Scope and
identification
PBT GF20 is a
material marking—polybutylene terephthalate with about 20% glass-fiber
reinforcement—not an Aptiv family name. Identify a housing by its numeric part
number, cavity layout, terminal size, sealing, keying and CPA/TPA design. This
article covers ordinary low-voltage automotive circuits only.
|
Area |
Identification clue |
Service meaning |
|
Front |
Cavity
layout, keys, terminal size |
Separate
only on the mating axis |
|
Top/side |
Part
number, latch, CPA |
Release
secondary lock first |
|
Rear |
Wire
seals, mat seal, TPA |
Open TPA
only for depinning |
|
Color |
Housing
and secondary lock |
Color
alone cannot confirm a part |
Representative
automotive Aptiv housing families
Weather-Pack
A
long-established sealed family used where water and dirt are expected. Press
the flexible latch and pull the plastic bodies straight apart.
Figure 1.
Weather-Pack sealed housing and wire seals
Metri-Pack
Available in several
terminal sizes and sealed or unsealed versions for sensors, lamps, motors and
relays. Check any contrasting secondary lock first.
Figure 2.
Metri-Pack sealed multi-cavity housing
GT
/ GTS
Compact
automotive housings may show a front TPA. Use the outer latch to separate the
connector; move the TPA only when removing terminals.
Figure 3. GT
housing with front TPA
OCS
A sealed
sensor, actuator and device-connection family. Clean contamination before
release and avoid twisting the interface seal.
Figure 4. OCS
sealed housing and interface seal
APEX
A broad
terminal family with varied latch and optional CPA arrangements. Confirm the
actual movement of every colored lock.
Figure 5. APEX
sealed housing
CTS
Sealed sensor
and actuator housings can use a red captive CPA. Move it a few millimeters
before pressing the main black latch.
Figure 6. CTS
housing with red CPA
CTCS
multipin device connector
High-cavity
device connectors may use a cam, slider or lever. Release the interlock and
operate the lever through its designed travel.
Figure 7. CTCS
multipin device housing
Direct-connect
housing
A housing that
mates directly to a device blade still contains terminal lances and may have a
rear secondary lock. Never pull on the wires.
Figure 8.
Automotive direct-connect terminal housing
HSD
data housing
Shielded, keyed
housings used for cameras and infotainment require careful latch release and
minimum cable bend. Do not grip the metal shield with pliers.
Figure 9. HSD
automotive data connector housing
General
connector separation
Switch the
ignition off and follow the vehicle manual for battery isolation and wait time.
Photograph the locked position, clean the area and push the mating halves
inward by 1–2 mm to unload the latch. Move any CPA, slider or lever to its
service position, press the moving end of the main latch and pull the plastic
bodies straight apart.
Press-tab
housing
Press the
flexible end rather than the hinge. If it remains locked, stop and look for a
hidden CPA instead of applying more force.
Figure 10.
Unload the latch, press the tab and pull straight
CPA-equipped
housing
Move the CPA
only to its designed service position. Captive versions are not intended to
leave the housing.
Figure 11.
Move the CPA before pressing the main latch
Slider
and lever housing
Release the
interlock and operate the slider or lever smoothly. The cam extracts the
connector; do not pry on the lever pivot.
Figure 12.
Release the slider first
Figure 13.
Release the lever tab and rotate the lever fully
Depinning
one terminal
Record cavity
numbers and wire colors. Move the TPA to service position, insert the correctly
sized tool into the release channel, depress only the terminal lance and
withdraw the wire from the rear. Do not damage the contact spring. Reinsert the
terminal, tug-test it and relock the TPA.
Figure 14.
Open the TPA, depress the lance and withdraw the terminal
Safety
exclusions
Yellow SRS connectors require
vehicle-specific shutdown and discharge procedures; never probe an inflator
circuit with an ordinary test lamp or meter. This guide excludes 48V, orange
high-voltage EV and industrial connector systems and must not be used as their
service procedure.
Reassembly
and conclusion
Inspect pins,
backed-out terminals, corrosion, heat damage, seals and latches. Align the
keys, mate the housings straight, return every CPA or slider to full lock and
perform a gentle tug test. Aptiv housings are identified by part number,
terminal system, sealing and lock—not by PBT GF20. Vehicle and exact-part
service information always takes priority.
Sources
Aptiv
Connection Systems e-Catalog and Aptiv automotive connector product imagery and
catalogs. Product images are used for identification and educational
explanation. Vehicle-specific and exact-part service manuals take priority.