Geotab HRN-BS16S4 Harness

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What Is the HRN-BS16S4?

The HRN-BS16S4 is a straight OBD-II extension cable pack for Geotab GO devices, 100 cm (39 in) long, used to relocate the device away from the vehicle's diagnostic port. It has no T split and no adapter kit. One end meets the OBD-II connection, the other end takes the GO device, and the cable between them buys distance. It took over the catalog slot of the older HRN-INSTALLPACKV2.

That simplicity is the point. Many installs do not need a branch for a scan tool or a mounting adapter. They just need the device somewhere other than right on the port, and a meter of cable does that.

Which Vehicles and Devices Does the HRN-BS16S4 Work With?

Geotab files it under its OBD harnesses for GO devices and describes the target vehicles by situation rather than make: ones where the diagnostic connection is placed so the GO device could get in the driver's way, or where the port's recess prevents the device from connecting properly. The connector is OBD-II and the length is 100 cm (39 in).

The entry does not name the GO10. Because the GO10 uses a different connector from earlier GO units, we confirm the combination before ordering this pack for a GO10 vehicle. Geotab publishes no separate instruction sheet for this part and names no companion part that must go with this extension.

What Problem Does It Solve on the Job?

One meter of reach changes where the device can live. Plugged directly into a port at knee height, a GO unit is a target for every boot, briefcase and clipboard. On the end of this extension it can be tucked up behind a dash panel or along a structural member where nothing touches it.

Recessed ports are the other case. Some vehicles bury the OBD-II socket in a pocket of trim so deep that a device body bottoms out before the pins fully engage, which produces intermittent data and confusing faults. Geotab names that recess problem as a reason for this part: the cable's plug goes into the pocket and the bulk of the GO unit stays outside it. Tamper resistance improves too, since a device that cannot be seen is less likely to be unplugged by a curious driver.

How Is the HRN-BS16S4 Installed?

There is little to it mechanically, so the care goes into routing and securing. Our steps:

1. With the vehicle parked, off and secured, pick the device location first, then check the cable will reach it without stretching.
2. Add up the full chain. This extension uses 100 cm of Geotab's 2 m (6.5 ft) total, leaving 100 cm for anything else in the chain.
3. Plug the extension into the vehicle port, or into a T-harness only where Geotab's guide permits a straight harness in that position.
4. Run the cable behind trim and along existing looms, away from pedals, steering and anything that moves.
5. Connect the GO device and fasten it with cable ties, securing both sides of each connection so neither joint can pull loose.
6. Switch on and confirm the device reports in MyGeotab or MyInstall.

Never treat this extension as permission to keep adding cable. Going past 2 m, or putting two T-harnesses in the same chain, can compromise data integrity and cause ECU issues according to Geotab.

Which Related Harnesses Should You Compare?

• HRN-BS16S4F: a 60 cm flat extension for low-profile ports behind panels, with some data pins left out.
• HRN-BS16S5: a longer straight OBD-II extension of about 150 cm.
• HRN-GS16K2-LD: a light-duty T-harness for when the port must also stay open for a scan tool.

What Do Installers Ask About the HRN-BS16S4?

How long is the HRN-BS16S4 extension?

It measures 100 cm, or 39 inches, per Geotab. That length counts toward the 2 m (6.5 ft) maximum for everything connected between the vehicle and the GO device.

Can the HRN-BS16S4 be added to a T-harness?

Yes, in positions where Geotab's harness guide shows a straight harness may follow a T-harness, as long as the combined length stays at or below 2 m. Two T-harnesses can never be joined.

What happened to the HRN-INSTALLPACKV2?

Geotab lists the HRN-BS16S4 as its replacement, so the job the older install pack used to do now belongs to this extension cable pack.

Relocating a GO device so drivers cannot knock it loose is part of every install we do, and API Signal brings the extensions, harnesses and Geotab hardware to complete the work on site at your yard. Ask for a time slot at 803-513-1009 or send us the details on Get a Quote.

Sources: Geotab harness identification resource, Geotab harness guide (blog). GEOTAB is a registered trademark of Geotab Inc. API Signal is an independent installer and is not Geotab.