Geotab GO9 installation

Plug It In, Hear the Beeps: Geotab GO9 Installation

Cars, pickups, vans, box trucks, buses, and heavy trucks, new or decades old.

See the Geotab GO9

Two Geotab GO9 devices with MyGeotab Trips History on the map and the fleet dashboard on a phone

Geotab GO9 size and fit

What's in the Box

  • The GO9, configured for your fleet
  • The cable tie
  • Any adapter or Plug-N-Play harness the vehicle needs, matched by make, model, and year
  • Size: 2.95 x 1.97 x 0.91 in (75 x 50 x 23 mm), 2.5 oz (70 g). Palm-sized and smaller than a credit card.
  • Plugs into: the OBD-II diagnostic port, or its Plug-N-Play harness.
Geotab GO9 tracker from its label end, the blue 9 logo above its red, green and blue status lights, ready to ship
Hand holding a Geotab GO9 tracker beside a vehicle's OBD port

Choose Your GO9 Install

Easiest route

Straight into the diagnostic port

Most vehicles. No tools, no wiring.

Geotab drawing of the OBD-II 16-pin diagnostic port face, the D-shaped socket found under the dash of most vehicles
  1. 1

    Find the diagnostic port under the dash, at or below knee level on the driver's side.

Geotab GO9 tracker from its 16-pin plug end, the side that seats in the diagnostic port
  1. 2

    Push the GO9 in until it seats. A quick run of beeps means it has power.

Geotab GO9 with its red, green and blue lights lit above a legend: power, mobile network connected and GPS connection
  1. 3

    Watch the lights: green finds cellular, blue finds GPS. Once both are solid, you can walk away while setup finishes on its own.

Geotab drawing of a GO9 tracker seated in the diagnostic port under the dash, held snug by one cable tie
  1. 4

    Secure it with the cable tie in the box.

Hand holding a phone in a vehicle cab, MyGeotab showing Vehicle 24, Vehicle 12 and Vehicle 7 live on the map
  1. 5

    The vehicle appears on your MyGeotab map, and we confirm it is live with you.

Harness route

Plug-N-Play harness, tucked out of sight

For a port that sits in the driver's way, or a tracker you want out of sight. Your shop's scan tool still plugs in without unplugging the tracker.

Geotab drawing of an OBD-II diagnostic port clipped into its grey mount on the underside of the dash
  1. 1

    Unclip the vehicle's diagnostic port from its mount.

Geotab drawing of a GO9 tracker lined up to plug into the 16-pin socket at the end of its Plug-N-Play harness
  1. 2

    Plug the harness into the port and clip the harness bracket where the port was.

  1. 3

    Plug the GO9 into the harness and tuck it up behind the dash, antenna side up toward the sky.

  1. 4

    Cable-tie both connections.

  1. 5

    Same beeps and lights, and we confirm it is live with you.

Heavy trucks

Heavy-duty harness on the truck's diagnostic connector

Heavy trucks and buses on the 9-pin, 6-pin, 14-pin, or heavy-duty 16-pin connector, matched before it ships.

  1. 1

    Unplug the truck's diagnostic connector from its dash bracket.

Geotab drawing of a heavy-duty harness 9-pin socket seated in a flat mounting bracket, held at its four corners
  1. 2

    Seat the heavy-duty harness in that same bracket.

Geotab drawing of a round 9-pin harness plug lining up with the truck's 9-pin connector, its ribbed locking collar ready
  1. 3

    Plug the truck's connector into the harness and lock it in place.

  1. 4

    Plug the GO9 into the harness and tie it up out of the driver's way.

  1. 5

    Same beeps and lights, and we confirm it is live with you.

How You Know It Worked

The lights are on the end that faces you: green for cellular, blue for GPS.

  • Quick beeps: it has power.
  • Green finds cellular. Blue finds GPS.
  • Blinking means searching. Solid means found.
  • Both solid: installed. Walk away, and setup finishes on its own.
  • Plug in and walk away. The ignition does not need to stay on, and if the yard has no signal, setup finishes once the vehicle reaches coverage.
  • No lights or beeps: reseat the device firmly in the port or harness, then call us at (877) 771-2236.
  • Lights still blinking: it is still finding cellular and GPS. Move the vehicle into the open, and setup finishes on its own once it has signal.
  • Installed but not on the map: call (877) 771-2236 or email support@gpsfms.com with the serial number, and we confirm it is live while you stand at the truck.
Geotab drawing of the GO9 power, cellular and GPS lights: a faint blink means searching, a solid ring means done

Watch Geotab's heavy-duty harness install video

How to Install Geotab Universal 9-Pin Heavy Duty T-Harness

Video from Geotab's official channel, shown as a general guide. Your heavy-duty harness ships matched to the truck's make, model, and year, and we confirm it is live while you stand at the truck.

If a vehicle is different

Geotab GO9 Installation for Every Vehicle in the Yard

Odd ports, heavy trucks, older vehicles, and yards with no signal are still a job for your own crew.

What if the port hides behind a cover panel, or sits too deep to seat the GO9?

Your crew: Plugs the harness into the port, plugs in the GO9, and cable-ties both. Same beeps, same lights.

How we help: We match each vehicle by make, model, and year, so the right Plug-N-Play harness is in the box.

What if the port sits right where the driver's knee goes?

Your crew: Clips the harness bracket where the port was and tucks the GO9 up behind the dash, antenna side up.

How we help: The harness ships in the box, matched to the vehicle, and we confirm it is live with you.

What if it is a heavy truck on a 9-pin, an older 6-pin, or a newer 14-pin or heavy-duty 16-pin connector?

Your crew: Seats the heavy-duty harness in the dash bracket, locks in the truck's connector, and plugs in the GO9.

How we help: We match the truck's connector by make, model, and year, on 12V or 24V, so the harness fits.

What if the vehicle is older than diagnostic ports?

Your crew: Connects the three-wire harness to the battery and ignition, fuse in the kit, and ties the GO9 up.

How we help: We confirm the right wiring and install path before anything ships.

What if it is an electric van or car?

Your crew: Plugs it in like any other vehicle. Models with their own connector get a matched harness for the GO9.

How we help: We match every EV by make, model, and year, and many EVs report from the factory with no hardware.

What if the yard has no cell signal, or a metal roof over the bay?

Your crew: Plugs it in and walks away; if the lights blink under a roof, rolling into the open turns them solid.

How we help: It arrives configured, so setup finishes on its own once the vehicle reaches coverage.

Do our vehicles need a harness for the GO9?

Most cars, pickups, and vans do not. A port in the way, behind a panel, or on a heavy truck gets one in the box.

Does the engine need to run while the GO9 sets up?

No. Plug it in and walk away, and setup finishes on its own once the vehicle has coverage.

How do I know the GO9 is installed?

When the green and blue lights go solid: green found cellular, blue found GPS. We confirm it is live with you.

Which way does the GO9 face when it is tucked behind the dash?

Antenna side up: the GPS antenna is on the GO9's flat underside, so that side faces the sky.

Other Install Guides

Install Help From a Real Person

We stay on the line until the device is reporting. New to Geotab: start with a free demo device.

Get My Free Demo Device Contact Us Today or call (877) 771-2236