It's pretty cold out in the garage so rather than lie on my back on the concrete floor installing the hitch, I decided to do the wiring installation first.
To start off I pulled up the rear cargo floor panel & removed the cargo tray. I then removed the plastic kick panel (cover) by pulling up at the bottom backside:

Next I removed the wiring access panels. I used a flat blade screwdriver & gently pried up. They come out very easily:

Here's a look at the tabs on the backside of the access panels:

Starting on the driver's side, I removed the top plug from the back of the tail light. I used a flat blade screwdriver underneath the tab & gently lifted & pulled at the same time. Since it was so cold out the plastic was very brittle. I had ease it off very carefully because I did not want to break the plug:

Next I installed the Curt Hitch plug (with yellow wire) into the back of the tail light & installed the HHR plug into the Curt Hitch adapter. Plug & Play:

Here's a close-up look at the plugs on the driver's side. Everything fits together perfectly:

Here's a quick look at my work area with my makeshift lighting set-up:

Next I had to drill a 3/32" hole to mount the white ground wire:

Ground wire installed:

I then routed all the wires down & behind & under the gate & fed over to the passenger side lights. I unplugged & installed the Curt wiring to the passenger side lights same as the other side. Here's the finished passenger side set-up:

I stretched the finished trailer plug wires out to where the hitch plug will be located to get an idea of how much to leave out & exposed. I then wrapped the loose wires with electrical tape. I used the red color so it will be more visable when hooked up to the trailer. I re-installed the spare tire cover tray & kick panels. Here's what the finished wire looks like:

Overall it took about an hour. Some of the time was spent in setting up power for the drill & the lights. Plus it was pretty cold out there so movement was restricted somewhat.

 

I used the available ground just below the tail light there was a nut I removed and placed the ground on... No drilling and has worked great for 5 years now. Good how-to..

 

Yah I saw that one too but went ahead & drilled a new one just to be sure.

 

Good write up. Who's wiring was that? It's been 5 years also, but I don't remember having to setup a seperate ground, I was thinking it used the ground with the wiring harness.

 

The wiring kit came with the hitch. It's a Curt hitch.

 

That might be the differance, mine was from Hidden Hitch.

 

It was nice that the wiring came with the hitch. (Nice write up too!) Didn't come with my UHaul Hitch. Last week I went to 5 UHauls in my area and had customer service scour some other UHauls for the plug & play wiring-nowhere to be found, except Jersey. They do have a kit for 8.50 that splices in but I don't want anything perminant due to about 1 1/2 years left on Bumper to Bumper. I went with the UHaul brand because it was on sale for 19.99 (normally 38.99). Customer service was great-the Jersey store is shipping it to my Westbury LI store around the corner from me for free. I don't have to pay till it comes in. The Uhaul people were great to deal with in person & on the phone. I also bought an extra ball mount from them when I was in the store-on sale also for 19.99. I am working on buying a gently used folding trailer. The good stuff-weighs 350 pounds and can haul 1800lbs. I would only need it to haul a couple hundred pounds anyway-well under the 1000lb limit. Hopefully it happens.

 

There was no cutting, soldering (and I like that!). It was a direct plug in & fit perfectly!
They do sell the wiring kit separately. I saw it on eBay for $21.69 + shipping.
Here is what the Curt wiring loom looks like:

 

Nice write up and pictures.

(I'm still smiling about the table lamp.Maybe Santa will bring you a nice work light for Christmas.LOL)

 

Nice write up and a very good job, love the table lamp by the way, the dome lights in the HHR are a bit feeble.