Wire run through firewall

[jasonefd19]

Gentlemen,


I need to run a cable through my firewall on my 14 Explorer. I just tore apart a bunch of dash board looking for an area to do this with no luck. Anyone have any tips or tricks? Using a strobe cable to get to the battery and my main goal is not to drill.

 

[MtnMan]

Gentlemen,

I need to run a cable through my firewall on my 14 Explorer. I just tore apart a bunch of dash board looking for an area to do this with no luck. Anyone have any tips or tricks? Using a strobe cable to get to the battery and my main goal is not to drill.

Start at the battery and follow the factory wiring. There's usually a bundle passing through the firewall on the drivers side (look around / under the brake master cylinder) and you can usually slide a few more wires thought he original grommet. The "tail" of a cable tie makes a good leader to feed wires through.


About that strobe cable, though... it's usually only 18 AWG. You almost certainly want something heavier.

 

[jasonefd19]

Thx mtnman. That a great idea. On the wiring, i am running 1 Fienex Pegsusus (pass side only) and thats it. Maybe use it 6-12 times a year, for less than 3 minutes a clip. Still a heavier gauge wire? Just want to do it right.

 

[MtnMan]

Strobe cable is 3 conductors, which you don't need. I'd suggest pulling a single 14 AWG wire.

 

[jasonefd19]

Ok, will do. Thanks for your help.

 

[dawson75]

really no reason to run power from the battery. Your fuse box should have an aux spot inside. run power from there with a protected circuit to a switch then to the light.

 

[jasonefd19]

Dawson, the directions state that the unit needs the red and black hooked straight to the battery, and a brown wire to a switch off another power. Now that I think of it, I believe someone told me I could connect red and brown and just run off switch instead of battery route. Gotta go back and check previous threads.

 

[kool aid 960]

Jason ,


If you are not using the other functions of the bar and just using it for the warning function then yes you can connect the red and brown together and take power from the switch. I have done it that way in the past a bunch of times.

 

[C2Installs]

The Ford Police Interceptor Utility has a pass-through hole up behind glovebox. It is not too hard to find and feeds into the wheel well lining on passenger front. To access, just reach up high under and behind glove box for a hump. THere is a 3/4" or so rubber grommet that can just be pushed out. It is oriented level to the ground. This hole will allow you to pass through easily. You will need to pull the wheel well liner loose...just remove all the philips head trim fasteners (8 total) that hold it in place, then pull liner away from plastic wheel well edge trim. DO NOT try to remove the edge trim as the clips break and/or pull free from the edge trim. A total nightmare and you will need new clips and maybe even new edge trim.


More info here: https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/2012/P-001_2013_Police_Interceptor_Wire_Harness_Pass-Through.pdf


Be advised, there is really no need to remove the knee bolster airbag and glovebox to access the grommet. I strongly caution you not to, as one of the first few times I did cause the airbag module to display a warning light. The dealer read the code and it indicated the knee bolster airbag was malfunctioning. They kindly repaired it as a warranty issue.


Anyway, not 100% sure this hole is available/unused on the Explorer, but I suspect it is there.


Also, I don't run wires the way it shows in Ford's bulletin...I run the wire/cable/harness inside and on top of the wheel well liner, inside the quarter panel, towards the headlight assembly, and out of the quarter panel near the headlight's rear locating peg and the long plastic/rubber trim piece that sits on top of the quarter panel and tucks into the rear engine compartment seal (it helps seal the hood and conceals the wiper fluid hose.)


Anyway's it's easy, really.

 

[Squad-6]

The Ford Police Interceptor Utility has a pass-through hole up behind glovebox. It is not too hard to find and feeds into the wheel well lining on passenger front. To access, just reach up high under and behind glove box for a hump. THere is a 3/4" or so rubber grommet that can just be pushed out. It is oriented level to the ground. This hole will allow you to pass through easily. You will need to pull the wheel well liner loose...just remove all the philips head trim fasteners (8 total) that hold it in place, then pull liner away from plastic wheel well edge trim. DO NOT try to remove the edge trim as the clips break and/or pull free from the edge trim. A total nightmare and you will need new clips and maybe even new edge trim.

More info here: https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/2012/P-001_2013_Police_Interceptor_Wire_Harness_Pass-Through.pdf


Be advised, there is really no need to remove the knee bolster airbag and glovebox to access the grommet. I strongly caution you not to, as one of the first few times I did cause the airbag module to display a warning light. The dealer read the code and it indicated the knee bolster airbag was malfunctioning. They kindly repaired it as a warranty issue.


Anyway, not 100% sure this hole is available/unused on the Explorer, but I suspect it is there.


Also, I don't run wires the way it shows in Ford's bulletin...I run the wire/cable/harness inside and on top of the wheel well liner, inside the quarter panel, towards the headlight assembly, and out of the quarter panel near the headlight's rear locating peg and the long plastic/rubber trim piece that sits on top of the quarter panel and tucks into the rear engine compartment seal (it helps seal the hood and conceals the wiper fluid hose.)


Anyway's it's easy, really.

Can anyone confirm the existence of this hole in the Explorer? I have to work on a couple this week. In the past I have just come through the parking brake grommet as I was just running power under the door floor trim to the back seat for remote mount radios.

 

[Iowamedic2013]

Any tips on running wire in an impala not 9C1 from the front and rear of the car

 

[dawson75]

Dawson, the directions state that the unit needs the red and black hooked straight to the battery, and a brown wire to a switch off another power. Now that I think of it, I believe someone told me I could connect red and brown and just run off switch instead of battery route. Gotta go back and check previous threads.

Sorry I missed the post you said you were wiring a Pegasus.


Dan

 

[thekameleon]

Can anyone confirm the existence of this hole in the Explorer? I have to work on a couple this week. In the past I have just come through the parking brake grommet as I was just running power under the door floor trim to the back seat for remote mount radios.

The hole is NOT present on a civilian Explorer it is covered by a silver/aluminum box with wires running through it. Some say you can try to get through where the window washing fluid enters the cab on the passenger side, but it is so far out of the way and nearly impossible to get to. I heard of someone drilling just under where the accelerator goes through the firewall. I intend on doing this myself, but waiting for warmer months before I do so.


I'd love to hear from upfitters on here what they have done with the Civilian Explorer's but they have been very quiet besides pointing out the Interceptor Utility hole... which is no use to us.

 

[twodogs603]

On the civilian Explorer I use the grommet in the upper right most point of the firewall where the windshield washer fluid hose goes thru. Its a bitch to get to and run wires thru, but it is possible. So far I havent had to drill thru the firewall, and there are very very few places where you can do it.


Someone else posted if you go right behind the fuse block there is a good place, but I havent done it.