Help building a wiring harness adapter to use 98 hazard switch in 01 Accord

**timeshifter** · 01-14-2008, 10:38 PM

I've got a 2001 Accord. I paid $250 to have a local car stereo shop modify a spare dash insert so that my LCD touchscreen would look great. After they started the work I realized that the dash insert was from a 1998 or 1999 Accord.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of the two model years:

Fortunately everything works fine - heater controls, clock, physical mounting, etc. Except: the hazard switch is wired differently.

After extensive tracing I've pretty much determined the differences in the connector mappings between the two and believe that if I could just swap the wiring leads that everything will work and look very clean.

However, I don't want to hack up the factory wiring. All along I've wanted to maintain the ability to easily switch from having a carputer back to a factory setup. So, I thought I could build an adapter harness.

Here's some more pics:

The top left pic shows the clock/hazard switch module coming out of the dash. The bottom right pic shows the wiring harness connector from both angles as comes from the dash. The top right pic shows the two switches side by side. The 01 switch is on the left and the 98 is on the right. The bottom right shows the connector on the back of each switch.

I need another wired harness connector like the male connector coming out of the dash. I may be able to find this at a scrap yard or other source as it would be the same as the stock connector. I'd also need a female connector like the one on the back of the hazard switch. I'd fashion a cable that crossed the pins so I could plug the female end into the stock connector coming out of the dash and the male end into the 98 hazard switch. If I want to return my dash to stock (no carputer and touchscreen) I simply disconnect the adapter harness and plug the original switch in.

Is this a good approach? Where can I find the parts? Anything else I should know or other comments?

**MatrixPC** · 01-15-2008, 11:51 AM

Why not just swap the hazard switch?
Or if you have the wiring diagram for both model, you can re arrange the pin at the connector and label the wires (for future ref) if you need to go back.

**timeshifter** · 01-15-2008, 05:35 PM

I forgot to mention that the switches are different sizes and shapes. They're close, but not close enough. It's not really feasible to switch the new switch into the older housing.

Now you're on to something. I suppose I could just rearrange the pins at the connector. What kind of tools do I need to do that? I've done some similar things with PC connectors a long time ago, but not automotive connectors.

**timeshifter** · 01-16-2008, 03:55 PM

^bump^ ... if anyone has any thoughts at all please post here. I'm getting desperate!

Thanks.

**h3rk** · 01-16-2008, 04:26 PM

Have you tried looking through service manual (or related) literature to try to get a part number for the male plug on the harness, and then searching through connector re-sellers for whatever part that may be, looking of course for a female counterpart? It's a long shot, it's hard to do, I've done something very similar for a chevrolet plug, and it took an awfull lot of searching through the internet for a factory connector. ANd even then, they guy that I got it from had to (just for me) add it to his stock.

Also there is a thread in the forum on how to make your own molded plug, it was for a male, but maybe you can do a female in a similar fashion.

Search around for it if you want, when I get more time I will try and find it myself and post the link.

Later this evening I can try to help you find the male's pn from the OE Manufacturer and see if some of the contacts I've made in that industry can get the other half of the pair.

I'm not saying I can find it though, and even if I do, You may need to buy 50-100 of them

**turbocad6** · 01-16-2008, 04:44 PM

well, to tell you the truth, what I would do is solder to the terminals at the new switch, then solder to the wires from the car. done deal. if you want to get fancy, solder to the new swtch, butcher the old switch & use the rear of it only & solder to that, then it will still plug in to the factory harness with no splicing...

you could also solder it all up & then use a different suitable disconnect plug for sevicing it too, I think gutting the old switch & using the back of that would be the approach I would take.

this is all asuming you can't just go to a junkyard & cut out the plug you really need, which is probably the best option.

getting that plug from the dealer probably won't hapen without buying a whole dash harness...

**h3rk** · 01-16-2008, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by turbocad6

well, to tell you the truth, what I would do is solder to the terminals at the new switch, then solder to the wires from the car. done deal. if you want to get fancy, solder to the new swtch, butcher the old switch & use the rear of it only & solder to that, then it will still plug in to the factory harness with no splicing...

you could also solder it all up & then use a different suitable disconnect plug for sevicing it too, I think gutting the old switch & using the back of that would be the approach I would take.

this is all asuming you can't just go to a junkyard & cut out the plug you really need, which is probably the best option.

I think the problem is that the he wants to make something like an aftermarket radio adapter, something to plug in to the existing harness male connector, and then to the new switch. while keeping both parts prestine. Getting another hazard switch and that conmnector (with about a foot of harness wires still attached), hacking off the back end, and soldering the wires in, is a perfectly good way to go. Then if you wanted to make it look pretty, mold from the back of the hacked-off female, towards the wires about half of an inch to cover the solder job.

Originally Posted by turbocad6

getting that plug from the dealer probably won't hapen without buying a whole dash harness...

I know a few places where some plugs can be obtained from re-sellers that obtain them from the suppliers to the auto manufacturers. But the market is small and the selection is indeed limited.

Its probably overkill, IMHO. There's nothing wrong with a little splice and solder. Although

, I've done it.

**turbocad6** · 01-16-2008, 06:41 PM

well if he really wants pristine then he can cast his own plug

, but it's an 01 accord not an 08 rolls

, the only thing that would wind up butchered with my approach would be the 2 switches themselves, I would then mold in the rest with epoxy to finish it off & seal the wiring... it definitely isn't butchered to me that way, and it's done an hour after you thought about it.

when doing custom fabrication, one thing I've learned is, sometimes if you try to do everything too "correct" you may wind up never getting it done, I've seen guys get so anal that they build molds & cast brackets to not have to cut a piece of hidden plastic inside a dash. yeah, so 3 years later he's still working on an install that never got really installed. I've been there too, taking years for an install. sometimes the best way to do it is to just do it. this is trivial & not butchering anything more than 2 easily replaceable switches.

do it, done

**h3rk** · 01-16-2008, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by turbocad6

when doing custom fabrication, one thing I've learned is, sometimes if you try to do everything too "correct" you may wind up never getting it done, I've seen guys get so anal that they build molds & cast brackets to not have to cut a piece of hidden plastic inside a dash. yeah, so 3 years later he's still working on an install that never got really installed.

That's probably why my 8" is still not in my altima bezel

. Good advice, I'm sure.

**turbocad6** · 01-16-2008, 07:00 PM

NO

, that's different, that's up front & center, shoot for flawless there & hopefully you'll wind up with really nice. this is different, it's unseen & would never take anything away from even a mint install. this ain't butchering at all, it's modifying