Driver's Door Electrical Connection

[Ogre_FL]

I finally got everything to work, but if I remove the doors again its a 90%+ chance I will go through this again.

In fact I got everything working and like an idiot tried a disconnect/reconnect and then spent and other 30 mins or more messing with it again.

Once you have an issue, the door part of the connector is compromised.
The plastic dividers/guides between the ports gets deformed and tends to cause the pins to go in the wrong slot and get bent again. This also further deforms the dividers.

By the same token I think if you dont have issues, you may never have them.
As noted before my JL is fine and I have pulled the doors many times.

I do wonder if some of these got messed up at the factory and they "fixed" them enough (bending the pins back) for a one time connection.

I see 8 slots where the dividers/guides have been compromised on mine.

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[Maximus Gladius]

Being a brand new JTR owner I spend a great deal of time to read this site and this one had my attention. Three thoughts came to mind reading all the posts.
1. ‘Huston, we have a problem’... the connector has a high chance to f&$k up if you manipulate it. Solution* - Don’t touch it. We all heard the sayings “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” or, “no body moves, no one gets hurt” ....

2nd thought is leave the connector alone and splice in ‘easy connects’ to each wire south of the connector, ...you know, towards the door.

3rd thought, we keep going back to the same thing, same thing,..SAME THING, a thousand times over, and expect a different result. (That not only includes walking on pins and needles when taking the connector apart and bending it all up reinstalling but having to deal with the almighty dealership and corporate that can’t or won’t do anything to fix it).

If your fricken horse can’t or won’t drink water when led to it, put an IV in.

Think outside the box. Wires are meant to carry electricity through, that’s what it wants to do so if the connector wants to break, go down or up the line and splice in individual connectors or create another plug and play ‘thing-a-majig’ connector.

 

[eaglerugby04]

Being a brand new JTR owner I spend a great deal of time to read this site and this one had my attention. Three thoughts came to mind reading all the posts.
1. ‘Huston, we have a problem’... the connector has a high chance to f&$k up if you manipulate it. Solution* - Don’t touch it. We all heard the sayings “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” or, “no body moves, no one gets hurt” ....

2nd thought is leave the connector alone and splice in ‘easy connects’ to each wire south of the connector, ...you know, towards the door.

3rd thought, we keep going back to the same thing, same thing,..SAME THING, a thousand times over, and expect a different result. (That not only includes walking on pins and needles when taking the connector apart and bending it all up reinstalling but having to deal with the almighty dealership and corporate that can’t or won’t do anything to fix it).

If your fricken horse can’t or won’t drink water when led to it, put an IV in.

Think outside the box. Wires are meant to carry electricity through, that’s what it wants to do so if the connector wants to break, go down or up the line and splice in individual connectors or create another plug and play ‘thing-a-majig’ connector.

Pretty much we need a connector that is better then the connector, that plugs into the existing connector so these can easily come appart.

 

[atxatxatx]

Pretty much we need a connector that is better then the connector, that plugs into the existing connector so these can easily come appart.

Yup agree, sounds like an opportunity for the aftermarket to make a kit for us.

 

[jonaandcaleb]

I'd be up for someone to do a plug and play option were you put a connector between the connectors. Sounds totally crazy, but would fix the problem and I would pay for this just for the "feel better" aspect knowing when I take the doors off, they will connect back without issues. It would just be a plug on each end that goes to the corresponding/current plugs. Then the middle plug is what would be used for unplugging and plugging that was made to do this many times. It couldn't cost too much; it's just 2 plugs and a small amount of wire. Thoughts?

 

[eaglerugby04]

I'd be up for someone to do a plug and play option were you put a connector between the connectors. Sounds totally crazy, but would fix the problem and I would pay for this just for the "feel better" aspect knowing when I take the doors off, they will connect back without issues. It would just be a plug on each end that goes to the corresponding/current plugs. Then the middle plug is what would be used for unplugging and plugging that was made to do this many times. It couldn't cost too much; it's just 2 plugs and a small amount of wire. Thoughts?

There has got to be a decent market for this. I didn't even reattach my doors many times this summer and ran into failed mirrors. Given that the aftermarket fixes FCA design flaws all the time I see this happeneing. Just look at how fast the auto up windows module sold out.

 

[jonaandcaleb]

Yeah I saw that. Looked at getting and and it was gone. Oh well; just take the doors off! Oh wait...just make sure they work when I put them back on!

 

[jonaandcaleb]

Heck if I could find the blanks that fit into the current plugs, I'd give it a whirl.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

The reason I suggested a ‘make for yourself connector’ is because you can. In Calgary we have a store here called Gregg Distributors. (https://greggdistributors.ca/search?q=&page_size=8&view=list&terms=CatPage:I25 ) If it’s connectors you want, they have a catalogue full of them and even the ones you build with stronger pins, water proof seals, durable and user friendly. You make the connector(s) you need.
I haven’t taken the doors off yet but I did look at the harness and it looks like 15 wires. So make two connectors and splice in between the door and the high maintenance factory connector. Done.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

These are the connectors I’m looking at currently unless I find something better. Also, I’d make sure both batteries are discontinued before cutting the harness and making a connector.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B071KDSFS4...imm_Y2ZWP5YDHFHE13ZEBDT3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Maximus Gladius]

....and this one.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08CVFG2NL...imm_Z3CJ6EWT67149BS4B917?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Radio Guy]

Having a past career in the aerospace industry installing thousands of pins and connectors, I can see this connector design has some inherent problems. I have a Gladiator on order and plan on removing the doors at some point so this thread interests me a lot.

I will look at the connectors more closely when I get my truck and might consider putting a slight rounded bevel on each male pin using a needle file. I would also lubricate the male and female pins with Caig D5 Deoxit spray, which is an industry standard and many companies coat their new connectors and switch contacts at the factory with Caig products.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Hey Radio Guy, could you provide a link to Amazon for that spray you mentioned please. There's a couple different brands of what you mentioned.

 

[Radio Guy]

Hey Radio Guy, could you provide a link to Amazon for that spray you mentioned please. There's a couple different brands of what you mentioned.

This is the standard for the electronic industry, recording studios, etc. It cleans and removes oxidation then protects the metal contacts with an oily coating. If you spray some on a tarnished copper penny it will shine up like a bright new one. Caig Labratories D5 spray. Its expensive but you don't need to use much and a can lasts a long time.

https://www.amazon.com/DeOxit-Clean...child=1&keywords=deoxit&qid=1614638138&sr=8-2

 

[Maximus Gladius]

This is the standard for the electronic industry, recording studios, etc. It cleans and removes oxidation then protects the metal contacts with an oily coating. If you spray some on a tarnished copper penny it will shine up like a bright new one. Caig Labratories D5 spray. Its expensive but you don't need to use much and a can lasts a long time.

https://www.amazon.com/DeOxit-Clean...child=1&keywords=deoxit&qid=1614638138&sr=8-2

I can get it here on the Canadian side too. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0002BBV4G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_V7KPN6TY5CKCC8DXKZH5

There’s also the “gold” brand. Is it better?
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00FC4YO60...imm_GE5XSWCZ5FPHWWN73TQ9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

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