Shorts in a Volkswagen Wiring Harness Can be Resolved in Thousand Oaks

You’re hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love the look of Volkswagens. These mini-power houses come in a variety of colors, sizes, and options for style. This makes them an ideal choice for both first-time and seasoned drivers. These beauties are more than just eye catching. They pack a pretty powerful punch, making them rival engines of high-powered vehicles. What makes VWs even more impressive is their affordable price. Consumers can have the power and durability of luxury vehicles without paying a premium price. No wonder the VW brand is one of the most successful manufacturing companies in the industry.

However, as affordable and gorgeous as these vehicles are, they still have their fair share of issues, one being electrical shorts in the wiring harness. This issue has plagued several VW owners and made their driving experience increasingly difficult. If you own a VW and want to learn how to manage this issue, this article is designed specifically for you. Let’s consider first what role this piece plays, signs of damage and how you can resolve them with professional help.

What role does your wiring harness play?

Think of your VW’s wiring as an interstate that connects hundreds of streets. These crucial lines are responsible for channeling electricity to different parts of your car, allowing key components operate properly. Your wire harness, however, covers these wires. Without the piece, your cables run the risk of being exposed to dust, debris, sludge, and other buildup that exudes from your car.

Signs Your Wiring Harness Is Damaged

Unfortunately, your wire harness isn’t immune to damage. When it’s broken due to general wear, it not only affects your harness, it also impacts your wires. This causes a domino effect of problems that slows your car down.

Your wiring harness is supposed to be flexible. However, exposure to the natural elements causes it to stiffen over time. This is one of the main problems that plague Volkswagen owners.

If you’re not privy to diagnosing mechanical issues, it may be hard to understand when your wiring harness is malfunctioning. However, your car may give you a few key signs that indicate the wiring harness is in need of assistance.

One of the primary signs of wiring harness failure is flickering lights. Your lights are directly powered by those protected cables. Once those cables are exposed due to a faulty wiring harness, they impact how well your car functions. If you continue to ignore this issue, you may experience total battery failure. Since your battery powers nearly every aspect of your car, you may find starting your car extremely difficult, perhaps even impossible.

Problems That Arise From a Damaged Wiring Harness

Your wires, although powerful, are quite vulnerable to damage. If they’re not protected from the elements, you may begin to notice signs of physical damage such as burns, melted insulation, ripped wires, and frayed ends.

In addition to physical damages with your wires, driving with a broken wiring harness poses a real danger to you and your passengers. Continuing to drive with burned or frayed cables could result in fires. This is increasingly scary for both drivers and those sharing the road. Because of this fact alone, addressing this issue immediately is important.

How to Resolve This Issue

One of the best ways to resolve this issue is to keep up with your regular service appointments.  This is especially true for Volkswagen owners, as these cars can be high-maintenance. A professional Volkswagen repair shop is able to properly assess the condition of your wires and provide a comprehensive repair. Since handling wires poses the risk of electrical shock, it’s best to leave the task to the professionals.

In addition, trying to handle this problem yourself could result in more damage done to your vehicle. This is especially true if you aren’t familiar with wires or cables. Play it safe and bring your car to a Volkswagen specialist so you don’t accidentally cause more harm to your VW while trying to a do-it-yourself repair.

How We Can Help

Bavarian Performance Specialists proudly provide mechanical solutions in the communities of Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Westlake, Malibu, and Newbury Park, CA. If you’re experiencing issues with your Volkswagen, bring your car in for servicing. We’ll find a lasting solution to your issue.