ABS line cut - must replace engine wire harness?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by newguywithpups, Feb 6, 2025.

  1. newguywithpups

    newguywithpups Junior Member

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    Yes, wheel liner was damaged. Replacement ordered.

    Removed tire and took a closer look, snapped some pics.

    Most certainly speed sensor. Looks to be a straightforward replacement.
    PXL_20250208_185204035.jpg

    Far shot of damaged engine wire harness.
    PXL_20250208_185211217.jpg
    Hood release latch severed. I'm guessing also a straightforward replacement. I ordered the part already.
    PXL_20250208_185235269.jpg

    To the right of severed hood release cable is a completely severed bundle of wires from the engine wire harness. No idea what this goes to. Photo taken from wheel, facing forward.
    PXL_20250208_185245521.jpg

    Close-up of damaged engine wire harness. Looks to be no actual damage to wires? Not even a broken strand...
    PXL_20250208_185629425.jpg PXL_20250208_190209775.jpg PXL_20250208_190805163.jpg
    Close up of severed wire bundle from engine wire harness.
    PXL_20250208_191010018.jpg

    Maybe I can just wrap electrical tape around the wires that were stripped :unsure:. Then reapply some split wire loom and some tape like it originally had.

    For the severed wire bundle, that I have no idea, but may get some hints when the replacement engine wire harness arrives and I can see what it looked like when it was whole.
    Edit: wait I'm pretty sure it's just the buzzer that makes the chirpy sound when I lock/unlock the car. Good god, if this is true and I thought I had to pay over $4k to replace the entire wire harness just so I can get the damn chirpy sound...
    Edit edit: buzzer looks to be only two wires, which makes sense. So likely it's the buzzer but also something else... aaaand based on where the speed sensor wire is supposed to connect to, it very well may be the wires that go to the speed sensor wire.
     
    #21 newguywithpups, Feb 8, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2025
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I would say the red, green (with shield) would be the speed sensor cable.
    IMG_7392.jpeg IMG_7391.jpeg

    Will the car drive now?
     
  3. newguywithpups

    newguywithpups Junior Member

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    Ah makes sense. I'll try splicing it to the equivalent section on the incoming engine wire harness.

    The car drives, yes. Always had - was just getting ABS and traction control lights. Other problems: hood release doesn't work, door buzzer doesn't work (all eventually evidenced in the photos), liner torn up.
     
  4. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    You should be ok.
     
  5. newguywithpups

    newguywithpups Junior Member

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    TL;DR - Success!! :D

    --

    Big THANK YOU for all your help! Does this forum keep a running total of how much money its members have helped each other save? lol. Add like $9k to it.

    So I watched a few YouTube videos on how to splice shielded cable, including the one posted by @rjparker . Super helpful. The shielding on that wire was more like aluminum foil as opposed to a mesh of wires.

    The salvaged wire harness I purchased actually ended up missing the exact segment that I needed - was just cut off for reasons unknown. So instead using the wires I needed that led to the front left speed sensor, I used the branch that led to the front right speed sensor. Connectors were the same, wire is the same. However, wire colors were different - so I actually referred to the wire diagram @rjparker kindly posted and was able to quickly match up the corresponding wire colors.

    Solder seal wire connectors really helped out - no actual soldering needed. The toughest part was stripping the tiny wires - ended up breaking a wire a couple times.

    OBD actually showed no codes even before the repair when the ABS and traction control lights were on. After the repair, I drove the car around the block and about a quarter of the way the ABS and traction control lights turned off.

    I did end up spending like $250 for basically what ended up being a couple feet of the shielded wire with the connector at the end, and I'm sure I could've repaired it reliably without haven't spent nearly that much. But at the end of the day it's not a ridiculous amount and more importantly, it's way way less money than the prescribed shop repair and even took way way less time.

    THANKS EVERYONE! :)

    If it turns out the repair was actually no good and I die in a fiery crash, I'll make sure to post an update heh...
     
  6. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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  7. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Victory.jpeg
     
  8. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I’m glad you got it all back together and it works!