LiamLikeNeeson

So I was installing a microphone for handsfree phone calls and I saw this cable under the dash not plugged into anything. What could it be?

extrashaky

Government tracker. Very suspicious indeed.

LiamLikeNeeson

very possible. But I recently had to have my ECU replaced and the diagnosis guys had to go through a lot until they found out it was the ECU so the cable probably didn't get plugged back in?

toasterknight

It may be nothing. Most came with the same harness regardless of options.

LiamLikeNeeson

Huh. Ok. Well my mechanic has the exact same jeep and he has the same thing. My jeep still works and that's all that matters!

extrashaky

It isn't cost effective to make a separate wiring harness for each set of options in each car. They often make one or two wiring harnesses for the whole line and then plug in whatever options end up on the car. Most cars therefore end up with orphaned connectors.

Sometimes you can find out what option went there and install it. Even better, sometimes you can tap into the orphaned connector to get power to some aftermarket gadget or homebrew mod.

There's a connector in the dash of my Subaru that people were going nuts over trying to figure out what the hell it was, since nobody seemed to have that missing feature. Turned out it was for a security system only sold in Europe. Some guys then used it to tap into power for other things.

Somebody here can probably eventually tell you what that connector is if you really, really want to know. But if your only concern is that something's not connected that should be, don't worry about it.

LiamLikeNeeson

Huh. Ok. I'll pull out the big guns (my power tester. The needle looking thing with the light) and see if it puts out any power! If so I will cover the ends with electrical tape for now just for safety.

extrashaky

Not necessary, but do it if it makes you feel better.

LiamLikeNeeson

Lol. If it's not necessary then I'm not going to waste tape! Thanks

SteveMongr

I discovered two empty plugs under driver dash on my 1996. One was for left and right dash speakers, the other for footwell lights.
Lights had a 2-wire connection, speakers had a 4-wire connection. Not sure what your 3-wire is.

LiamLikeNeeson

Mine is an '89 limited and I think it has tweeters on the bottom half of the dash. I don't know if they work but if they do, they won't sound good because they are 26 year old speakers. I installed new speakers on the front doors and trunk sound bar an they have tweeters on them anyways. And my courtesy lights all work fine.