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View Full Version : When good wires go bad...


spyrot1
10-02-2006, 10:26 PM
This is the driver's door wire harness from my 95 525. As you can see it's not in the best condition:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/spyrot1/PA022636.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/spyrot1/PA022651.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/spyrot1/PA022652.jpg

There was a battery drain which I finally traced to the power door locks, when I took apart the drivers side door I got to see the nicely cooked wires... must have been a real hot spark.

I called BMA and ordered the replacement wire harness. It took a couple of weeks to arrive because it's a special order, it then took me a couple of hours to install. Now the bimmer doesn't have the battery drain that's been driving me nuts, the power door locks work, and even the door tweeter speaker works!

Feels like a new car...
Claude
10-02-2006, 10:34 PM
What could have been the cause of this mess on your door harness ?
Denton
10-02-2006, 10:44 PM
What could have been the cause of this mess on your door harness ?

I'm curious too, it makes me nervous!
spyrot1
10-02-2006, 10:47 PM
That's how I got it, and it was a pain living with it (the electrical gremlins).
I assume the PO had the problem but wasn't interested in figuring it out.

This board gave me all the info i needed to finally figure it out.:D
It probably would have taken hours at the stealership to figure it out.

I'm not sure what caused it, but the battery that was in it when i got it was not the right size. Maybe that had something to do with it.

The modular wiring system is really a boon when to comes to replacing fried wires.
Anthony (M5 in Calgary)
10-03-2006, 08:34 AM
Never seen this on E34 doors before. Trunk and touring tailgate harness yes, door no. VW Golf or Jetta IV on the other hand chew through door harness assemblies annually.
spyrot1
10-03-2006, 10:03 AM
I was surprised that this happened also. I researched this board but didn't find anyone else with the same problem. I read up about people having problems with the door lock heaters that might cause a battery drain. that's what made me look inside the door itself.

here is a better pic of the harness that connects to the body:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k258/spyrot1/PA022635.jpg

must have been a very bad electrical short to fuse the wires like that.

Hopefully, I don't get it again as the wiring harness was $160 and a couple of hours of work.