Geotab HRN-BS16S4F Harness

← All Geotab harnesses

What Is the HRN-BS16S4F?

The HRN-BS16S4F is a flat, 60 cm (24 in) OBD-II extension harness that connects a Geotab GO device to a low-profile diagnostic port tucked behind a panel. The flat cable and connector slip into gaps a round extension cannot use. The trade-off is in the wiring: Geotab notes that pin 1 and pins 3 and 11 are left unpopulated, so some vehicles will deliver less engine data through it.

That makes it a problem solver with a condition attached. On the right vehicle it turns an impossible connection into a clean one. On the wrong vehicle it quietly removes data the fleet was counting on, which is why the pin question comes before the order.

Which Vehicles and Devices Does the HRN-BS16S4F Work With?

Geotab describes the target as vehicles with low-profile connectors behind a panel, where the GO device has to reach a port that is covered over. The connector is a flat OBD-II type and the harness length is 60 cm (24 in). It is listed for GO devices in general, with no replacement history and no separate instruction document.

The missing conductors define its limits. Pin 1 carries single wire CAN, and pins 3 and 11 carry secondary CAN, and none of them are populated here. A vehicle that uses either of those networks for data the fleet needs may report less through this extension. Because Geotab does not name the GO10 in this entry, and the GO10 uses its own connector, we confirm fit before quoting it for a GO10.

What Problem Does It Solve on the Job?

Certain dashboards hide the diagnostic socket behind a kick panel, a storage bin or a trim piece with only a narrow gap around it. A conventional plug and round cable cannot pass through, which leaves two poor options: cut the trim, or leave the panel off. The flat harness threads through that gap so the panel goes back on as the factory intended.

It also helps with vehicles where a panel is reinstalled tight against the port, since a flat cable can bend along the surface instead of pressing on the plug. Our technicians reach for it when the trim, not the vehicle's data needs, is the obstacle.

How Is the HRN-BS16S4F Installed?

The order of work matters more here than with a full-pin extension, because the first step is deciding whether to use it at all:

1. With the vehicle parked, secured and off, look at the vehicle's port. Terminals present at positions 1, 3 or 11 suggest those networks may be in use, which this harness will not pass.
2. If the vehicle relies on those pins for data the fleet wants, choose a full-pin extension or T-harness instead.
3. If not, feed the flat cable through the panel gap without folding it sharply, and plug it into the port.
4. Plug the GO device into the far end and seat it somewhere dry and solid.
5. Cable tie the device and the cable on both sides of each connection.
6. Refit the panel and confirm the device reports, and reads the expected engine values, in MyGeotab or MyInstall.

The 60 cm length leaves room under Geotab's 2 m (6.5 ft) cap, but the cap covers every harness in the run. A flat extension does not change the rule against joining one T-harness to another.

Which Related Harnesses Should You Compare?

• HRN-BS16S4: the standard 100 cm straight extension pack, for when space allows a regular plug.
• HRN-BS16S5: the long straight extension at about 150 cm.
• HRN-GS16K2-LD: when the port must stay reachable and the device can move, this light-duty T-harness is the alternative.

Which Questions Come Up About the HRN-BS16S4F?

Which pins are missing on the HRN-BS16S4F?

Geotab states that pin 1, used for single wire CAN, and pins 3 and 11, used for secondary CAN, are not populated in this flat extension.

Why choose the HRN-BS16S4F over the round HRN-BS16S4?

It is made for low-profile ports covered by a panel, where a standard extension plug and cable will not fit. When there is room, the full-pin HRN-BS16S4 avoids the data trade-off.

Can the HRN-BS16S4F be combined with a T-harness?

Only within Geotab's rules: a straight harness can follow a T-harness where the harness guide allows it, the whole chain stays inside 2 m (6.5 ft), and no T-harness is ever joined to a second one.

Tight dashboards are routine for our crews, and API Signal supplies the flat extensions, full-pin harnesses and Geotab devices so the right one goes in on site at your yard. Our number is 803-513-1009, or reach us through Get a Quote with the vehicle makes and years.

Sources: Geotab harness identification article, Geotab telematics harnesses overview. GEOTAB is a registered trademark of Geotab Inc. API Signal is an independent installer and is not Geotab.