How do I gain a few inches of slack in the head light switch connector wires? 9 wire harness. I want to cut off the old wiring harness (as mine is melted) and (first buy the 9 wire harness off of ebay I guess) and then wire on the new headlight switch harness. The problem is there is not enough slack in the wires. If I were to cut the old harness off, I would have no room to strip the wires and attach the new harness. I need to pull on the wires and get about 3 inches of slack at least. But the wires appear to be fastened down somewhere? But where? What do I have to take apart to get at the zip tie or black electrical tape that is holding down the wires? Any advice on freeing up slack on the wires would be greatly appreciated.

The vehicle is a 1990 Plymouth Sundance, which I assume is probably wired similarly to the first generation 1995 Dodge Neon? Thanks.

The replacement 9 wire wiring harness is avaiable to buy on ebay for about $63 US dollars.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/36611485053...3ABFBMltirq51n

 

Do I have to pull the whole dash apart? in order to find WHERE the wires are fastened down? (I bet the wires are fastened down by a piece of black electrical tape? or a zap strap or something?)

Or would placing some tin foil? or a few pieces of stranded wire inside the electrical connector help complete the connection?

My interior/dome light is not making any connection at all. As the dome light only turns on when I open my car front doors.
My dash lights went out yesterday for about 30 seconds, then came back on. (so I don't trust them).
And my tail lights wouldn't come on until I really pushed the switch hard into the (a little burnt and melted) wiring harness/connector.

So this connector (which is a little melted) obviously needs to be replaced, but the problem is that I don't have enough slack on the 9 wires to cut the connector off, then strip the 9 wire ends, and then twist on the new connector.

So do I:

a. pull the whole dash apart and hope I find a spot where I can cut a zap strap or a piece of electrical tape which would hopefully provide me with approximately 3 inches of wire slack? or
b. start shoving little bits of stranded wire into the connector and hope that enables the connector to make connection with the headlight switch? (which could eventually overheat and possibly melt)

 

My question to Google / AI: (can I trust the answer though?)
Is there a way to pull a few inches of slack wire on the headlight wiring on a 1990 Plymouth Sundance?

Yes, it is possible to pull extra slack in the headlight wiring for a 1990 Plymouth Sundance, primarily by freeing the harness from its factory-secured positions in the engine bay.

Here are the methods to gain more slack, based on typical layouts:

• Remove Plastic Fasteners/Clips: The wiring harness is usually held against the radiator support or inner fender by plastic clips. Locate these clips, which may be holding the wire bundle, and carefully remove them to release the harness.
• Remove Plastic Loom/Covers: The wires may be wrapped in a plastic, split loom covering that restricts their movement. Carefully cutting or removing this loom can provide more flexibility.
• Remove the Washer Fluid Reservoir Neck: If the harness is stuck behind or near the windshield washer reservoir, bending or removing the neck of the washer fluid bottle can create more room to pull the wiring forward.
• Access via Wheel Well: Removing the screws for the front inner wheel well liner can allow you to reach behind the headlight housing and pull more wire toward the front.

Important Notes:

• Avoid Stretching: Be careful not to stretch the wires, as the insulation on a 1990 vehicle may be brittle.
• Inspect for Damage: Check for signs of melting, particularly if high-intensity bulbs were used, which might indicate the need for a replacement connector.

• Locate Connector Hooks: The black wiring harness connector on the back of the switch is held by two snap-on hooks (one on the rear-left and one at the front-right side). Releasing these will allow the harness to move independently of the switch.
• Free Up Slack:
  • Trace the Harness: Follow the cluster of wires from the back of the switch down toward the steering column or main harness junction.
  • Release Clips: Manufacturers often use plastic "Christmas tree" clips or electrical tape to bind the harness to the metal dash frame. Releasing these clips will provide several inches of extra slack

 

A simple dome light circuit. What color is the wire running to the dome light? Yellow with a black stripe?

 

Does anyone have a wiring diagram to the headlight switch for a 1995 Dodge Neon? I would like to know which colored wires run to where.
(Better still the wiring diagram to the headlight switch for a 1990 Plymouth Sundance?)

I'm thinking about buying the headlight switch below. But if the wire colors don't match, how do you know which wires run to which wires? I guess you could tell a little by the thickness of the individual wires?

 

I am writing this post approximately two weeks after I wired on my new headlight switch wiring harness, so I am recalling the steps from memory. Hopefully I remember it all correctly.

After disconnecting the negative battery terminal, and then removing the outer piece of black bezel plastic covering the headlight switch, I removed the three Philips screws securing the headlight switch. I then removed about 6 or so Philips screws from a dash component under the steering wheel. Then removed two longer (about 1.5 inches long) Philips chrome colored screws which were securing the HOOD RELEASE. This allowed the piece of plastic dash cover thing to be taken off and dangle nearly free. It was still held up by the emergency brake cable (if I remember correctly).

I then was able (with the help of a flathead) to wiggle and disconnect the headlight switch from the headlight switch connector/headlight switch wiring harness, and then pull the connector down a little (rerouting the connector slightly) under one plastic component of the dash, which then gave me about one additional inch of slack, where I was then able to cut off the connector/wiring harness (as it was melted). I then stripped the approximately 9 wires and wired on the new wiring harness. The colors of the wiring harness wires pretty much matched up with the colors of the Sundance wires. There may have been one or two instances where two same colored wires running from the car had to first be twisted together, and then the appropriate colored wire from the harness was twisted on, and then soldered, and then secured with an electrical marrette (then taped up with black electrical tape to help prevent the marrettes from falling off).

After the 9 wires were successfully connected, soldered, marretted, and taped up, I quickly rerouted the wires back to their original spot, then connected or pushed in the headlight switch into the new wiring harness (AKA connector). I then also had to connect what I assume was a small black ground wire connector. (This connection may have been disconnected when I bought the car? which could have been the reason WHY my dome light was not working?) I believe I also then had to remove one central nut and put on the metal bracket onto the switch, then put the nut back on securing the bracket to the switch). Then I believe I had to slide in the round **** (which interfaces with the special button) into the switch. Then secured the switch in place with the 3 Philips screws. Then put the 6 or so small Philips screws back in place, along with the 2 longer chrome colored screws, securing the Hood Release handle and the large piece of plastic dash.

Then reconnected the negative battery terminal and tested out my headlight switch. It pretty much all worked including the rotating switch to my interior dome light. Except I didn't have any dash lights!

So, I then took out about 4 screws from a black piece of bezel dash (covering the odometer), slide it out around the wheel, then removed another 4 screws securing down the odometer, and was then able to move the odometer cluster a couple of inches. My dash lights then popped on! So I think I have a loose connection in the back of the odometer cluster somewhere? Oh well, I didn't feel like investigating any further as the dash lights were now on. So, I fastened the odometer back down by screwing in the four Philips screws. Then slide the piece of black plastic bezel back in place, and fastened it down with the four Philips screws.

I then tested everything out once again, and everything was working properly. Done.

(Except for a small black one inch by one inch piece of black plastic which should be surrounding the round pull out headlight **** in the dash. This piece of dash or **** covering was missing when I bought the car. It would be nice to eventually get this piece of missing plastic from a wrecker somewhere, which would make the switch look complete.)





The completed headlight switch should look like below. I need the small black square piece of plastic, but there isn't any Sundance's at my local Junkyard.