Geotab HRN-XBS16A1 Harness: Fitment, Install and Specs

What Is the HRN-XBS16A1?

The HRN-XBS16A1 is a short GO10-to-OBD-II adapter, 10.5 cm long, that lets a GO10 connect to a specialty harness that has no GO10-compatible replacement. Geotab gives the reason in one line: the GO10's connector differs from earlier GO units, so harnesses made for those units will not accept it. This bridge sits between the two and restores the connection.

Think of it as an upgrade part rather than a vehicle part. It does not care what vehicle it is in. It exists so that a fleet moving to the GO10 is not stuck on a vehicle that depends on a specialty harness Geotab has not yet reworked for the new connector.

The bridge is a short straight piece: GO10 socket on one end, a 16-pin plug on the other that mates with the device end of an older specialty harness.

Which Vehicles and Devices Does the HRN-XBS16A1 Work With?

On the device end it suits the GO10. On the other end, Geotab specifies use with specialty harnesses that have no compatible GO10 replacement, so it requires one of those harnesses to already be part of the install. Vehicle compatibility therefore comes from the specialty harness, not from the bridge. The part does not replace an earlier item, and Geotab publishes no separate instruction sheet for it.

Its length is 10.5 cm (4.1 in). That figure is small, but it still counts toward the total connected length Geotab allows, which matters when the specialty harness is a long one.

What Problem Does It Solve on the Job?

Fleet upgrades rarely happen on a clean slate. A customer may run a group of trucks that were originally fitted with a make-specific or custom harness for earlier GO hardware. When those trucks move to the GO10, the obvious first question is whether a GO10 version of that harness exists. If it does, that is the right part. If it does not, this adapter keeps the existing harness in service instead of leaving the vehicle unable to take the new device.

That saves real time and wiring. Specialty harnesses often tie into gateway modules, base harnesses or vehicle-specific connectors that took effort to route the first time. Keeping that work in place and changing only the device end turns a full rewire into a short swap.

How Is the HRN-XBS16A1 Installed?

Because the bridge has no instruction sheet of its own, we follow the instructions for the specialty harness and the GO10 installation guide. A typical swap:

With the vehicle parked, secured and off, confirm the specialty harness has no GO10-compatible replacement in Geotab's harness guide.
Add up the connected length of the specialty harness and the 10.5 cm bridge, and make sure the total is no more than 2 m (6.5 ft).
Check that the setup would not leave two T-harnesses joined together, which Geotab never allows.
Unplug the old GO device from the specialty harness and plug the bridge's 16-pin end into the harness.
Connect the GO10 to the bridge, then tie the GO10, the bridge and the joint to a solid mounting point with cable ties on both sides so the joint cannot pull apart.
Power up and confirm in MyGeotab or MyInstall that the GO10 is communicating and reading the expected data.

During a GO10 upgrade the specialty harness stays put; the bridge goes on its device end and the GO10 plugs into the bridge, all tied down at the joint.

Spec	Detail
Part number	HRN-XBS16A1
Type	GO10-to-OBD-II adapter (bridge)
Device side	GO10
Requires	A specialty harness with no GO10-compatible replacement
Length	10.5 cm (4.1 in)
Replaces	Not applicable
Maximum connected length	2 m (6.5 ft) including this adapter
California	GO10 use with this part is permitted only when it connects directly to the vehicle's data link connector, or to another harness that is not in a T-harness configuration

What Should You Watch for When Fitting It?

The joint between bridge and specialty harness is a new connection point, and connection points are where vibration does its damage. Support it so the weight of the GO10 does not hang on the plugs. Before ordering, look up each specialty harness on the truck list; reaching for the bridge when a proper GO10 harness exists adds a connection for no benefit. On California vehicles, the configuration rule above decides whether the bridge can be used at all, so we check the harness type before the job is booked.

Which Related Harnesses Should You Compare?

HRN-CM24Y1-A: Geotab's custom-install base harness, which most make-specific adapters need and which often shows up in specialty setups.
HRN-XGS16K2-LD: a purpose-built GO10 harness for light vehicles, where no bridge is needed.
HRN-XGS09K2: the native GO10 kit for 9-pin Deutsch trucks.

What Do Upgrading Fleets Ask About the HRN-XBS16A1?

When should the HRN-XBS16A1 be used instead of a GO10 harness?

Only when the vehicle needs a specialty harness and Geotab has no GO10-compatible replacement for it. Where a GO10 version exists, that harness goes in directly and the bridge is not needed.

Does the HRN-XBS16A1 count toward the 2 m harness limit?

Yes. Its 10.5 cm is part of the connected run, so the specialty harness plus the bridge together must stay within Geotab's 2 m (6.5 ft) maximum.

Is the HRN-XBS16A1 allowed in California?

Only in limited setups. Geotab permits a GO10 installation with this part in California only when it connects directly to the vehicle's data link connector or to another harness that is not in a T-harness configuration.

Moving a fleet from older GO units to the GO10 is work we do on site at the customer's yard, and API Signal supplies the devices, harnesses and bridges the upgrade calls for. To plan the changeover, phone 803-513-1009 or list the vehicles and their current harnesses on Get a Quote.

Sources: Geotab Harness Identification and Application, Geotab GO10 reference. GEOTAB is a registered trademark of Geotab Inc. API Signal is an independent installer and is not Geotab.

Every Geotab Harness →All 83 harnesses and accessories by part number. Get a Quote →The HRN-XBS16A1 supplied and installed on one written quote.

Geotab HRN-XBS16A1 Harness