Part II:
Wiring harness installation.
The harness installation did not go as smoothly as I had expected.
The install sheet for the Dodge Nitro does not exactly match the Liberty. (you can find a PDF copy on
http://www.justforjeeps.com -
http://www.justforjeeps.com/trtowwiha.html This website states "must use DealerScan tool to activate".
Step 1 - install sheet shows a panel puller to remove the taillight hardware. You need a 10mm socket and ratchet for this job.
Steps 2 - 6 - process is identical. Seating the rubber "puck" in step 6 takes some muscle. The butt end of a plastic dash bezel tool worked well.
Step 7- the drawing shows the relay bundle being secured to an existing harness. My vehicle does not have a harness there, though there are drilled holes. I need a few hole-mounted cable tie anchors.
Steps 8, 9, 10 are straightforward and follow the drawings.
Step 11 - I did not have the vehicle on a lift.
Step 12 - I had to loosen and drop the hitch about 1/2" or so to route the 7 pin plug over the top. Added extra time and pain in the booty factor, lying under the Jeep with the 3' pipe breaker bar combo.
Steps 13-14-15-16 go exactly as the drawings show.
Step 17 is where I ran into problems. Without the vehicle in the air, it is not possible to properly route the harness. I was past the point of no return - I was not going to undo the process so far. I coiled the remaining harness and secured it to the spare tire underneath the vehicle. Tailights and turn signals will still work without harness power at the battery. It was a Sunday afternoon, I called in a favor to my uncle who owns an auto repair shop. He let me use the garage, jacks, and jackstands. I got the Jeep's front end up and rolled underneath on a creeper. Not exactly confident in the equipment so I aborted the mission.
A quick call to Jeep dealership the next day - a technician verified that the Trailer Sway Control could be added via reprogram of the ECM. They finished routing the harness and reflashed for $105.00 (1 Hr labor fee). I asked them not to connect _ I will finish the install myself. Interestingly, the invoice states "reflash ECM" and not "use DealerScan tool" - not sure what this all means. Tech and service writer indicates that it has been activated.
BTW I ordered both the hitch and harness on eBay from Love Field Jeep in Dallas. I had been "watching" the hitch at $199.00, when I checked out it was only $177.00 SHIPPED. It arrived with a piece of duct tape holding the parts bag to the tubing, that was mildly annoying but I'm OK with saving $75.00. The harness was only $111.00 shipped.
Hopefully I will be ordering the mechanical fan and clutch soon.