Accidentally drilled into wiring cluster

[Rebelwithacause]

I was in the process of drilling a hole from underneath my dash into engine compartment to install a bypass switch for the Amp Research running boards. The soft rubber gave way unexpectedly to one side and I nicked the wiring cluster on the driver's side. Had to have the truck hauled to dealership. The dealership service department informed me they don't repair wiring clusters, and no replacements are to be found. I was also told Service Manager is still trying to find a 3rd party resource. In the meantime it looks like I have an unrepairable truck.

Is it possible to get a wiring cluster, say from a junkyard and do it myself? It seems there are lot of factors involved that prevent this from being repairable. Any suggestions?

 

[DodgeLady]

Can you provide a picture? If a “wiring cluster” is a cluster of wires…then it is by all means fixable. It will take time and patience but a wire is a wire…and if you have even a little bit of room to work with you can splice and tape.
The danger may be the electrical shorts have damaged some delicate electrical equipment/circuits.

 

[DodgeLady]

There are many types of splices you can purchase, or you can solder, shrink tube, tape. I’ve done some!

 

[mikeru]

I would recommend soldering and shrink tubing over mechanical splices. Mechanical splices are easier, and work great for a while. But over time they can develop issues with corrosion and become unreliable. There are splices available which you crimp and then heat up with a lighter to melt solder inside. I would trust those as well, but I usually don't have access to those when I need to wire something up. And they add a lot of bulk, especially if you're dealing with multiple wires.

 

[Rebelwithacause]

Can you provide a picture? If a “wiring cluster” is a cluster of wires…then it is by all means fixable. It will take time and patience but a wire is a wire…and if you have even a little bit of room to work with you can splice and tape.
The danger may be the electrical shorts have damaged some delicate electrical equipment/circuits.

The truck is still at the dealership.
I'm concerned about possible electric shorts as well.

 

[Dean2]

The truck is still at the dealership.
I'm concerned about possible electric shorts as well.

First thing you should have done is disconnect the battery and it should not get reconnected till fixed. If you have to go down to the dealer and disconnect it yourself, I would.

The problem is absolutely fixable, just takes time and patience.

 

[Marshall]

I was in the process of drilling a hole from underneath my dash into engine compartment to install a bypass switch for the Amp Research running boards. The soft rubber gave way unexpectedly to one side and I nicked the wiring cluster on the driver's side. Had to have the truck hauled to dealership. The dealership service department informed me they don't repair wiring clusters, and no replacements are to be found. I was also told Service Manager is still trying to find a 3rd party resource. In the meantime it looks like I have an unrepairable truck.

Is it possible to get a wiring cluster, say from a junkyard and do it myself? It seems there are lot of factors involved that prevent this from being repairable. Any suggestions?

There is no wiring harness that can not be repaired, as long as you can get at it.
I do not mean just twisting wires together and some cheap tape, thou that was the norm at times, mainly on farm, horse trailers.

I would never drill a hole in a firewall, when you can run wires through holes, the parking brake cable is a good spot. lots of roam there at least on mine, 2014 .

Dealer don't fix stuff, they put new stuff on. Look for some one that does electrictial,
speed shop, after market sterio place, the kid down the street, There use to be scads of small TV repair shops, but most of those are gone and walmart is it.

Good luck look around for a wreck at salvage yards, first thing would be to get that one out to where you can work on it. would not be hard to fix if you had room to work, but I am to far away and joints are shot.
No point leaving it at the dealer unless you want to toss 2 or 3 K away

 

[Marshall]

The truck is still at the dealership.
I'm concerned about possible electric shorts as well.

Take the battery out , unhook the ground cable if not done already.
some mentioned it already, water proof heat shrink , I solder where I can , then you can use a paint on water proofing, like a nail polish type of thing , then the shrink wrap that you heat up, with heat gun, or small torch , lighter. then everything reraped in good tape after done and tested.

 

[Ken226]

I would never drill a hole in a firewall, when you can run wires through holes, the parking brake cable is a good spot. lots of roam there at least on mine, 2014 .

When I installed my OEM Mopar remote start kit, back around 2018, there were some factory firewall pass-thru spots up under the dash.

The instruction manual for the remote start kit said to pass the hood latch wire thru one of those.

They even had weatherproof rubber membranes over the openings. All I had to do poke a hole in the rubber and push the wire thru.

My truck is a 2013, of Canukistanian origin. Maybe the later years don't have those?

Seems like those would be a better option than drilling.

 

[Hagar1]

I was in the process of drilling a hole from underneath my dash into engine compartment to install a bypass switch for the Amp Research running boards. The soft rubber gave way unexpectedly to one side and I nicked the wiring cluster on the driver's side. Had to have the truck hauled to dealership. The dealership service department informed me they don't repair wiring clusters, and no replacements are to be found. I was also told Service Manager is still trying to find a 3rd party resource. In the meantime it looks like I have an unrepairable truck.

Is it possible to get a wiring cluster, say from a junkyard and do it myself? It seems there are lot of factors involved that prevent this from being repairable. Any suggestions?

As others have said, send some photos and you will get the help you need. ANY wiring problem CAN be fixed with patience, a soldering iron, some electrical solder and HEAT SHRINK. Throw the tape away!
There is one exception ........ some old Chevys had aluminum wiring going through the trunk to the tail lights ......... THAT couldn't easily be fixed.

 

[Marshall]

When I installed my OEM Mopar remote start kit, back around 2018, there were some factory firewall pass-thru spots up under the dash.

The instruction manual for the remote start kit said to pass the hood latch wire thru one of those.

They even had weatherproof rubber membranes over the openings. All I had to do poke a hole in the rubber and push the wire thru.

My truck is a 2013, of Canukistanian origin. Maybe the later years don't have those?

Seems like those would be a better option than drilling.

Mine is a 14 , Canada, I don't know on the newer stuff,
Dealer tells me I should get a new one as mine is just broke in, but they seem to think I should give them money, the idiots.
Last year or 2 there was new TRX in the show room, but the color was wrong. $140k

 

[Hagar1]

To quote Forest Gump, "__it happens"
I once saw a tech drill right through an old "logic module" on a K-car when fuel injection first came out. It cost that dealer a fair chunk of change! Could have been prevented if they would have attended a service school.

 

[Ken226]

$140k

 

[DodgeLady]

Step 1: Rescue the truck from the dealer.
Step 2: Move it to a garage or covered area where you can work on it out of the weather.
Step3: Post some pics of your wire cluster.

You’ll be able to fix it I’m sure!!

 

[RamDiver]

Step 1: Rescue the truck from the dealer.
Step 2: Move it to a garage or covered area where you can work on it out of the weather.
Step3: Post some pics of your wire cluster.

You’ll be able to fix it I’m sure!!

I fixed that for ya DL.

Step 1: Disconnect the battery negative post ASAP, wherever it is now.
Step 2: Rescue the truck from the dealer.
Step 3: Move it to a garage or covered area where you can work on it out of the weather.
Step 4: Post some pics of your wire cluster.

.

 

[Rebelwithacause]

When I installed my OEM Mopar remote start kit, back around 2018, there were some factory firewall pass-thru spots up under the dash.

The instruction manual for the remote start kit said to pass the hood latch wire thru one of those.

They even had weatherproof rubber membranes over the openings. All I had to do poke a hole in the rubber and push the wire thru.

My truck is a 2013, of Canukistanian origin. Maybe the later years don't have those?

Seems like those would be a better option than drilling.

I would agree with your comment about drilling. There was an access port with a rubber nipple the hood. It seemed to me like a pretty easy process. I was able to run a coat hanger through, but just barely. I tried some WD-40, but it still wouldn't pass through without a lot of effort. All I was trying to do was expand the hole. I should've exercised a lot more patience.

 

[Rebelwithacause]

I fixed that for ya DL.

Step 1: Disconnect the battery negative post ASAP, wherever it is now.
Step 2: Rescue the truck from the dealer.
Step 3: Move it to a garage or covered area where you can work on it out of the weather.
Step 4: Post some pics of your wire cluster.

.

I've reached out to a local out of electric repair shop and they made it sound like it would be not at all impossible to fix. I agree that dealerships are very expensive with even the most routine maintenance, that I was hoping they would have the expertise I could count on. I'm giving the service department until the end of the day to contact me then I will make arrangements with the local repair shop.

 

[Wild one]

I would agree with your comment about drilling. There was an access port with a rubber nipple the hood. It seemed to me like a pretty easy process. I was able to run a coat hanger through, but just barely. I tried some WD-40, but it still wouldn't pass through without a lot of effort. All I was trying to do was expand the hole. I should've exercised a lot more patience.

Clutch cover hole is the most common spot on the 4th Gens to run wires through,unbolt it and drill a hole in it,then use a grommet.Do a search on here,there's a few threads on using the clutch cover to run wires from the cabin to under the hood.

 

[Wild one]

I've reached out to a local out of electric repair shop and they made it sound like it would be not at all impossible to fix. I agree that dealerships are very expensive with even the most routine maintenance, that I was hoping they would have the expertise I could count on. I'm giving the service department until the end of the day to contact me then I will make arrangements with the local repair shop.

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[Marshall]

View attachment 579696

That was the price from the sales mag, this is Canada so add 30% , it was a special order. so who knows what extra was on it.