[Steves2004OBW]

I have installed a hitch on my 04 outback wagon and am searching in vain for the connector for the wiring. I have read various accounts of where it should be, and have torn out every hatch in the back of the car, used mirrors to peer behind panels that don't come off without major dissasembly, but have found nothing. Here is a picture of the wiring behind the passenger-side tail lights...

And here's a picture of the bottom of the passenger side of the trunk, another presumed spot for the wiring. Not here...

Here is the wiring kit I bought from etrailer.com. There's a six-pin rectangular plug at the left end that plugs into the "already there" connector hidden in the car...

Any help, advice or suggestion is greatly appreciated. I really don't want to bring this to the dealer to install - that negates the point of the DIY kit I bought!

 

[plain OM]

As in your second photo "bottom of the passenger side of the trunk," but on the left side. There should be a cable and connector tucked into the space below the side panel.

This thread has photos of where the connector is tucked in on the left side. It's a later model, but your's should be similar. http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...ory-hitch-wiring-installation-outback-xt.html

 

[Steves2004OBW]

Oh, if only it were there!
The harness on my OBW goes across the trunk like this...

On the driver's side the harness goes straight under the molded brown interior wall (lower right in the picture below), up the side of the wheel well, and then over the top. I could reach (and see) to the top of the side of the wheel well; no connector.

On the passenger side the harness goes towards the rear of the car for about 6 inches, then again, up and over the wheel well. I could feel and see as far as the top of the side of the wheel well. Nothing.

I understand from the installation thread that Subaru sells a wiring kit that looks just like the one I bought, so there MUST be a connector here SOMEWHERE.

 

[OldStyle]

Been there.... Here's where I found mine,'03 OBW, on the passenger side:

Click image to enlarge.



Best of luck finding yours!

.

 

[cardoc]

Welcome to Subie electrical.

Its a six pin plug. The wire colors are as follows and may help you narrow it down:

blk/white pin 1
lt grn/blk pin 2
white/blk pin 3
blk/green pin 4
blk/red pin 5
black pin 6

Is your trailer harness fused? If not, be sure to splice one in on battery side so if there is a problem in the trailer lighting, it won't blow the fuse for the car's lights.

 

[Steves2004OBW]

Been there.... Here's where I found mine,'03 OBW, on the passenger side:

Click image to enlarge.



Best of luck finding yours!

.

Oldstyle
YIKES! I commend your determination to find that thing. I believe that there is a chunk of styrofoam separating me from my goal at the moment. I looked down through the hole that the speaker sits in - I saw it and tried to pull it out but it didn't "give way", so... anyway I will use your pic as a guide and give it another try later today. THANK YOU for these pictures.

 

[Steves2004OBW]

Oldstyle:

EUREKA! You were right! The wiring was in the same place on my OBW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I had given up on that corner. I reached in deep and there it was.

I have made a youtube video showing where the connector lurks, for the next guy...

Thanks again!
Steve

 

[OldStyle]

Glad I could help. Still don't understand why they would bury it instead of putting it in a handy access point. Thanks for posting the video!

Had I found this thread before I did mine it would have saved not only time but taking the whole back of the car apart! I only lost one push clip....

Congrats on another finished project! :29:

.

 

[cardoc]

Oldstyle
YIKES! I commend your determination to find that thing. I believe that there is a chunk of styrofoam separating me from my goal at the moment. I looked down through the hole that the speaker sits in - I saw it and tried to pull it out but it didn't "give way", so... anyway I will use your pic as a guide and give it another try later today. THANK YOU for these pictures.

Hey, I recognize that. Mine looked similar for two days while I replaced the McIntosh system with my own surround sound design.

As for the harness. It isn't put there for aftermarket harnesses. Only Subaru setups from Subaru.

 

[robguz]

Just installed the wiring harness on my '04 wagon and found the connector in the same spot. Thanks so much for this advice - saved me a ton of work!

 

[MikeC5]

I know it's an old thread but it just saved me a lot of effort too! Thanks.