SOLVED: Broke my Gladiator by drilling into wires

[Jaxmax]

Roger ,No worries it's a Jeep thing!

Great write up, and damn it if ya didn't pull it off, we are all gonna call you when we have electrical problems!............jack

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[ShadowsPapa]

Reminds me of the time I went to put a larger rear-view mirror on the outside of my IH 1086.
I wanted to be able to watch the sprayer, etc. behind me and not have to turn so much to look.
I got a nice mirror that would be easy to mount on what would be the equiv of the A-pillar on a car or truck.
I proceeded to drill pilot holes for the screws. Got the upper hole drilled, screw in place, was drilling the lower hole for the mirror bracket and heard sort of a hissing sound...........
Evaporator line ran up through the pillar.

We all make mistakes. But, mistakes are made to learn from and figure out how to repair.

Yup.

 

[mountainpass]

We all make mistakes. But, mistakes are made to learn from and figure out how to repair.

Once I decided to make my own rear rack for my dual sport bike. So I was sawing a piece of steel with my circular saw with a carbide tooth blade. I stopped sawing and heard an odd sound, kinda of a 'tick, tick, tick....tick"'. Looked up to see the side window of my truck shattered, the sound was the small pieces of glass falling on the driveway. Lucked out searching Craigslist for a side glass($40) and after watching a YouTube video had it in before dark. Learned a good bit, some about not parking near where you are cutting steel with carbide teeth flying in all directions, but mostly about which washer and dryer to buy as the guy off Craigslist had a side business repairing and reselling them. Buy top loading washers and run, not walk away from any touting 'ECO' in title. Basically buy your moms old machines.

 

[Andy29847]

Crimped connections are much better than soldered connection in a car.

A few post back, somebody said fuses. I'd check those.

I doubt you fried anything. You might have deprogrammed something.

I am not a can bus expert, but electrons are electrons.

I'm going to send this without reading page 2 and 3 first. I hope I don't turn out to be the dummy.

I should have written that crimped connections are as good as soldered connections, not better. We ended up discussing the subject for too long. I never felt flamed, but "Google is your friend" is kind of a flip answer. Sorry that came out. Some of my thought process for championing crimp connections for automotive uses take into consideration the risk of using a soldering iron (and a heat gun) in tight spaces with flamable material nearby. Best regards to all.

My Gladiator is faster than yours. ?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I should have written that crimped connections are as good as soldered connections, not better. We ended up discussing the subject for too long. I never felt flamed, but "Google is your friend" is kind of a flip answer. Sorry that came out. Some of my thought process for championing crimp connections for automotive uses take into consideration the risk of using a soldering iron (and a heat gun) in tight spaces with flamable material nearby. Best regards to all.

My Gladiator is faster than yours. ?

Yeah, but my car is faster than your truck... HAHAHA

I can appreciate both

 

[MrZappo]

I should have written that crimped connections are as good as soldered connections, not better. We ended up discussing the subject for too long. I never felt flamed, but "Google is your friend" is kind of a flip answer. Sorry that came out. Some of my thought process for championing crimp connections for automotive uses take into consideration the risk of using a soldering iron (and a heat gun) in tight spaces with flamable material nearby. Best regards to all.

My Gladiator is faster than yours. ?

My car is fast, my truck is slow and I am just happy to be moving at all.

Glad this got fixed.

Good connections are better than bad ones.

Happy new year.

I truly enjoy this forum.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My car is fast, my truck is slow and I am just happy to be moving at all.

Glad this got fixed.

Good connections are better than bad ones.

Happy new year.

I truly enjoy this forum.

There's a whole lot of connections here (nothing to do with wires, really) most are good.

Cars and trucks -
I have multiple choices:
One takes me anywhere, (2020 JT)
Another takes me many places really FAST (73 Javelin)
another takes me in comfort and luxury, (2021 Grand Cherokee)
Another takes me to pick up more trophies (oh, and goes places most cars can't go, too) (SX4)
And one takes me back to memories of my father (04 WJ)

 

[Blade1668]

Well glad to read that you have got it fixed. Probably all of us have had one of those "days" or oops moments some of us many many more.

 

[redrider]

Glad to have the Glad back in operation. This has been an interesting read. Almost popcorn worthy. I started soldering for real as an E Tech, USAF, 1976. I also started buying British MGs and later, Nortons that were and are a great exercise in wiring rabbit holes. (Positive ground and a ground wire for every thing) I have used both crimps and solder and prefer solder joints, both properly done. Some folks, however, should not use any tool, hot or cold. The wife hobbies with stained glass. She slob-gobbered solder everywhere and even cracked some cuts with excess heat until she finally asked for my assistance. (Reluctantly of course) Nothing wrong with ignorance, it just means one lacks information. Go get some. The learning never stops.

 

[mazeppa]

<Snip>

I also started buying British MGs and later, Nortons that were and are a great exercise in wiring rabbit holes. (Positive ground and a ground wire for every thing)

<Snip>

I also have Norton, Triumph cars/motorcycle electrical nightmares from the past.

The older Triumph and Nortons had a reverse shifting pattern and shifters and rear brake pedals on opposite side of Japanese motorcycles of that era, interesting experience when switching to a different bike (same with pre 75? HD Sportsters.)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just remember - all electronic parts are made with and run on smoke. Once the smoke gets out, it's done and you can't put it back in. It's put in at the factory. If the smoke leaks out, forget it.

 

[KVJ]

That was really nice to give a kudos to those guys

@jeephambikepcpets

besides being cool headed, your a stand up guy!

 

[WaterDR]

SOLVED

Environment:
- 2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport

History:
- Problem started after drilling into a bundle of overhead wires to install the JcrOffroad JL/JT Overhead MOLLE Panel.
- I followed these instructions, minus the part about not drilling into any wires:

Symptoms:
- Windshield wipers run and cannot be turned off.
- The horn still works, but all other steering wheel controls are unresponsive, including turn signal, windshield wipers, cruise control, radio volume and controls, and the up/down/left/right/OK buttons.
- The service engine light is on and says something like "service traction control system".
- An OBDII scanner reported something like "communication lost with steering column control module."

Causes:
- My drilling into the wire harness severed CAN bus wires (blue twisted pair) and likely shorted it to at least one other wire (red with a blue stripe).
- The shorted wires blew the 10 amp micro blade fuse number F89, which powers both the steering column control module and overhead console.

Resolution:
- Disconnect the positive terminal from both the main battery and the stop/start battery.
- Repair the damaged wires with a clean solder splice and heat shrink tubing. Maintain same twist rate, and ensure the CAN bus wires are of equal length after the splice.
- Check for blown fuses and replace the 10 amp micro blade fuse number F89. Notice the windshield wiper blades finally stop moving and all the steering wheel controls work again.
- Clear the engine failure codes with an OBDII scanner.

Kudos:
- @LostWoods for referring me to BAM Wholesale for the specific replacement part, even though in the end, the order got canceled.
- @mountainpass for the suggestion to wrap the nicked wires.
- @Blade1668 for the moral support.
- @Troybilt for seconding the suggestion to replace the wire harness and the humor.
- @MrZappo for kind yet frank suggestion that my soldering job would likely not pass muster.
- @PDiddy for the suggestion to save money getting a car audio installer to try the repairs. This suggestion reminded me that I had friends in the ham radio community with soldering skills I could reach out to.
- @Emptypockets for the suggestion to check the fuses. I wish I had listened and properly checked the fuses when it was suggested. I did a visual check looking for burn marks and didn't see any, but that was the wrong way to check these kinds of fuses. For all I know, my first CAN bus splice attempts might have worked, but I wouldn't have known it until I checked the fuses. I had to learn how to properly test the fuses for this task.
- @WaterDR for the suggestion to go back in time and just never drill into the overhead console. And then accurately predicting it would be a $0.50 part and $500 effort.
- @Kevin_D for the guidance on proper CAN bus repair technique.
- @athous for the Amazon link for the set of Solder Seal Wire Connectors kit. I didn't end up using them for this repair, but I did order the kit for future use.
- @StingGrayJT24 for sharing his similar tale involving wire-chewing rats, and for the suggestion to see if repairs could be covered under a comprehensive auto insurance claim.
- @redrider for suggesting snakes to control the rat problem.
- @Summitsearcher for the empathy and suggestion to search out bolt-on products instead of anything that requires drilling.
- @eaglerugby04 for the laughs with the North American Fiber-Seeking Backhoe.
- @Kindafearless for the suggestion to own a battery-powered soldering iron and heat gun to make clean solder splices possible. And for a very cleverly worded post that was both funny and almost made me cry with much-needed words of comfort and reassurance.
- @punk'n for seconding the suggestion to use solder seal connectors.
- @Jaxmax for soberly explaining this is not the time to learn to solder and get help to do it right this time, and for kind and reassuring words after I applied Jimmy's fix.
- @ZTMAN for the suggestion to check on my homeowners insurance deductible in case this gets expensive.
- @Overloaded for asking whether I saw any smoke after the repairs.
- @ShadowsPapa for cringing at my initial crimp repair and relating his story of having to re-run hundreds of feet of cable for IBM because of one little kink. And for piling onto the solder-vs-crimp flame war that came later.
- @Gatorized for the switch and fuse check suggestions.
- @mike921921 for pointing out the moment in the manufacturer's video where it said not to drill into the wires.
- @Jimmy07 for taking the time to cross-reference my photos and symptoms with actual schematics and accurately predicting it would be the F89 fuse that blew, plus many other smart suggestions along the way.
- @Factoid for the sobering suggestion I may have burned out some modules. And then joining the solder-vs-crimp flame war that came later.
- @Andy29847 for helping start a flame war subthread by stating crimp connections are better than soldered connections and then further fanning the flames with the "google is your friend" line. I did appreciate the link to the fuse layout though.
- @GoVR46 for taking the flame war bait and escalating the thread.
- @WK2JT for the suggestion to check a salvage yard for a replacement wiring harness.

Last words:
- I was just sick with stress and worry and all of you were very generous with your time and kind with your comments. I felt ashamed and vulnerable and your reassurance and empathy touched my heart and were food for my soul. I really needed that. Thank you!

Best post on any forum EVER!!!!!

 

[Factoid]

Well done, glad you got it done and thank you for the great documentation.

Oh, and happy to join in on any flamer where I have an opinion, which is on most things!

 

[DaveL]

Just remember - all electronic parts are made with and run on smoke. Once the smoke gets out, it's done and you can't put it back in. It's put in at the factory. If the smoke leaks out, forget it.

Yup. Letting the smoke out....Remember. Keep the shiny side up!

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