Troubleshooting Curt # C56208 Wire Harness Installation on 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude  

Question:

Expert Reply:

Thank you for your recent purchase from etrailer of a hitch and trailer wiring harness. I am glad the hitch install went well and I am sorry for the issue with the wiring harness.

I appreciate you providing specifics about your harness installation. That really helps us a lot.

Apart from the plug-in T-connector fittings that match up with the connectors at the Cherokee's taillight assemblies, the only wiring required, other than attaching the ground wire, is the routing and connection of the 12V power wire that delivers operating power to the harness converter. This wire provides the actual power to light up your trailer lights and so avoids the risk of overloading the Cherokee's internal wiring.

Since you have blown two fuses I suspect the issue is a short on the power wire. This black wire needs to be routed well away from any moving parts, like suspension components, and from any parts that generate high heat, such as your exhaust. The wire could certainly be damaged by either friction or excessive heat. Placing the wire around the exhaust hanger could absolutely expose it to enough heat to damage it. So could the wire rubbing against any sharp metal surfaces on the vehicle's underside.

If the Cherokee's engine has not been run with the power wire in place then it is not likely that heat damaged it, but friction even from just routing the wire - if a surface is sharp enough - could have cut through the insulation resulting in a short. I suggest you carefully remove and inspect the black 12V power wire for any signs of cuts, tears, wear or abrasion to its insulation and replace if necessary with 12-gauge wire # 12-1-1.

The other item to check is your harness' white ground wire with ring terminal. This ring terminal MUST be tightly affixed to a clean bare metal surface behind the driver-side taillight. You need to sand off any paint or other material on the surface to ensure bare metal to bare metal contact and make a very tight connection.

The linked article on troubleshooting wiring harness installations may also help you.

expert reply by: Adam R

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