New to this forum, I will complete a user profile later in the week. I just bought a 2016 F250 diesel crew cab, am trying to install my fire radio and have just about pulled all my hair out looking for the user ends of the upfitter switch wiring. I can't find any information on a 2016, the 2015 shows them behind the kick panel on the passenger side (it looks like). However, I have not been able to find them there, or anywhere on the driver's side around the other wiring. Has anyone here actually seen the upfitter wires on a 2016?

I did find the pass through wires on the driver's side behind the fuse/relay box in the engine compartment, but don't need those at this time.

Bill Perry
Caldwell, Texas

 

Fords don't like any type add ons because if not taking the vehicle electronics into consideration , I don't know any other way to say this, but "bad things happen".
Your best bet is to check with a dealership service dept.

 

I fully understand, it's not like my old '40 Chevy where you just put a switch in the dash, grab a 12 volt wire and go for it. So Ford was nice enough to protect their vulnerable electronics by providing four switches with fuse protected relays for us to use if we want to add some kind of electronics. But, WHY make that resource so well hidden that you have to dismantle the dash to find them? That just makes the amateur automotive electrician more apt to drill a hole in the dash, grab the first 12 volt wire he comes to, and hook it up.

 

After a lot of poking, removing panels and exploring with a flashlight and mirror, I finally located the upfitter switch wire stubs in my F250. What a pain (in the back unfortunately from laying under the dash) but now my fire radio is functional on a 25 amp switch and when I get the lights ready I know where the wires are. Ford didn't exactly get generous with the length of the stubs, and since I detest mechanical splices of any kind it took some maneuvering to get it soldered and covered with shrink tubing, but it's finally done and the result looks like factory wiring. I also detest having add-ons with wires running randomly throughout the truck, so they are tie wrapped to existing bundles.

 

 

 

They were tied to a wire bundle between the steering column and the left side panel, very high up in the dash. They are not very long, about 4 inches as I recall, and considering two of them are supposed to be good for 20 amps, they were really small wires. Looked like about 20 gage wire. You practically have to stand on your head to connect wires to them. Even after you spot them, if you walk away and come back, they will be a challenge to find again. I will see if I can get my camera out to my truck tomorrow and get a picture under the dash.