Installation
INSTALLATION IS VERY EASY and We Guide You Step By Step!
1. Lay the Cat Safeguard harness out along the passenger side of your engine compartment and fish it behind the truck's fuse panel and down to the underside of your truck;
2. Unplug the truck's factory electrical connection to the hood switch.
3. Connect the Cat Safeguard T-harness to the hood switch and to the electrical connection that you just unplugged from the hood switch;
3. Set the Cat Safeguard modules into place and plug them together;
4. Connect the Cat Safeguard "brain" module to the Cat Safeguard harness;
5. Make the connections to your truck's electrical system.
That's About It!
IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR!
>>>>>>>>>>> BUT BEFORE YOU BEGIN <<<<<<<<<<<
Installation of the Cat Safeguard Catalytic Converter Theft Deterrent System should require less than an hour. The important thing is to understand what you're trying to do before you actually start to do it. That's why it's important to read and understand the instructions FIRST.
WE' RE HERE TO HELP YOU IF YOU GET STUCK
To begin, although the instructions that follow may appear to be complicated they are actually very straightforward--just take them one line at a time.
Once you being reading them, you'll find that the instructions simply consist of the following major steps:
SECTION 1: SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
This section simply tells you to make sure your vehicle is stable and that you should wear appropriate clothing and eyewear to prevent injury.
SECTION 2: DISCONNECTIING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL
This section tells you how to disconnect the vehicle's negative battery terminal
SECTION 3: THE CAT SAFEGUARD WIRING HARNESS
This section familiarizes you with the main Cat Safeguard wiring harness and shows you how to stretch the harness out along the passenger side of the engine compartment from front to back, with one end of the harness across the very front of the vehicle, and the other end extending down to the underside of the vehicle.
SECTION 4: THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY AND HOOD AJAR SWITCH
This section shows you how to connect the front end of the Cat Safeguard harness to the Hood Ajar (Hood Latch) switch. It's very easy to do and there are videos to show you how to do it.
SECTION 5: INSTALLING THE ANTENNA AND ROUTING THE CABLING
This section shows you how to install the antenna and route the wiring
SECTION 6: INSTALLING THE CAT SAFEGUARD MAIN MODULE AND SENSORS
This section shows where and how to place the Cat Safeguard Main Module under your vehicle. It attaches to the vehicle with a strong magnet--there is nothing to unbolt, and it will not move.
The section then tells you where and how to install the sensor assemblies, and how to route and secure the wiring.
And the last (well, almost the last) part of this section shows you how to plug everything together to complete the assembly.
STEP 7: BATTERY JUNCTION BOX (AKA FUSE BOX) CONNECTIONS
This section shows you how to connect the Cat Safeguard into your vehicle's electrical system. It's very straightforward.
SECTION 8: RECONNECTING THE VEHICLE BATTERY GROUND WIRE
This section shows you how to reconnect the battery ground wire, which will provide power to the system.
SECTION 9: FUNCTIONAL TESTS
This section describes how to verify proper operation.
SECTION 10: FINAL ASSEMBLY STEPS
This section wraps everything up.
THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT--IT SHOULD REQUIRE LESS THAN AN HOUR TO INSTALL THE SYSTEM
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN
THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION SHOWN HERE ILLUSTRATES A TYPICAL INSTALLATION--NOT NECESSARILY THE INSTALLATION FOR YOUR PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THIS IS SHOWN HERE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT'S INVOLVED.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAT SAFEGUARD ALARM MODELS ARE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TRUCK MODEL YEARS AND THE SOFTWARE INSTALLED IN THE CAT SAFEGUARD SYSTEM
YOU WILL BE PROVIDED WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR SPECIFIC VEHICLE
DO NOT USE THIS INSTRUCTION FOR INSTALLATION ON YOUR VEHICLE!
Installation of the Cat Safeguard Catalytic Converter Theft Deterrent System is extremely straightforward.
Each system comes with everything needed to install it--the only things that you need to provide other than common hand tools is a soldering iron or wood burner tool, a rivet tool (available for around $10 at your big box store) and a small tube of caulk-preferable black:
You will use the soldering iron to create two small divots in your vehicle's Battery Junction Box (located in the rear passenger side of the engine compartment) in order to allow the Cat Safeguard wires to connect into your vehicle's electrical system.
The caulk will be used to provide a watertight seal where the wires go into the Battery Junction Box.
And the hand rivet tool will be used to secure two steel shield plates below each catalytic converter in order to provide additional protection from would-be thieves.
The Cat Safeguard Electronic Catalytic Converter Theft Deterrent System consist of the following major components:
a) Power and Vehicle Interface Harness
b) Main Processing Module
c) Two Sensor Assemblies
d) A cellular antenna and cable
e) All hardware required to complete the installation
Installation involves the following sections:
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STEP 1: SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
WARNING!
****************************************************************************************SECTION 2: DISCONNECTING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL
Raise your vehicle's hood and disconnect the ground (negative) connection at your vehicle's battery.
The NEGATIVE battery terminal is shown in the photo immediately below Notice that the POSITIVE terminal (immediately above the negative one) generally has a red wire and terminal cover as delivered from the factory--yours may be different depending on whether or not your positive wire may have been replaced at some time in the past:
Figure 1 (Above): Locating the negative battery terminal
****************************************************************************************SECTION 3: THE POWER AND VEHICLE INTERFACE HARNESS
Familiarize yourself with the ends of the Power and Vehicle Interface Harness--one end will have a single FIVE-PIN connector, while the other end will have the connections necessary to interface with your vehicle's electrical system and alarm circuitry in the engine compartment. The end with the five-pin connector is the end that you will start with and route along the passenger side and then under your vehicle between the passenger side fender well and the firewall. Refer to Figure 3-1.
Figure 2 (Above): Identifying the five pin connector on the end of the Power and Vehicle Interface Cable. Note the coiled cable in the background of the photo.
3a. Lay the coiled Power and Vehicle Interface cable on the radiator shroud above the passenger side headlight.
3b. Lay a light source (a flashlight or a trouble light) under the vehicle just behind the tire-- You should be able to see light shining up through the gap between the rear of the plastic fender well and the firewall. Refer to Figure 3-2.
Figure 3 (Above): Identifying the Firewall and Locating the Gap Directly Beneath It
3c. Fish the five-pin connector end (Figure 3-2 above) of the CAT SAFEGUARD Power and Vehicle Interface Harness along the passenger side of the engine compartment toward the firewall.
Ensure that the harness passes below the hood support strut and past the windshield washer fluid bottle (Figure 3-3).
Figure 3-3 (Above): Routing the Power and Vehicle Interface Cable Past The Windshield Washer Bottle
3d. Route the cable alongside the Battery Junction Box (the fuse box) and down through this gap--it will dangle above the ground and you will be able to see it hanging down beneath the vehicle. Refer to Figure 3-4.
Figure 3-4 (Above): Routing the Power and Vehicle Interface Cable
3d. From under the vehicle on the passenger side gently pull on the cable until you've pulled approximately three feet of the harness under the vehicle.
3e. Back in the engine compartment route the other end of the Power and Vehicle Interface Harness along the passenger side fenderwell toward the front left corner of the vehicle.
If you've done it correctly you should come upon a ground lug on the harness...(Figure 3-5).
Figure 3-5 (Above): The Power and Vehicle Interface Cable Ground Lug
...that is right next to the Battery Junction Box. There will also be two wires with fuses in them that are there as well. Don't do anything with them yet.
Then continue on around to the front corner of the engine compartment.
At this point you will have routed the harness up almost to the passenger side headlight. The next step is to get the end of the Power and Vehicle Interface Harness over to the hood latch assembly--which is behind the vehicle's grill:
3f. You will now notice a plastic shroud that covers the radiator and a/c condenser, and which surrounds the hood latch opening. You will need to remove four of the fasteners that secure the passenger side end of the plastic shroud--they are easily removed. Each fastener is a two-piece assembly and consists of a "fastener body" that is inserted through the shroud and down into the engine compartment metal, and a "stud" that goes down through the "fastener body" to secure it in place:
You will want to remove the four fasteners that secure the passenger side end of the shroud so that you can get under it. The fasteners can be removed by gently inserting the tip of a medium size flat blade screwdriver
(WARNING: DON'T USE A KNIFE BLADE!)
into the slot that is along the perimeter of the fastener "stud". Do this carefully--it's very easy to flip them up into the air and down into the engine compartment, so be careful.
Figure 3-6 (Above): Shroud Fasteners Part 1
Once the stud has been lifted (but not actually removed from the fastener body) you can pry the fastener body up to remove it. Again, don't allow it to flip up into the air--they are easily lost.
Figure 3-7 (Above): Shroud Fasteners Part 2
3g. Repeat step 3f. for the remaining three fasteners. With the four passenger side studs removed the plastic shroud can be lifted far enough to allow access to the area immediately forward of the radiator and a/c condenser.
WARNING:
THE FOLLOWING STEPS REQUIRE WORKING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE A/C CONDENSER. THE A/C CONDENSER CONTAINS HIGH-PRESSURE REFRIGERANT. THE CONDENSER IS EXTREMELY FRAGILE AND IS EASILY PUNCTURED.
CAT SAFEGUARD ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU PUNCTURE YOUR A/C CONDENSER!
YOU ONLY HAVE TWO EYES--BE SAFE, WEAR GLOVES AND FULL EYE PROTECTION!!
****************************************************************************************SECTION 4: THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY AND HOOD AJAR SWITCH
Before proceeding further take a look at the end of the harness: You will see a bridle consisting of two connectors: one male, and one female (the female connector is the larger of the two). Refer to Figure 4-1.
Figure 4-1 (Above): Hood Latch Assembly Connections
The next step is to disconnect the factory harness from the hood latch assembly and then insert the CAT SAFEGUARD harness between the factory harness and the hood latch assembly.
4a. Disconnect the factory harness from the hood latch assembly. The place where the factory harness connects to the hood latch assembly is clearly visible down in the hood latch well--this is where the lever that you use to release the hood is located. Refer to Figure 4-2
Figure 4-2 (Above): The Hood Latch Assembly
If you look down in there carefully you will be able to see where the factory wiring harness connects to the hood latch assembly ("Hood Ajar Switch Connector" in the photo above). You will need to remove this connector from the hood latch assembly. This is done by pressing the latch button (marked "Connector Release" on the RIGHT HAND END OF THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY CONNECTOR:
Figure 4-3 (Above): Hood Latch Switch Connector Release Detail
Once this button is pressed the male harness connector can be removed from the hood latch assembly connector. It takes some trial and error to do it.
A little tip: We've found that the easiest way to do this is to push your right hand through the grill to the right of the hood latch assembly and your left hand through the grill to the left of the hood latch assembly. Then, you need to press the latch button with your right thumb while gently "bending" left end of the male harness connector toward the a/c condenser. Please refer to the following video:
Figure 4-4 (above): HOOD LATCH CONNECTOR EXPLANATION VIDEO
You'll be able to feel and hear the connector release when this has been done properly. Once done you can remove the male harness connector from the hood latch assembly connector.
CAUTION:
DO NOT pull on the connector by the wires--pull on the connector body only.
4b. Next, lift the end of the shroud that you released in steps 3f and 3g. Once the shroud has been lifted the path to route the end of the harness over to the hood latch assembly should be obvious.
4c. Route the harness beneath the shroud and over to the hood latch assembly.
4d. Connect the two Power and Vehicle Interface Harness connectors to your vehicle's factory harness and hood latch assembly. The Ford factory male connector will plug into the female Power and Vehicle Interface Harness connector. Then the male Power and Vehicle Interface Harness connector will plug into the female hood latch assembly connector.
4e. Then, working back from the hood latch assembly route the harness back toward the windshield washer fluid bottle. Take care to ensure that nothing snags the harness. The assembly photo highlights where and how you can secure the harness with the included small zip ties as you work your way back toward the engine compartment firewall. The CAT SAFEGUARD kit includes some self-adhesive zip tie mounts that allow you to secure the harness between the shroud and the firewall. CAUTION: The self-adhesive zip tie mounts are intended for initial installation only and may not survive the engine compartment's environment. Therefore, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you make every effort to secure with the included zip ties the Power and Vehicle Interface cable to existing wiring that already exists in the engine compartment.
4f. As you approach the ground lug on the harness you will again notice the ground screw that is securing the factory ground wires to the vehicle engine compartment. Remove the screw, insert it through the Power and Vehicle Interface Harness ground lug and then through the factory ground lugs. Tighten the screw securely, however do not over-tighten it.
THIS CONCLUDES THE FIRST PART OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT INSTALLATION SECTIONS
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SECTION 5: INSTALLING THE CELLULAR ANTENNA AND ROUTING THE CABLE
The "standard" (without cellular communication) Cat Safeguard system does not require any modification to the F150 other than two divots to permit the connections to the truck's Battery Junction Box (aka "the fuse box")--refer to Section 7.
However, a cellular antenna is reuired in order to allow the Enhanced Cat Safeguard alarm system to place a cellular phone call to the owner's phone. For this reason a cellular antenna must be mounted on the front lip of the truck bed. This is the only instance where holes must be drilled in the truck.
The cellular antenna and its cable and mount are provided as a complete assembly--all that is required is that the center of the truck bed's front lip be located, and two holes drilled--one on each side of the centerline. Then the antenna mount is attached to the truck bed via two screws (provided).
5a. Remove or position out of the way any truck bed cover that might prevent or otherwise obstruct access to the front lip of the truck's bed.
5b. Find the center of the truck's front lip using the technique described in the following video:
5c. Place a piece of light colored masking tape on the lip of the truck, taking care not to obscure the center line mark that you made in step 5b. Place the center of the antenna mount over the centerline mark that you made in step 5b. Mark the position of the two mounting holes onto the tape.
NOTE: THE ANTENNA BRACKET SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL ANTENNA. HOWEVER, THE MOUNTING HOLE DISCUSSION IS STILL RELEVANT.
5d. Using a 3/16 drill bit carefully drill through the tape and down through the truck bed's lip.
5e. Remove the tape and deburr the two holes.
5f. Mount the antenna assembly, using the two #8 sheet metal screws provided. You may now reinstall your truck bed cover.
5g. Route the antenna cable down between the truck cab and the truck bed, fishing the cable down past the rubber lip seal.
5h. Place a 36 inch zip tie around the main frame rail. Tighten it and secure the antenna cable to it using a small zip tie. See Figure 5-1 below.
Note in Figure 5-1 the body mount that is just forward of where the antenna cable comes down from above...that body mount will be referenced in the next figure.
Figure 5-1 (above): The Antenna Cable Coming Down From the Antenna Above and Secured to the 36 Inch Zip Tie Next To It
5i. Route the antenna cable below the body mount referenced in step 5h. Place a 36 inch zip tie forward of the body mount. Tighten the zip tie and secure the antenna cable to it in order to keep the cable safely away from the body mount bracket, as shown in Figure 5-2.
Figure 5-2 (above): Antenna Cable Routed Safely Away From the Body Mount Bracket
5j. Once safely past the body mount route the antenna cable upward toward the fuel lines. Secure the antenna cable to the fuel lines using small zip ties as shown in Figure 5-3 below.
Note that the antenna cable passes INBOARD of the body mount.
Figure 5-3 (above): Routing the Antenna Cable Forward and Securing it to the Fuel Line
5k. Continue routing the cable forward and securing it to the fuel line as necessary. Refer to Figures 5-4 and 5-5.
Figure 5-4 (above): Continuing to Route the Antenna Cable Past the Body Mount and Securing To the Fuel Line
Figure 5-5 (above): Continuing to Route the Antenna Cable Past the Body Mount and Securing To the Fuel Line
5l. Stop here and bundle the excess antenna cable up out of the way. It will be used again in Section 6, when the antenna cable is connected to the rest of the system.
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SECTION 7: BATTERY JUNCTION BOX (AKA FUSE BOX) CONNECTIONS
Section 7 is specific to each particular model year truck. For the purposes of this guide we are going to show a typical vehicle. YOU WILL BE PROVIDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR SPECIFIC VEHICLE.
The CAT SAFEGUARD Power and Vehicle Interface harness comes with the correct fuses already installed for your specific model as defined in your owner's manual--all you will need to do is to verify that the fuses that are installed in the harness are the same values as the ones you will remove from your panel. The fuses that we have included for this vehicle (a 2016 F150 XLT) in this instruction guide are the same quantities and values as those that are specified in the 2016 F150 owner's manual.
You will notice that there are two fused wires in the harness: a short wire and a long wire--each wire generally contains two fuses-- ALWAYS a 2 amp fuse to protect the CAT SAFEGUARD equipment, and a second fuse (per your owner's manual) to protect the truck's particular circuit.
NOTE:
NOT ALL POWER AND VEHICLE CABLES WILL HAVE FUSES IN BOTH SLOTS, ALTHOUGH THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A 2 AMP FUSE IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE TWO SLOTS
7a. We will begin with the short wire that protrudes from the Power and Vehicle Interface cable:
In the 2016 F150 the short wire in the Power and Vehicle Interface cable has two fuse positions, each of which contains a fuse: a 2 amp fuse in one position and a 7.5 amp fuse in the other--see Figure 7-1.
Figure 7-1 (above:) FUSED SHORT WIRE
This short fuse wire will plug into Battery Junction Box fuse position #113 as highlighted in the Battery Junction Box photo immediately below:
Verify that fuse # 113 in your Battery Junction Box is 7.5 amp. If it is not 7.5 amp stop work and contact the factory immediately for assistance. However, assuming that it is a 7.5 amp fuse then use a fuse puller to remove fuse # 113 from the truck's Battery Junction Box. Temporarily route the short wire over to fuse panel slot # 113, but do not install the wire into the fuse slot yet.
Using a soldering iron or electric wood burner tool melt a small divot in the side of the Battery Junction Box IN THE LOCATION SHOWN in the Battery Junction Box photo above. The divot should be deep enough that the wire is not chafed, cut, or crushed when the cover is replaced.
Verify one last time that you are about to install the short wire connector into fuse # 113 and then press the short wire firmly into place.
7b. Next, we will work on the long wire that protrudes from the Power and Vehicle Interface cable:
In the 2016 F150 the long wire in the Power and Vehicle Interface cable has two fuse positions, ONE of which contains a fuse: a 2 amp fuse in one position and NO fuse in the other--see Figure 7-2.
This long fuse wire will plug into Battery Junction Box fuse position #21A as highlighted in the Battery Junction Box photo immediately below:
2016 F150 BATTERY JUNCTION BOX PHOTO (Fuse #21A)
Verify that fuse slot # 21A in your Battery Junction Box is has NO fuse in it. If your fuse location 21A is different then please stop work and contact the factory immediately for assistance. However, assuming that it contains no fuse then temporarily route the long wire over to fuse panel slot # 21A, but do not install the wire into the fuse slot yet.
Using a soldering iron or electric wood burner tool melt a small divot in the side of the Battery Junction Box IN THE LOCATION SHOWN in the Battery Junction Box photo above. The divot should be deep enough that the wire is not chafed, cut, or crushed when the cover is replaced.
Verify one last time that you are about to install the long wire connector into fuse slot # 21A and then press the long wire firmly into place.
7c. Verify the connections one last time.
7d. Apply a large drop of YOUR caulk (black is recommended) into the well of each divot. Then gently press each of the two wires into the caulk.
Ensure that the caulk completely encircles each wire and that it extends above the level of the surfaces that meet the Battery Junction Box cover.
ALLOW THE CAULK TO PARTIALLY CURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR BEFORE REPLACING THE BATTERY JUNCTION BOX COVER.
7e. After waiting for the caulk to partially cure replace the Battery Junction Box cover and secure as described in your factory owner's manual.
7f. Verify that the harness routing is correct and that nothing has been pinched, chafed, cut, or otherwise damaged during installation.
7g. Apply any needed self-adhesive zip tie mounts as required. Tighten the zip ties and trim the ends. Ensure that you do not accidentally cut any wires in the process.
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SECTION 8: RECONNECTING THE BATTERY GROUND WIRE
PLEASE NOTE THAT CAT SAFEGUARD WILL EMIT THREE LOUD BEEPS AT THE MOMENT THAT THE VEHICLE'S NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL IS CONNECTED.
8a. Having verified everything one last time reconnect the vehicle's negative battery terminal and tighten securely but do not overtighten it.
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SECTION 9: CAT SAFEGUARD FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM TESTS
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SECTION 10: CAT SAFEGUARD FINAL ASSEMBLY
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CATALYTIC CONVERTER ALARM SYSTEM!
Cat Safeguard
Houston, TEXAS USA