are the instructions on how to install the wiring on a JK/JKU: While they say 2007-2013, that's because when this kit came out, the 2013 was the current model. They kit and instructions are good for all JK/JKUs.

https://www.quadratec.com/sites/default/files/installation_instructions/167106.pdf

 

If an aftermarket wire was wired that way at a shop, I certainly would never take it back to them .

Be that as it may, this thread isn't about what you personally would or wouldn't accept.