Fixing wires to rear hatch of M Coupe

[CLOWN5HOE]

Well, shoot!

Went to open my hatch today and button didn't work. Popped off the cover, checked voltage to button, nothing.

Pealed back left side grommet and found several broken wires!

How do I gain more slack to access to this bundle of wires there in order to splice them back together. It's too tight to work on with the grommet in place, and pulling the wires, I'm worried I'm going to break more.

Any way to make this easier?

Thx!

[daven]

I found no way to gain any slack in the wiring bundle. So I unwrapped/cut (sorry, can't remember which) the protective sleeve enough to get enough wire to work with and soldered in a length of same gauge wire to patch the break. Then I rewrapped/taped the sleeve back together. Have fun.

[z3forlife]

Yup it sounds like it’s going to be a challenge. I just repaired my driver belt tensioner harness connection. The shop used crimp connectors and I’ve fought intermittent open circuit troubles ever since. Get some heat shrink and make a “western union” splice then solder and slide on heat shrink after the splice cools. Do one at a time. Good luck.

[TexaZ3]

The reason it breaks in the first place is because there is no slack. Couple of my wires were also busted when I replaced the wiper last year.

[Wcumoron]

I have the same issue. I am replacing the whole section of the harness starting in the c pillar. Spent way too much on pins at the stealership. Mine had electrical taped butt connectors in the bend and all the insulation is crispy. It's on my winter list.

[Randy Forbes]

Replace that section with some wire that's more flexible than what the bean counters dictated! You'll wind up with a splice in the hatch and in the pillar (for each wire) but at least you'll be able to open your hatch, trunk, side doors without guilt__they all have the same crap-stiff wiring.

[CLOWN5HOE]

Good news to report. Got everything fixed! Thanks for the tips. Had 3 of the large wires broken (red/yellow, red/white, and black). I painted about a foot of each new wire to match and crimped them in. It's difficult to gain any slack! Crimps are inside metal cavity of hatch and inside open area behind the C pillar cover. That was the trick, get the crimps away from the rubber part as there's no room inside of it. I wound up adding a lot of tape to protect wires around the hatch, some of which were already showing cutting thru the insulation! Hopefully get another 22 years out of it. haha