Trailer Wiring Harness Installation - 2011 Jeep Patriot

Installation of a Trailer Wiring Harness on a 2011 Jeep Patriot

Today on our 2011 Jeep Patriot we're going to install the Curt T1 Wiring Kit, part number C56019. To begin installation we'll go ahead and open up the rear cargo door and remove the two fasteners that secure the driver's side tail light assembly. Now the fascia is out of the way we'll go ahead and pop the lens assembly away from the sheet metal of the vehicle. Be careful not to break the alignment tabs that you can see here. Next we'll go ahead and remove the manufacturer's wiring from the top wiring connector and socket. To do so we'll unlock the red locking tab then press on the connector lock and remove it from the connector.

Then we can go ahead and take the yellow and brown wire connector from our new 4-pole connector wiring kit and plug it in line with the manufacturer's wiring. Now we'll go ahead and take the opposite connector which will be the green wire connector along with our new 4-pole connector and route it down between the bumper fascia and the body or sheet metal of the vehicle. This will allow us to pull it out from underneath the vehicle so that we can route our 4-pole to the center of the vehicle at the hitch and the green wiring connector over to the passenger's side to make the same connection we just did here on the driver's side. Next, we'll take the black wire from our converter box and connect it to the black wire supplied with our install kit that will be our battery connection feed. To do this we'll strip back both ends, use the yellow butt connector provided with our install kit and connect the two wires together.

Quick tech tip, to additionally secure the wires and help keep them from dirt, dust and debris we'll go ahead and take some black electrical tape and wrap up this connection point. Now we'll go ahead and take the power wire and follow the same route we did for our green wire connector and the 4-pole down between the bumper fascia and the sheet metal of the vehicle. Once we have the wire pulled down through, we can go ahead and take the white and red wire with a preformed ring terminal which will be our ground circuit and use our self-tapping screw to make a ground connection with the vehicle. Now with that done, we'll go ahead and mount our converter box. The install kit comes with a two-way adhesive that we can go ahead and first peel back the cover and stick to the converter box and then peel back the other side of the adhesive and mount to a flat clean surface.

Now that that connection is made, we can go ahead and reinstall the driver's side tail light assembly. Next, I'll go ahead and remove the passenger's side tail light assembly in the same way that we did the driver's side. With the tail light assembly removed, we'll go ahead and remove the two connectors securing the assembly. Again, we'll unlock the red locking tabs and then press on the connector lock to remove it from the ball and socket. Then we'll go ahead and set the passenger's side tail light assembly aside for reinstallation later.

Now we'll go ahead and get underneath the vehicle and start routing our wires. Be mindful when routing your wires to stay away from excessive heat such as exhaust or moving components such as the steering or suspension. First I'll take a piece of fish wire or in this case a piece of air tubing and we're going to route it through the bumper channel. Then take some black electrical tape and tape off the green connector wire to our pull wire so that we can pull it to the bumper channel over to the passengers side. Now that we have it over on the passengers side, well use our air tube just to feed it up behind the passengers side tail light assembly. With it pulled up into place, well go ahead and remove the air tube and Ill take a black zip tie provided with our install kit and secure the green wire here to the manufacturers wiring to take up any extra slack in the green wire. Now, we can go ahead and make our connection and reinstall the passengers side tail light assembly. Next, well go ahead and get back underneath the vehicle and route our 4-pole over to the center of the hitch. As you can see, we have plenty of excess wire left over, so well just secure it up here underneath the bumper beam. Now with our green wire routed and run and our 4-pole wire connected, well need to take our black wire and route it to the engine compartment to make a connection with the battery. Now that were in the engine compartment, well go ahead and pull our pull wire or air tubing up to the engine compartment thats connected to our power wire. Once again, Ill take a black zip tie and secure the power wire here in the engine compartment. Now, well go ahead and remove the battery cover. There are two tabs that will need to be turned 90 degrees in order to release the cover and take it out of the place so that we can complete routing our power wire. Now, we can go ahead and get an idea how much excess power wire we can cut off. Now, lets go ahead and prep our fuse holder that well be plugging in line with our power wire. First, well cut the fuse holder in half, strip back both ends, add a ring terminal and butt connector. Now, well go ahead and take the other end of our butt connector and attach it to the power wire that we just ran from the back of the vehicle. Once again, Ill go ahead and take some black electrical tape and wrap up this connection. Now, well go ahead and attach the ring terminal here to the positive battery terminal. With that completed, Ill go ahead and take another black zip tie and secure my fuse holder. With our fuse holder secured, we can go ahead and install the 10-amp fuse provided with our install kit. Well go ahead and reinstall the battery cover. And that will wrap it up for our install of the Curt T-Connector Wiring Kit, part number C56019, on our 2011 Jeep Patriot.