What to expect to have the Trailer Hitch Wiring Installed at Dealer

briankb · Nov 15, 2014

Thanks to this forum and the parts list I ordered the parts needed to added a hitch to my 2014 Durango Limited. Swapping out the new hitch with the place holder was fairly straight forward and only took an hour or so once I got setup. Today I was going to try and finish it up by installing the 7/4 way wiring harness but it is quite involved and I as technically proficient as I might be or think I am... I am not a car tech or mechanic. I would hate to screw this up on my new ride.

My new plan is to call my local Dodge dealer and setup a time to have them install the wiring harness for me. There is also a slight alignment issues with the liftgate which I will bring up but mainly this visit is for the hitch wiring installation.

Has anyone else had this done?

Will there be objections from the dealer and how much time should I expect the tech to take for this install?

goodB0Y · Nov 15, 2014

For most vehicles it's a simple plug in... Meaning the trailer harness plugs into the existing harness.

I would have thought that the Durango rear harness would have a added plug to add trailer wiring... You have the trailer wiring harness? Is it not a simple matter of plugging it in?

briankb · Nov 15, 2014

goodB0Y said:
For most vehicles it's a simple plug in... Meaning the trailer harness plugs into the existing harness.

I would have thought that the Durango rear harness would have a added plug to add trailer wiring... You have the trailer wiring harness? Is it not a simple matter of plugging it in?

This vehicle did not have the tow package or hitch installed. There was no OEM wiring for a trailer and it must be installed just as they would at the factory. Meaning there is a wiring kit that will run from the back of the vehicle at the 7/4 plug up to the front engine compartment and the electrical connectors be added to existing oem fit connectors on the underside of the fuse box and it is not quite as simple as plug-n-play.

MJB8 · Nov 15, 2014

Its plug n play with one solder connection but you will need the dealer to activate the harness in the computer.

MJB8 · Nov 15, 2014

here are the instructions
http://www.jeep4x4center.com/pdf/82212196ab-m.pdf

MJB8 · Nov 15, 2014

Here is my extra harness it has these wires and a red and black as well

goodB0Y · Nov 15, 2014

briankb said:
This vehicle did not have the tow package or hitch installed. There was no OEM wiring for a trailer and it must be installed just as they would at the factory. Meaning there is a wiring kit that will run from the back of the vehicle at the 7/4 plug up to the front engine compartment and the electrical connectors be added to existing oem fit connectors on the underside of the fuse box and it is not quite as simple as plug-n-play.

I understand it didn't have the tow package from the dealer... I Just remember adding a hitch and plug to an older truck and it was simply plugging in the harness.

Lookin at it now I'm guessing a tech might need a couple of hours at most to install... Maybe as little as 3/4 hours but I really wouldn't know.

goodB0Y · Nov 15, 2014

I think my dealer charges .2 for an ecm flash

Don't see how a dealer would object... It's a factory harness...

briankb · Nov 15, 2014

Thanks for the tip on ecm update.

I will call monday and hopefully they will be cooperative and reasonable on the price, if not I will try the other Dodge dealer one county over.

What does the dealer enable via the computer (ecm) update?

briankb · Nov 17, 2014

So my simple wiring install at the dealer has turned into a nightmare! Not because of the price that was fairly reasonable at $142 to run the wiring and update the ECM.

During the service they found a recall and two service bulletins that needed to be done and they started on those, in the middle of the software updates we had a brief but violent storm and the update failed. It apparently failed so bad that it could not be restarted/completed even after their computers were back online and working again. The tech who called me said they had to order a replacement BCM (body control module) but it would be a day or two... I got this Durango barely not even 10 days ago. Back to driving my 2004 Aztek.

I called them back and he did order a new BCM not a refurbished or used one but I'm concerned about what other issues this could effect now or in the future. Any advice would be appreciated.

MJB8 · Nov 17, 2014

I wouldn't worry about anything else. Just the update bricked the BCM. I would enjoy ur free harness install for all the aggravation and the dealer not taking the proper battery backup precautions to their computer network

goodB0Y · Nov 17, 2014

If the update failed because of a power failure... Meaning they were using a computer to upload the firmware to the module and that computer lost power then you should be fine. Just like when you update your home computer... A message comes up telling you not to turn off or unplug the computer... Stopping the update before it has finished "can" render the computer (in this case a body control module) inoperable.

If it was because of a power surge... And it was a power spike that damaged the module then I guess it could have done damage to other components... But my guess is if that was the case it would be apparent right away. Other computers/modules would not be working...

Sorry I didn't see mjb8's response... He's exactly right

briankb · Nov 17, 2014

I asked why their computer was not on a battery back up and he didn't know but he did mention the update was done wireless. I guess they have some way to connect directly via the cars built in wifi system. You would think... in 2014 model it would have a dual bios'd type system where it waits until a CPC check is complete before allowing the system memory to be updated. When I updated the system myself last week I used a USB stick and left the car running, took about 20-30m but no issues.

MJB8 - I think the guy was trying to handle things pro-actively and I'm being patient. I don't think the Service Manager gives too much of a crap as it seems finding a replacement BCM isn't a huge priority, yet. I do expect to have my wiring harness bill "comped" for having to drive my 2004 Aztek around for two days with no heat. If it goes past this Wednesday around lunch with no BCM in their hands to be installed, I'm sure I will be in direct contact with the service manager and be a PITA until it's fixed... sucks all around for sure.

goodB0Y · Nov 17, 2014

I know that you can get a Bluetooth adaptor for the obd2 port... Probably what they do...

brewmastr · Nov 17, 2014

You guys over think this stuff..... They probably have a wireless multiplexer that plugs into the vehicle, im sure the computer they use for the updates has a battery as this system is also used for diagnostics in vehicles and needs to be able to be used when driving the car for live diagnostics... the problem is the updates are downloaded from a server most times these days, so if the buildings wifi went out in a power outage there ya go, whether a battery backup would help or not in this situation im not sure, im no network engineer just an auto technician, but i do know in general when the power goes out so does the internet.... as far as them giving you a used control module its not like they pick up the phone and start calling junk yards like omg we bricked a control unit get one as cheap as possible. The technician just walks back to the parts counter and says order me a new control unit I bricked the last one and they order it up from chrysler direct. I dont understand how this forum is so quick to bash dealership technicians.......

briankb · Nov 18, 2014

I wasn't bashing the technician at all, more the management for not providing the proper equipment to the techs. And being a network expert, yes it is possible to have your entire building network on battery backup and not for a lot of money. For a building with 50-100 network drops a $300-500 APC battery backup would suffice and they probably have one of those, I would hope... as far as the internet. They should be on either a dedicated and multiple T1's which also have their phone lines or possibly something from Comcast Business that has a much better internet and also includes phone systems. I hope they aren't literally streaming bit-for-bit system updates from the internet directly to a car. At the very least they should download the file from internet then once completed uploaded it to the car in whatever method they choose.

I trust the actual technician that works on my car, but I have no idea how the parts acquisition process works at a dealership. I do know when people screw up their boss wants to minimize the cost, ie. a used BCM. I don't trust car sales people or car dealership management including the service manager. Maybe that is unfair but it is based on life experience overall and a few specific cases over past 20+ years specific to car dealer service centers... unfortunately.

Tony H · Nov 18, 2014

briankb said:
Back to driving my 2004 Aztek./QUOTE]
Brutal!!!

briankb · Nov 18, 2014

so there are NO BCM's "available" and all are on backorder, according to my local dealer service department. He said they have a shipment "in transit" nearby but it could be Thursday before they arrive and then a day for shipping to them so at best it will be late this Friday before I get my 2014 Durango back... all for a 1.5hr hitch wiring hookup job.

They offered a rental car yesterday which I declined but I called this morning and after hearing the new deadlines I asked them to get me a rental that is similar to the Durango, so far all they have is a van. Just waiting to see what arrives after lunch, hoping for a truck or SUV.

How can it their be such a short supply of this obviously fragile BCM's?

michaelk · Nov 19, 2014

briankb said:
so there are NO BCM's "available" and all are on backorder, according to my local dealer service department. He said they have a shipment "in transit" nearby but it could be Thursday before they arrive and then a day for shipping to them so at best it will be late this Friday before I get my 2014 Durango back... all for a 1.5hr hitch wiring hookup job.

They offered a rental car yesterday which I declined but I called this morning and after hearing the new deadlines I asked them to get me a rental that is similar to the Durango, so far all they have is a van. Just waiting to see what arrives after lunch, hoping for a truck or SUV.

How can it their be such a short supply of this obviously fragile BCM's?

Seems that there are short supplies of many parts for this vehicle, any vehicle, and pretty much every good you can buy now a days. It seems wall street has determined that maintaining inventory is almost as bad as having employees so once the big companies "down size" their next move is to make sure they keep no parts on the shelves- customer service be damned- order everything in time as needed. So doesn't shock me that there isn't one lying around nearby. /rant off... sorry

Anyway- back to the real world- if it goes much longer and it's annoying you enough then ask/tell them to 'borrow' one out of a new vehicle on their lot.

briankb · Nov 19, 2014

michaelk said:
if it goes much longer and it's annoying you enough then ask/tell them to 'borrow' one out of a new vehicle on their lot.

I asked that on day 1 and then again on day 2 when I requested a rental. The service manager said the sales manager would not do it, that doesn't mean he ASKED sales... I'm very curious how this plays out if it does go into week two. It isn't the dealers fault, if it is a supply shortage that is a Dodge HQ issue. I hope they don't expect me to just accept driving a van or truck while I wait it out... meanwhile I make my payments on the new car... what a cluster...

btw I also emailed Dodge this morning via mopar owner website contact form asking them for help... hoping they will help on the supply side of things.

What to expect to have the Trailer Hitch Wiring Installed at Dealer

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goodB0Y

briankb

MJB8

MJB8

MJB8

goodB0Y

goodB0Y

briankb

briankb

MJB8

goodB0Y

briankb

goodB0Y

brewmastr

briankb

Tony H

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michaelk

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