Re: 5kCSTQ - Electrical Question

[walter@quattro.corp.inmet.com (Walter Meares)]

> From: charlie@elektro.cmhnet.org (Charlie Smith)
> Date: Tue, 9 May 95 8:29:58 EDT
> Subject: 5kCSTQ - Electrical Question

> > As best I could tell, the trunk light WAS staying on, at least as best
> > as I could tell peering in through the crack between the lid and the body
> > as the lid was almost closed.  OK, sez he ... he whips out the trunk light
> > bulb so that it can't drain the battery - no light, no drain, right?
> > 
> > Wrong.  Even without the bulb, the battery is going flat after about three
> > days of being parked.
> > 
> > Can someone please recount for me the places to look for broken wires in
> > the wiring harness of the lid, and what's going on to continue to drain
> > the battery?

On my 4000sq, the problem was in the bundle of wires that comes from the 
body into the trunk lid.  It follows the hinge on the LHS of the car.  When
the trunk closes, this section of the harness, by design, gets pretty
fiercly kinked.  I found several broken wires when I untaped the bundle; 
not only can this keep the trunk light on, I'm sure it could cause the 
kind of short that's draining your battery as well.  I patched the wires
back together with solder and tape, rerouted the harness, and left it
until summer when its warmer to make a more permanent fix.

> > 
> >     - Charlie


Walter