Stop Using Electrical Tape: How a Mechanic Repairs Damaged Wires Correctly
About this video
Got a chewed, cut, corroded, or broken wire on your car? A bad wire repair is one of the most common causes of intermittent electrical problems that come back again and again. In this video, an ASE certified mechanic shows how to correctly repair damaged automotive wiring using wire strippers and the right tools, so the repair is as strong and reliable as the original factory wire.
SAFETY FIRST
Disconnect the battery before repairing any wire. Never cut or splice airbag wiring, usually yellow harnesses or connectors, unless the manufacturer allows it, and follow the factory repair procedure when it does. Keep heat guns and soldering irons away from fuel lines, and let the repair cool before reconnecting power.
WHAT WE COVER
Finding the damaged section and cutting back to clean, shiny copper
Using wire strippers the right way, matched to the wire gauge, so you do not nick or cut strands
Matching the replacement wire to the original gauge and type
Crimping with quality butt connectors and the correct crimping tool
Soldering a splice correctly, and when solder is the better or worse choice
Using adhesive lined heat shrink tubing to seal out water and corrosion
Staggering splices in a harness so the repair does not create a bulky weak spot
Repairing twisted pair CAN bus wires and keeping the twist intact
Why electrical tape, twisted wires, and tap style splice connectors fail
Checking the repair with a multimeter and a voltage drop test
Wrapping and securing the harness so it does not rub through again
COMMON CAUSES OF DAMAGED WIRING
Rodents chewing through harnesses
Wires rubbing through on brackets, the body, or moving parts
Heat damage near the exhaust and turbocharger
Green corrosion creeping inside the insulation from water intrusion
Previous bad repairs and aftermarket accessory installs
Wires pulled or pinched during other repairs
SYMPTOMS OF A DAMAGED OR BAD WIRE
Electrical problems that come and go, especially over bumps or in rain
Repeated blown fuses
Flickering lights or gauges
Sensors reading incorrectly or dropping out
Multiple warning lights on at once
A component that works when you wiggle the harness
RELATED FAULT CODES
Wiring damage often sets circuit low, circuit high, open, or short codes for the sensor or component on that wire. Common examples include P0117 and P0118 coolant temperature sensor circuit, P0122 and P0123 throttle position sensor circuit, P0335 crankshaft position sensor circuit, C0035 and similar wheel speed sensor circuit codes, and U0100 or U0121 lost communication codes when a network wire is damaged.
This repair method applies to nearly every make and model, including Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Ram, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Mazda, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Tesla, and works on cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, boats, and trailers.
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