Trailer Hitch - Installation

CATEGORY
Electrical

SECTION
3

PAGE
76

ISSUE
10/94-0509

CODE
371

Subject:
Installing a Trailer Hitch

Application:
New 900 Models, 1994-
and 1995-900 Convertibles

A complete trailer hitch kit is now available for the 1994-900 vehicles, including the 1995 Convertible. The trailer hitch kit, P/N 02 48 823 includes all of the necessary pieces: car mounted receiver, ball mount with 1-7/8" removeable ball (and storage bag for ball), main 900 wiring harness, rear 900 harness with a diode box and a standard U.S. flat four-pole trailer connector.

The new "U.S. style" square receiver meets rear impact requirements, an advantage shared with earlier Saab-approved hitches. Utilizing this style receiver will allow the customer to purchase different height ball mounts locally to match different trailer tongue heights.

For vehicles below VIN Serial No. R2015950, some modification to the vehicle's wiring must take place before a trailer hitch can be installed. See instructions that follow and also pages 146-147 of Service Manual 3:2 Electrical System, wiring diagrams.

CAUTION:
When installing a trailer hitch on a 1994-900, great care must be taken in wiring the vehicle to accept this accessory. Most lighting is monitored by the Integrated Central Electronics (ICE) Electronic Control Module (ECM) including taillights and brake lights. If you tie into the brake light wiring at the rear of the car, you will damage the ICE ECM, requiring its replacement. It is necessary to splice into the brake light and taillight wiring circuits ahead of the ICE ECM and run the wiring from up under the dashboard to the back of the vehicle to ensure that no damage to this expensive component occurs. See Action P. 2.

Please make certain you counsel owners who express interest in having a hitch installed by an independent jobber to follow these guidelines or serious (and expensive) damage to the electrical system of their vehicle will occur. SAAB WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGED CAUSED BY IMPROPER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS.

A trailer hitch kit, complete with necessary wiring harness for use on 1994-900S is available for purchase under P/N 02 48 823. A wiring harness kit for the 900 is available for ordering under P/N 02: 49 656 should this be needed separately (i.e. should a customer have already purchased an aftermarket trailer hitch).

Parts:

Trailer Hitch Kit, 1994- 900 02: 48 823 (Complete kit containing all necessary wiring and hitch)

Trailer Hitch Wiring Harness Kit,
1994-900 0249656
(Consists of necessary ground, brake lights. signal lights and running lights to a connector near left tail lamp. Diode box and trailer connection must be sourced locally.)

Action:

1. Remove the left-hand front sill plate.

In order to gain access to the brake light switch, also remove the kneepad under the dashboard.

2. Take a length of violet cable (about 50cm) and strip one end about 15 mm.

3. Fit a terminal (included in the kit), to the cable and then add an insulating sleeve over the terminal.





4. Connect the extra cable to the trailer wiring as indicated in Figure 1.

5. Connect the free end of the extra cable to violet cable from the brake light switch (29) by means of a wire-splice connector as shown.

6. Secure the extra cable in a suitable manner.

7. Check the operation of the brake light and then refit the kneepad and sill plate.