I've had the dreaded broken wire somewhere in the trunk wiring loom for quite some time. At first it was just the right license plate light out for the longest but now other wires are breaking. Someone suggested to repair the broken wires instead of buying another loom at $337 but finding where its actually broke has been quite the chore.

I just pulled the harness out of the trunk bend tube but where the frick does it end?

This is taking so much time, I'm considering just buying the new harness and be done with it, finally. I mean is there one common area the wires break or could the breaks be practically anywhere? Maybe I'll check those suspect areas only. Ref: P/N 61119118817 (Repair wiring set for trunk lid).

 

It breaks where it bends and only there. Strip the wrap about 3" both sides of the bend area and look. You'll find the broken wire(s). It's possible the internal conductor has broken but the jacket is still intact. Look for spots where the individual wires are more flexible to show the weak/broken spot.

 

The wire loom goes inside the trunk hinge.

There is a black rubber grommet in the end of the trunk hinge. Pull it out.

Now unravel the black cloth tape and keep doing it until you see the broken wires.

When I had this problem I unraveled 12 inches of cloth tape before I found 4 broken wires.

 

I have long since had the wires and rubber grommet removed from the hinge since yesterday.

I have not unraveled the tape yet.

If its not near that area (within 3-12 inches or so), I'm going to just buy a new friggin' wire loom.

 

After I found the broken wires, I soldered in about 4 inches of new wire to each broken wire so I could extend the wire (and it would not be so stressed).

I also didn't put the rubber grommet back in the hinge.

It occurred to me that rubber grommet design is part of the problem.

 

Agreed.

 

I finally went in and started unwinding the black tape. I found two broken wires and two exposed ones right at that grommet bend. I'm just going to use some small wire nuts to fix it.

 

Wire nuts? May be the wrong way to go. I would suggest solder and heat shrink tubing. I would also put in a new splice of wire so that the soldered joints are not under stress. Remember, the wire broke at the position that it did due to stress. Make sure that the wires have flexibility there.

 

I wholeheartedly agree but I don't have a portable soldering iron plus I'm not putting that dang rubber grommet back in that caused the problem in the first place. I'll try the wire nuts and if it doesn't work, I'll try something else. Those wires aren't that difficult to get to.

 

I have never had the problem, just read about it. I am assuming that without the gromet that there will be direct wire to metal edge contact. If that is the case, may want to at least wrap the wires in a sufficient amount of electrical tape.