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teddy1 · 06-03-2010, 03:17 PM

trying to run wires to hook into the tail lights from front to rear for my 09 saturn vue. Blue Ox instructions are incorrect. Has anyone done this and where are the tail light harness tie in? They say under back seat. Can't find the wire harness. next I will take on the base plate install. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Ted

DriVer · 06-03-2010, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teddy1

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Ted

teddy1, I use a "Bulb Kit" and I have not tied into the vehicle's wiring harness. I don't recommend it anyway. It's better to have your lighting kit independent form the vehicle.

The Vue is one of the More difficult installs. A lot of the car has to be removed. I have a 2008 pretty much the same as yours. The Blue Ox baseplate and removable tabs are the way to go!

teddy1 · 06-04-2010, 08:26 AM

DriVer,

Did you still run the wires from front to rear and if so how did you get the wires and bulbs in. Dicd you remove the rear inside panels of the car? It is a bugger getting the wires through the inside of the car.
Ted

DriVer · 06-04-2010, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teddy1

DriVer,

Did you still run the wires from front to rear and if so how did you get the wires and bulbs in. Did you remove the rear inside panels of the car? It is a bugger getting the wires through the inside of the car.

Ted, They actually run the wires underneath the car and tie wrap it up on the body components. The tail lights are removed from the inside panels I expect, I didn't do the setup. A 1" drill is used to make a hole in the brake/signal enclosure and the bulb holder is snapped into place. Make sure you check the exact dimension of the hole on the install instructions and purchase same. Use compressed air to blow out any plastic chips in the tail light housing before installing the lamp. I can take a picture of bulb location if that helps.

dang65 · 06-16-2010, 06:13 AM

I have a 2008 Saturn Vue. I used diodes to connect into the car lights. I have not had any problems but then I used the Roadmaster Hy-Power diodes. These diodes are very heavy duty. I think some people use too wimpy diodes and have problems with it. Roadmaster has very good instructions for installing the diodes on their web page.

If you take out the little storage wells on each side in the back you can get at the rear lighting wires. I ran the wires the same place that the factory did, under the door sills on the passenger side. If you remove two plastic door sills on the passenger side you can fish the wires through the factory raceways. Takes a little time, but can be done.

Ol'Joe · 06-17-2010, 05:35 AM

Hey Teddy,

I have an '08 Saturn Vue and did my own install of both the lighting and the base plate. My suggestion is simple, Get Someone else to do it! The base plate instructions are very easy to understand and they quote about 9 hours labor to install. The fact is it took me more than 14 hours and if you don't have access to a lift or oil pit it'll be worse. You literallly have to remove the entire front facia, h bumper, parts, brackets and the like. Drill 8 holes in the frame, cut up the bumper ends, fish nuts on wires down the inner frame (the worst part of all!) then put it back together. You also have to cut the front grill for the tow points to exit. Take my word for it, Get somebody else. You'll save yourself alot of stress and aggravation. The lighting was easy just like DriVer said. I ran the wireing along the frame and tied it in with zip ties. When you remove the light fixture you'll see where to run the wireas to the frame. Good Luck.

dang65 · 06-17-2010, 01:55 PM

I did my own base plate install on my 08 vue. I did not think it was too bad, but it did take me most of a day. It looked to me that the Roadmaster base plate would be much easier to install than the Blue Ox so I used the Roadmaster. I had a set of ramps for the front wheels or else it would have been much more difficult, or nearly impossible. Ol'Joe is correct, you need to remove much of the front end, but it is mostly just plastic pieces. Don't worry too much if you break some of the plastic holders as you can get replacements at a auto supply store. You do have to cut some of the plastic on front, but then, that one reason I wanted to do my own, so I could take my time and do a nice job of cutting.

I still think it is better to run the wires inside on the passenger side, out of the weather, like the factory did.

teddy1 · 06-17-2010, 03:20 PM

Thanks Dang65. I did the base plate myself and it wasn't bad. I just read your response and JUST started my wiring today and after much tearing apart found the rear wells and am using the diodes as you suggest. So you needed 2 diodes on each side and only tied into the brake and tail wires; right? Ignore the turn wire on the Saturn?

dang65 · 06-18-2010, 06:03 AM

Yes That is correct the brake bulb is used as the both the brake and signal just like they were on older cars. That is assuming they are on the motorhome. all I had to take apart was to remove the two little storage wells in the back. Then I could remove the light assemblies and push the wires back into the that space.

I don't know if they changed the manual for the 09, but my 08 manual did not say anything about removing a fuse. After frequently running the battery down I capped Saturn an they said the manual was wrong and the 2 amp "ign" fuse should be removed.

The brake light switch does not apply the 12 volts to the brake lights like most cars. Instead it applies some signal voltage to the control module. So if you want to use one of the brake systems that use the brake switch for something, this one will not work. Roadmaster has a supplemental stop light switch that can be installed to solve this.

teddy1 · 06-20-2010, 08:22 AM

Dang 65.
Got it. lights are done, base palte done and all works great. I'm a little fuzzy on the brake system workings as I haven't installed a supplemental break system yet. I've read about the supplemntal stop light switch but figure I'll worry about that if and when I install a break system. My Monaco Cayman 35 Diesel pulls great and I really can't tell the car is even there. Any recommendations or thoughts on a supplemental braking system. ted

DriVer · 06-20-2010, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teddy1

. My Monaco Cayman 35 Diesel pulls great and I really can't tell the car is even there. Any recommendations or thoughts on a supplemental braking system. ted

teddy1, Without question, The SMI Air Force One is the way to go!

dang65 · 06-20-2010, 06:07 PM

I think teddy1 is correct. I put in the Stay-IN-Play Duo, but I do not have a Diesel, so I had to go with the Stay-IN-Play Duo instead of the Air Force One. At least that the way I think it works. I really recommend a SMI system.

I did have some complaints about SMI though. They push the positive brake notification system -- ""Coach Notification" is another important aspect of any supplemental brake system" "Do you have coach notification FROM THE TOWED VEHICLES BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH".
Well that system just uses the brake switch to activate some led lights that you can mount "somewhere" that your backup camera can see. This seems a little weak given their sales pitch. Worse yet, when I called them they offered to sell me a wireless system that they dropped from their offering because it was not very reliable. I solved the problem by running a wire to the front of the motorhome and installing a led on the dash. I really like this system because it is a very positive and reliable indication when my auxiliary brakes are on (and off). Well it was not so positive because the brake switch is not normal, like I said above. When I called SMI they suggested I connect the notification led to one of the wires (I think the gray) that would indicate the system was activated. Well, I thought that just shot one of their big selling points down. Notably "Do you have coach notification FROM THE TOWED VEHICLES BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH?". I solved that with the Roadmaster switch mentioned above. I want a reasonably reliable indication (physical) that the brakes are activated AND RELEASED.

I still recommend SMI..

dan...