Mastering Geotab
★ Geotab Harnesses · OBD-II Harnesses
The HRN-BS16S5 is Geotab's long straight OBD-II extension harness, 150 cm (59 in) end to end, used to relocate a GO device away from the driver or out of a recessed port. We reach for it when a shorter extension will not get there.
The HRN-BS16S5 is a straight OBD-II extension harness that runs 150 cm (59 in) from its 16-pin plug to the socket a GO device plugs into. It is the long option among Geotab's 16-pin extensions, built to put real distance between the diagnostic port and the spot where the telematics device will live.
Geotab names two situations that call for it. One is a port placed where a plugged-in device would crowd the driver, near the knees, the pedals or the steering column. The other is a port recessed so far into a panel that the device body cannot seat properly. Because this is a straight extension and not a T, it occupies the port; the GO device takes the connection at the far end of the cable.
Any vehicle with a standard 16-pin OBD-II diagnostic port is a candidate. Geotab's harness cheat sheet puts that port on most light-duty vehicles from 1997 onward. The harness belongs to the 16-pin family used by GO9-series devices. A GO10 has a different connector and cannot plug directly into harnesses designed for earlier GO devices, so when a fleet is on GO10 hardware we match the extension to Geotab's current GO10 guidance before the visit rather than on the day.
Geotab lists no replaced part and no required companion part for the HRN-BS16S5. What it does list is the connected cable limit of 2 m (6.5 ft), and at 150 cm this harness uses three quarters of that budget by itself.
The classic case is a port mounted low beside the brake pedal. A device hanging there gets kicked loose, which later shows up as gaps in trip data. With 150 cm to work with, we can lift the device up behind the knee panel or over toward the center stack, where nobody touches it.
Geotab's vehicle-specific notes give another example: on the Ford Fusion, across all years, the device cannot plug straight into the port, so an extension is likely needed.
A third reason is visibility. Geotab points out that harnesses let a device be mounted out of sight, and a hidden unit is far less likely to be unplugged by a driver who does not like being tracked. On upfitted work vans, aftermarket consoles can crowd the port, and the longer lead reaches clear space.
We start with the vehicle parked and the key off, because Geotab does not allow devices or harnesses to be fitted, configured or removed in a vehicle that is moving or running. We dry-fit the route first so we know where the cable travels and how much slack remains.
Next, the 16-pin plug goes into the diagnostic port until it is fully seated. The cable follows existing wiring looms behind the dash, away from the pedals, the steering column and anything hot or sharp. At the far end, the GO device plugs into the socket and is fastened in place. Geotab's GO9 install guides place the GPS antenna on the bottom of the device and require that side to face skyward, so we orient it before tightening anything.
Cable ties hold both the device and the harness so neither can drop into the footwell. Geotab caps the connected cable at 2 m (6.5 ft) and prohibits connecting two T-harnesses together, which matters here because a 150 cm extension leaves only 50 cm of the allowance for anything else. To finish, we start the engine and give the device up to five minutes to initialize while it beeps, look for the red, blue and green LEDs that confirm ignition, GPS and cellular, then run the MyInstall check and confirm the asset is reporting in MyGeotab.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Part number | HRN-BS16S5 |
| Type | Straight OBD-II extension harness |
| Length | 150 cm (59 in) |
| Vehicle connector | 16-pin OBD-II diagnostic port |
| Device family | 16-pin GO devices (GO9 series); GO10 uses a different connector |
| Max connected cable length | 2 m (6.5 ft) |
| Country of origin | China |
Do the length arithmetic first. Geotab's heavy-duty 16-pin T-harness kit HRN-GS16K2-HD is 63 cm, so adding it to this 150 cm extension would total 213 cm and break the 2 m rule. Coil spare cable loosely and tie it off rather than stuffing it behind a panel where it can chafe, and keep the plug strain-relieved so the weight of the run does not lever it out of the port over time. Because this harness is straight, a shop that needs the port for a scan tool will have to unplug it, so mention that to the fleet's maintenance team.
Geotab lists it at 150 cm, or 59 inches, which makes it the long option among its straight 16-pin extensions.
Only if the combined length stays within 2 m (6.5 ft) and Geotab's harness guide allows that pairing. With 150 cm already used, most T-harness kits would push the total past the limit.
No. It is a straight harness, so its plug occupies the port and the GO device connects at the far end. A T-harness is the choice when the port must stay available.
API Signal supplies the HRN-BS16S5 along with the GO device and installs both on site at your yard, with our technicians checking the route, the length budget and the reporting before they leave. Call 803-513-1009 or use Get a Quote to book the work.
Sources: Geotab Harness Identification and Application, Geotab harness cheat sheet, Geotab vehicle-specific installation notes, Geotab guide to telematics harnesses. GEOTAB is a registered trademark of Geotab Inc. API Signal is an independent installer and is not Geotab.
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