Intermittent & Poor Connection Inspection

Most intermittents are caused by faulty electrical connections or wiring, although a sticking relay or solenoid can occasionally be at fault. When checking it for proper connection, perform a careful check of suspect circuits for:

• Poor mating of connector halves, or terminals not fully seated in the connector body (backed out)
• Dirt or corrosion on the terminals. The terminals must be clean and free of any foreign material which could impede proper terminal contact. However, cleaning the terminal with a sand paper or the like is prohibited.
• Damaged connector body, exposing the terminals to moisture and dirt, as well as not maintaining proper terminal orientation with the component or mating connector.
• Improperly formed or damaged terminals. Check each connector terminal in problem circuits carefully to ensure good contact tension by using the corresponding mating terminal. If contact tension is not enough, reform it to increase contact tension or replace.
• Poor terminal-to-wire connection. Check each wire harness in problem circuits for poor connection by shaking it by hand lightly. If any abnormal condition is found, repair or replace.
• Wire insulation which is rubbed through, causing an intermittent short as the bare area touches other wiring or parts of the vehicle.
• Wiring broken inside the insulation. This condition could cause continuity check to show a good circuit, but if only 1 or 2 strands of a multi-strand-type are intact, resistance could be far too high. If any abnormality is found, repair or replace.