Wiring Bundle Repair

[Ken]

Quoting Rich Andrews <r at 66-169-158-13.ftwrth.tx.charter.com>:
>
> auditude at get.net wrote:
>
> > Does this repair just replace the broken wires with unbroken ones in
> > the same configuration?  Is there anything to prevent a recurrence of
> > the problem, with the wires breaking in the same spot?
> >
> > It seems to me that it's a stupid design (speaking of 5k's here, not
> > sure if the 200's are the same), having all the wires flex in half,
> > right at the hinge.
>
> The real problem isn't the design, but the specification for the wires.
>
>   What happens is that as the wire ages and is flexed, the insulation
> gets stiffer and stiffer.  Then the insulation cracks.  This then
> results in ALL of the flexing of the wire to occur at that point, which
> is now nearly a 0 deg radius bend.  The wire then quickly breaks due to
> metal fatigue.  I have seen this failue occur in all manner of Audi's
> that use that same spec. wire.  This is why Audi gets a low mark when it
> comes to electrical problems as the car ages.

Thank you Rich!  That sounds like a perfectly plausible explanation.  Fact-based and data-driven, as they say.  Getting to root cause.  Very cool.

Esecially cool, since IIRC the door hinge area doesn't really lend itself well to changing the routing of the wires.

Ken