unused wiring harness from factory?

[Humble Leader]

hi smart people of T4R. please educate me here. I have a 2012 4runner limited. it is loaded except for two items (parking assist and auto running boards). it has the JBL, satellite, etc. every option from factory. I was installing a trailer brake and noticed there is a wiring harness that does not appear to be used to the left of the steering wheel behind the panel.

yes I should have taken a pic, but we're past that now, so I stole a screen cap from TRD JON and circled the area where the harness is on my vehicle (first pic). second pic is what my panel looks like. I've made an arrow to what I think is the unused harness but mine is exposed and not taped up.

all of my switches on the panel operate, steering wheel and driver's door panel controls fully functional, same with JBL radio, satellite, etc. all lights on the dash work. everything electronically works, I checked it out tonight and I've never had an issue. there's also no empty slots to plug this harness into though. it's not very long so there's only so many places it could plug in. could this be for the parking assist or auto running boards?

I did have an aftermarket remote start that was properly installed with good wiring. it was disabled years ago. power lines cut and removed but the wiring splices are still there. the main control unit is still in the car with all the wiring but that wiring seems to go from the control box to steering wheel and that's it. I don't think this is related

any ideas? I would imagine if something needed that plug then I wouldn't have that functionality but everything works? :hatsoff: I've seen unused factory harnesses in the tacomas but never a 4runner 5th gen

 

[jrandom]

While a 5th gen 4runner is basically the same as every other 5th gen 4runner there are a bunch of different trim/levels that have "different" accessories, just because yours is "loaded" doesn't mean that a harness should be populated. There are differences in harnesses BUT for the most part they are similar. They do get subtle changes over the years to accompany newer components.

 

[repo]

If everything works who cares, I've found a bunch of unused connectors and stuff. Some are leftovers for other platforms or JDM RHD versions I would guess. I still wonder what the glaringly unused large harness connector is for in the passenger back corner of engine compartment...