How bad is this?
- Thread starter steh-fan
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MikeinNH67
Senior Member
Can't really zoom in too well on the pic but it looks like it's easy to access which is the biggest thing in my opinion. If you don't know how to solder, pick up a kit and watch some videos on it. Simple enough to do. Use seal-able heatshrink to cover up the splices. Cheap fix if you do it yourself.
Hi Mike,
Thanks a lot for the fast answer.
This is the harness under the air box feeding the lights, indicators, VSC, etc
My fear is that the whole harness needs to be replaced which would be a lot of work.
If it is just soldering all cable together, that would not be too bad, just need a bunch of right cables to extend and can hopefully identify the right colors...
Stefan
Thanks a lot for the fast answer.
This is the harness under the air box feeding the lights, indicators, VSC, etc
My fear is that the whole harness needs to be replaced which would be a lot of work.
If it is just soldering all cable together, that would not be too bad, just need a bunch of right cables to extend and can hopefully identify the right colors...
Stefan
Hungryhawk
Member
If you have time ,and its not your daily driver, its possible to repair with soldering similar wire into place as splices. I did this to a shop Ram van V8 3500 years ago.
First you need to get comfortable positioned if repair in place is your goal. I fabricated a wide board with padding to lay upon. Most likely wire positions and insulation color will allow matching ends to splice.
Locate same gauge wire with matching strand sizes.
A quality soldering iron with adjustable heat is a must. I like electrical grade thin solder with rosin core. Watch a couple youtubes and your skill will improve fast.
First you need to get comfortable positioned if repair in place is your goal. I fabricated a wide board with padding to lay upon. Most likely wire positions and insulation color will allow matching ends to splice.
Locate same gauge wire with matching strand sizes.
A quality soldering iron with adjustable heat is a must. I like electrical grade thin solder with rosin core. Watch a couple youtubes and your skill will improve fast.
Runnin on E
Member
Looks isolated to just right there AND its accessible two really good things. I had wires chewed that were ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I did as stated above, splice with equal gauge wire and sealing heat shrink, BUT all that was done through the opening for the fuel pump!!!!
MikeinNH67
Senior Member
Oof, that must have taken some dexterity.
Hi,
Indeed, it is my wife's daily driver and I'm traveling out of town, there was time issue. I have a soldering iron, but not the wires in the right size....
With that, I was glad to find a good shop that completely fixed it yesterday for $400.
Now I just need to get rid of the squirrels before they go back in there ��
(Yes, ultrasound deterrent is already installed
Indeed, it is my wife's daily driver and I'm traveling out of town, there was time issue. I have a soldering iron, but not the wires in the right size....
With that, I was glad to find a good shop that completely fixed it yesterday for $400.
Now I just need to get rid of the squirrels before they go back in there ��
(Yes, ultrasound deterrent is already installed
Voltan73
Member
Nice, you got lucky, and got off easy for that price. I'm a back counter parts guy at a Toyota dealer; been there for 25 years. This is the worst year I've seen to date as far as rodent damage goes. We have multiple vehicles coming in daily with rodent damage. Firewall pads, blower boxes and engine harnesses seem to be the preferred chew toys, with the costs being very high. Almost all end up going through insurance, but the customer still has to pay the deductible. I feel bad for our customers, especially those who have it happen repeatedly.
Hi, thanks a lot for your comment.
Very comforting to hear it's not just our car, but of course sad for the other costumers.
Yes, I looked into the whole light harness situation and saw how involved that would be. And Toyota probably would not have one anymore (the vehicle is from 2003 after all).
In our area, it is unusual warm and dry and the squirrels just moved in recently.
Unless it is some chemical brake down of the plastic/rubber on older vehicles (do.you see certain model years more often?), I guess a lot has to do with warmer climate. I would assume these animals with normally hibernate during this period of the time, but maybe they didn't get that message...
Mice have removed the insulation from my hood and engine compartment. I had a couple of chewed wires but luckily, there was enough room to splice in a patch.
MrSeth
Member
Its not bad brother. Just match the wire gauge, solder and heat shrink your connections, re-wrap.
Not as bad as when I sucked up a fuzz butt between my timing belt and cogs!
Voltan73
Member
This sort of thing occurs year-round, but is most prevalent in winter. At first, we saw this sort of thing in newer vehicles. Wire harnesses now have soy-based wire shielding, which the rodents love. They used to ignore the older vehicles that didn't have the soy-wrapped wires, but now we're seeing them in those as well. In our shop, it's almost all rats & mice. Some vehicles come in with live critters still in them. We've set traps in the vehicles overnight, and had some success at taking out the rats. Personally, I think it's becoming a learned behavior for the rodents to seek out nesting areas in vehicles.
airbag sensor
I wonder if anybody knows where exactly the airbag sensor is or which color the cable is that is is connecting the sensor.
I thought I had it all sorted out, but it seems that there might be more cables damaged that are not obvious to see.
Thanks for your help!
I wonder if anybody knows where exactly the airbag sensor is or which color the cable is that is is connecting the sensor.
I thought I had it all sorted out, but it seems that there might be more cables damaged that are not obvious to see.
Thanks for your help!
Attachments
AuSeeker
Elite Member
Typically airbag wiring outer sheaths/looms that bundles the airbag wiring together are yellow and all the connectors are yellow, the wiring inside the sheaths/looms can be different colors.
That being said look for yellow connectors on sensors to try and track down the airbag sensor.
Here's a link to search results for the front right airbag sensor location that may help.
Google Search
That being said look for yellow connectors on sensors to try and track down the airbag sensor.
Here's a link to search results for the front right airbag sensor location that may help.
Google Search
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If you go look up the zero-point calibration procedures you can find the method to pull the codes without a reader. You need to jumper 2 OBD pins and then follow the instructions and it will flash out the code.
I had the exact same issues with mice eating my wiring, and the error code led me to the correct wire where I did in fact locate mouse damage that was hard to notice.
This is great, thank you! I did the zero-point calibration before even used the code reader. I wasn't aware it can actually throw some codes.
