Reverse wire location in 2001 Saab 9-5

[kaisersoesa]

Can anyone help me find an easy location to tap into the reverse wire on a 2001 Saab 9-5? Thanks for any help you can give me.

[cp2e]

I also have a 01 9-5. This site helped me out.

http://www.mitt-eget.com/saab/faq_audio.shtml

[HiFiSi]

Tap the power wire going to the backup/reverse lights on the rear of the car.

[kaisersoesa]

I knew about that site, it was very helpful for the install. Thanks for the response.

 

HiFiSi, do you by any chance know where I might access that wire in the front passenger compartment somewhere? The wiring diagrams I've found aren't too specific.

[mattlach]

Tap the power wire going to the backup/reverse lights on the rear of the car.

 

Jeez. How do you route a wire all the way back there without taking apart the entire car?

 

There's got to be something accessible in the dash area...

[mattlach]

Alright, I did some research on this and found a great and easy way to tap into the reverse signal on the 9-5. (This was done on my 2004 Aero 5spd model)

 

If your 9-5 is equipped with the auto dimming rear view mirror, the rear view mirror listens for the reverse signal so that it can undim when you put the car in reverse and it is bright behind you, so you can see.

 

This is a green wire that goes from the DICE unit under the dash, up the passenger side A-pillar (on LHD models, not certain about RHD), along the headliner and through to the rear view mirror.

 

I didn't have much luck finding the wire under the dash, so I removed passenger side A-Pillar cover (the A-Pillar is the pillar between the windshield and the front side windows) and looked for green wires. I found two. Upon closer examination one is green/white, and one is plain green. The plain green wire is the reverse signal. Just to make sure, use a temporary screw-in wire tap (the kind that doesn't permanently crimp when used) and tap a test wire into it. Use your multimeter grounding the black side on any bare body metal (or the ground in the cigarette lighter, but bbe careful not to tough both poles in the cigarette lighter output, or you'll blow fuses fast) and the red side to your test wire.

 

You should be able to (with the ignition in the "ON" position put the car in reverse and see a +12V reading, and then see it disappear back to 0V when you take it out of reverse again.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Now I just need a way to find the VSS signal on my car. Up until 2003 the VSS was located on connector H43-1 in the driver side (LHD) footwell. (pull up door sill, opne cover in footwell under steering wheel, pull back carpet, there are three large connectors on the left side (blue green and white) H43-1 is the white one. Pin 38 on this connector (green wire) should have the VSS and you should be able to tap into it here. (For more help in finding this connector with pictures, see this thread) When I found it - however - there was no wire at pin 38. I have been told that in 2004 they removed the simple VSS in the Saab 9-5 and sent everything over the CAN bus instead.

 

I may be able to route a wire directly to the ABS unit, but if that doesn't work, I'll have to buy a $300 can bus adapter if I want the VSS signal