# Turn signal lamp and wiper washer wiring damage



## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

I noticed a while back that my windshield washer did not work. I assumed it was just out of fluid, but today I got a "Check front left turn signal" DIC message, and sure enough the signal was out. I got some replacement bulbs and a jug of washer fluid, and opened my hood to discover that the wires to the turn signal lamp socket were torn (doesn't look like animal chewing, looks like the wires got caught on something). After looking a bit more closely, I found some more broken wiring near the washer fluid reservoir, which I can only assume must go to the pump.

I'm not sure what to do here. The car is still under warranty, but I'm not sure how much luck I'd have convincing the dealer that this isn't my fault or the result of a pest infestation or something (there are no marks indicative of chewing, no feathers, hair, etc. - just a few dead flies, but I'm pretty sure flies can't chew through 18 AWG stranded copper). Nothing has been done to the car recently other than me replacing the cabin air filter, which is nowhere near the driver's side turn signal lamp. I'm good with wiring, and provided this is the only damage I could probably fix it, although I'd need to get a pigtail with connector for the turn signal/parking lamp since the break is too close to the connector to re-strip and splice with a butt clamp or solder and heatshrink, and this looks like a crimp pin connector that isn't really intended to be disassembled.

Right now, I'm thinking - ask the dealership if it could possibly be fixed as a warranty repair (maybe they accidentally damaged something when they did the oil change/tire rotation - I think that was around the time the washer stopped working), and if they won't then just go ahead and attempt to repair it myself rather than pay them who knows how what to probably replace the entire front lighting wiring harness.


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

Well, dealer said it looked like rodent damage. If mice can cut a wire this cleanly, I'd like to keep one at my workbench for the next time I have to cut and strip 100 wires for work. Quoted me $200 ($13 in parts, 2 hours of labor) to butt clamp 2 wires to a washer fluid pump and replace a turn signal connector, I think I'll just buy the connector and do it myself...


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

Rats sure can cut a wire clean. I had a rat nest (literally) in my old Kia, plus I have rats for pets.


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

**** that! Hopefully you get it fixed soon


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

iTz SADISTIK said:


> **** that! Hopefully you get it fixed soon


That's the idea. Just finished ordering the connector from another local Chevrolet dealership, decided that after they already made $40 in diagnostic fees to look at it and say it looks like rats that I don't feel like giving them any more $$$ today. I haven't yet decided if I intend to start going to a different dealership for services/warranty repairs, they've been decent other than this one incident. I'd go back to doing my own oil changes like I've done for years, there's just a part of me that's afraid of having an engine blow and having GM try to accuse me of using the wrong oil or not doing routine maintenances.

But yeah, 2 hours of labor at $89 shop rate is nutso to patch a few wires. The turn signal looks like a 5 minute job, washer pump might be a bit more hassle since it looks like the headlight lens assembly wants to come out to give me enough room to get in there and work.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Obviously I don't know your deductable on your comprehensive coverage (not to be confused with collision) but wiring/other repairs resulting from animals is a covered repair by your regular insurance carrier.

Rob


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

I wouldn't worry too much about oil changes. You'd really have to goof to cause a real serious issue. 2qts of oil or something rated for a tractor. I'm running 0W30 and that's not to spec. Granted, if I needed warranty I would drain it and throw in 5W30. Also, I didn't order enough 0W30 (1/4 Qt short) so I'm using a 1/4 QT of Pennzoil 5W30. Running just fine. I don't prefer to do that but I had already drained the oil and was leaving for a 6 hr drive the next day. Up and down steep hills and no issues whatsoever. Just an example of the engine's ability to survive on minor issues.


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

Robby said:


> Obviously I don't know your deductable on your comprehensive coverage (not to be confused with collision) but wiring/other repairs resulting from animals is a covered repair by your regular insurance carrier.
> 
> Rob


Deductible is $500 and I just had to make a claim a few months ago when some fool ran me off the road and into a pothole. I honestly shouldn't have even bothered going to the dealership for it - I have no proof that the damage wasn't caused by me, mice, cosmic rays, etc. and it's obviously damage and not melted wires from a short or something, therefore it is not a warranty claim and it's in the dealer's best interest to write it up as customer damage. Patching up these few wires shouldn't be a big deal, I get the feeling that the hardest part of it will be getting the headlamp housing out of the way to give me enough room to get to those washer pump wires.


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

Repaired the turn signal today. I took a bunch of pictures of the process, I'm thinking of writing up a how-to about this, similar to that instrument cluster teardown I did a few months ago. It wasn't a particularly challenging repair, but it's a good example of a basic electrical repair that one might conceivably have to deal with. I'll get the windshield washer this weekend - it looked like it was going to rain, so I really didn't feel like trying to figure out how to get the headlamp housing out of the way to give me some room to work in there only to have it start pouring on me.


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

CW_ said:


> similar to that instrument cluster teardown I did a few months ago


Did you document this? There are a couple pieces in the cluster I want to try and get at.


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

Yes, take a look at http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/36-a...-instrument-cluster-warning-large-images.html

I disassembled a junkyard cluster that I picked up on the cheap pretty thoroughly, I was planning to turn the thing into a clock or something and thought the pictures might help modders. The pieces are still sitting in my storage room if you want close-up pics of any particular part or something. I can also tell you that you definitely want a set of small plastic pry tools like the kind used for working on cell phones and laptops and such for this disassembly, there's a lot of easily-scratched plastic in there.


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