Wire fretting in Engine compartment- have you noticed any?

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Split plastic wire loom can be purchased at any auto parts store, and placed on a wire without the need for a disconnect. Likely this is what the dealer will do to fix it.
 
craze1cars said:
Split plastic wire loom can be purchased at any auto parts store, and placed on a wire without the need for a disconnect. Likely this is what the dealer will do to fix it.
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Considering that one end is just a plug that's zip tied to the lower grill (and the other is just plugged into an engine block heater) it doesn't sound like it would be hard to pull one end or the other to fix it....
 
Hello everyone, I will circle back to this thread once my dealer completes the fix. I agree, it doesn't seem difficult at all and is something I am capable of doing but I want the dealer to see it and maybe learn a better way of routing or securing the loom so that is doesn't rub away. Thanks again for the replies and suggestions on this thread. Was very helpful.
 
@JustAnotherPoorDriver, Indeed it’s just a 120v cord. But in order to fish the wire properly, according to Honda’s instructions for the kit, it seems you may need to remove the front bumper. So may not be the slam dunk it seems. If true it is a senseless disassembly risking more broken clips and scratched parts. I’d skip such a process when I can just get $1 or less worth of split wire loom and a zip tie and be done in 2 minutes by popping the hood. That’s exactly what I would do in my garage if this were my car anyway, and I wouldn’t even mention to dealer who installed. I just can’t see entrusting something so simple yet again to the same mechanic who screwed up something so simple the first time. Albeit it is a very minor problem...an over tightened zip tie and nothing more.
 
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Just another possibility to consider -- while my Clarity is parked in a garage each night, my wife's small ICE-powered SUV sits in the driveway, sometimes with the residue engine heat left over from driving somewhere. Recently at a routine oil & filter change, the tech pointed out a frayed wire under the hood and told me that what looked like fraying was really from a hungry squirrel or other rodent chewing the wire insulation at the same time as warming up from the residue engine heat and getting some shelter from the elements. The tech warned me to spray the engine compartment with some commercially-available spray for this purpose, which I did, and I haven't had further "fraying" of the wire since. Unlikely to be the source of your issue, but FYI nonetheless.
 
Texas22Step said:
what looked like fraying was really from a hungry squirrel or other rodent chewing the wire insulation
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I have had at least 6 bouts that were definitely rodents (in all cases, with vehicles parked outside). Those darned things will eat through almost anything. I have had them attack an LP gas line going to a barbeque grill, a plastic fuel line in a Jeep, ABS and Oxygen sensor lines, and a few other wires. They will of course sometimes get into a vehicle and build nests. Recently, someone posted a picture of their cabin air filter that had a nest.

I can't recall any such attacks with vehicles in the garage (including the Clarity), but mice can easily get into most garages.

In any event, rodent damage is common and can be very destructive. I have tried (with no success) "sprays", moth balls, and ultrasonic gizzmos to scare them away.

At this point, I just will not keep a vehicle outside the garage any more. Outside for a day or-two is usually not a problem, but I would not park a vehicle outside if I was going away for a week or more.

Bottom line - With great experience under my belt, this does not "look" like rodent damage... Of course, anything is possible !
 
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Nemesis said:
Hello everyone, first wishing you, your families and all that are close to you are well and managing through the Covid-19 pandemic.

I went out to my 2018 Clarity with 33,000 miles this morning to add washer fluid, check oil and just do a visual inspection of the car. While doing so, I noticed a wire in front of the oil dip stick had fretting all the way through the outer casing but not the inner casing. I am sure it was caused by the zip tie when the engine is on (vibrations). Not sure if this will cause a future problem and will address it during my next service visit. Honestly, I can fix it but want to show it to the dealer nonetheless. Curious if others have the same wire fretting on their vehicles?
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Why is your engine bay so filthy?
 
JWD - Why is my engine bay so filthy lol. Car has 33,300 miles on it and has been through 2 and 1/2 New England winters with salt and other road treatments and many trips in the rain. If I took a picture of the entire engine bay it wouldn't look as bad as the up close picture i attached. Haven't washed the engine bay since new but will get to it this year. Thanks for pointing it out.
 
LOL. Doesn't look too dirty to me. Looks about the same as mine does with 30K miles and a couple winters under the belt. I don't think I've washed an engine bay since I was in high school. For the past 35 years, if the automatic car wash doesn't get it, it just stays that way forever...for ALL my cars.

Then again this Coronavirus shutdown thing MIGHT actually get me to hand wash a car for the first time in 35 years...
 
Memories of our 1979 Saab. A wire ran across the front of the engine and it controlled the vacuum switches. It started stalling on left turns. Left turns only. Long, frustrating story short the wire was bumping up against an emission crossover tube that got hot and melted the coating around that wire. It melted clear through to the wires inside which caused all vacuum switches on the engine to open. Wait a few minutes and it all reset. The wire was in a bundle held by a tie that allowed it to swing into the hot tube when turning left.

And not at every left turn.

I came very close to driving it into a river.
 
This post did get me to do a little inspection under the hood while I was connecting my Battery Tender to the 12v battery. No loose wire looms, everything neatly tucked in place.

Did get out my bottle of 303 Protectant and wiped down all the rubber hoses and plastic covers. While I had the 303 out, I wiped down all the door gasket rubber and trunk gasket. Looks like new. :)
 
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