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I just purchased a 2011 manual GS. I am experiencing the intermittent service electrical system error. Browsing the forums led me to go to check my starter lugs, and I went in from the top just to see if it was possible to access and noticed this horrible splicing job on one of my connectors. This seems to be an ECM connector, the lower one mounted to the dry sump tank. In my research, this seems to be a 5V trigger wire (gray) and a 12V + battery wire (orange). Why would these be broken? I am assuming this could be my issue, especially with the exposed wiring. Could this have been some sort of WOT box or window switch? I bought the car unmodified short of c7z wheels and a resonator delete. The previous owner claims no knowledge and claims to have never had any electrical issues, even though there is a new alternator on the car which seems to be a go-to answer for the same error it is showing me.
Hoping to find someone who may have done something similar to their car with knowledge of what could be done, or someone with more diagram knowledge than I who could be able to point to me the purpose of the wires if I am incorrect in the 5V/12V assumptions.
Thanks all Gray wire with interesting splicing job - possible 5V trigger? Connector that has the high quality wiring job. See orange wire with exposed copper for possible 12V reference?
None sealing Butt connector repairs since can see the denting from the after market crimping tool, and would ditch them to go to either solder with heat shrink repairs, or self sealing heat solder type connector.
Even worse,
The gauge wire spliced back in, is not the correct gauge size wire to begin with.
The gray wire seems a bit large for a trigger wire. It looks like the short wire that is spliced in could be a fuse link, but it would written on the wire as fuse link. Can you scan the BCM and ECM for codes?
Dano, those are the exact connectors I am going to utilize to fix this mess this weekend, hopefully. Just wanted some insight into what it could have been, just worried it might have been a window switch or something for gas.
Hydra, I thought that as well. I inspected the short wiring some, and it seems like maybe they just used that to have some extra wire to play with. I do not have the nicest scan tool, but mine and my buddy's both came back with nothing for BCM/ECM which I have a hard time believing as the wires are obviously not sealing/conducting properly.
Last edited by ThomasK275; Jul 23, 2024 at 01:10 PM.
Reason: Double Response
Dano, those are the exact connectors I am going to utilize to fix this mess this weekend, hopefully. Just wanted some insight into what it could have been, just worried it might have been a window switch or something for gas.
Hydra, I thought that as well. I inspected the short wiring some, and it seems like maybe they just used that to have some extra wire to play with. I do not have the nicest scan tool, but mine and my buddy's both came back with nothing for BCM/ECM which I have a hard time believing as the wires are obviously not sealing/conducting properly.
I know the wire patch looks bad but it will likely conduct 12 volts. It may cause corrosion issues in the future so it is wise to upgrade the repair. We bought some of those connectors for our shop. The boss liked them and told everyone to use them. I liked to crimp and solder joints if possible and cover with heat shrink or at least liquid electrical tape. We started having intermittent connection issues on some of those repairs and I replaced a wire that had one of those connectors in it. The connection looked good but I had to prove that some people were not getting the connection done properly. Some wires are very difficult to get solder to melt into. I cut the plastic cover off the connection and the solder was melted but only adhered to one wire. the other wire fell away from the repair. The plastic heat shrink was the only thing holding the wires together. If a wire is dirty or corroded and does not accept solder well, the nice, neat repair can be deceiving.
I know the wire patch looks bad but it will likely conduct 12 volts. It may cause corrosion issues in the future so it is wise to upgrade the repair. We bought some of those connectors for our shop. The boss liked them and told everyone to use them. I liked to crimp and solder joints if possible and cover with heat shrink or at least liquid electrical tape. We started having intermittent connection issues on some of those repairs and I replaced a wire that had one of those connectors in it. The connection looked good but I had to prove that some people were not getting the connection done properly. Some wires are very difficult to get solder to melt into. I cut the plastic cover off the connection and the solder was melted but only adhered to one wire. the other wire fell away from the repair. The plastic heat shrink was the only thing holding the wires together. If a wire is dirty or corroded and does not accept solder well, the nice, neat repair can be deceiving.
Very good point. I usually slide some black heat shrink and one of those connectors up the line, twist the stripped wires together, do the shrink/solder connector over the wrap, and then heat shrink that. Super overkill but looks good with the black shrink over it all and seems to be solid.
Very good point. I usually slide some black heat shrink and one of those connectors up the line, twist the stripped wires together, do the shrink/solder connector over the wrap, and then heat shrink that. Super overkill but looks good with the black shrink over it all and seems to be solid.
I do my solder joints pretty much the same as you except I flare both ends of the wires slightly then push them together an then twist them before soldering.Makes for a slimmer joint and maybe even helps conductivity.
The lower of the two blue butt splices has overheated and to my electronic technician eye ***** was not crimped properly.
Further, from the looks of the picture, there is Very Little Wire available to make a proper repair.
Light Bulb Moment; I would likely try to cut up the butt splice in order to salvage wire length.
I am willing to bet had the original repair been crimped with an appropriate tool, this fix would have lasted.
Best of Luck with a durable fix!
P.S. The ssplices you find at the box store do not compare to commercial quality. See mouser.com or digikey.com for the good stuff.
Intermittent Wiring Issue
