Intermittent Connection and Poor Contact Inspection

Intermittent Connection and Poor Contact Inspection

Most intermittent connections are caused by faulty electrical connections or wiring, although a sticking relay or solenoid can occasionally be a cause. When checking connections, perform check of suspect circuit 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, terminals exposed to moisture and dirt, misalignment of terminals on component or connector and mating connector.





- Improperly formed or damaged terminals.
Check each connector terminal in circuit with problem for good contact tension using a corresponding test terminal.
If contact tension is not enough, correct terminal shape to increase contact tension or replace harness.











- Poor terminal-to-wire connection.
Check each wire harness in circuit with problem for poor connection by shaking it by hand lightly. If any abnormal condition is found, repair or replace harness.





- Damaged wire insulation, causing intermittent short circuit to other wiring or parts.
- Broken wire inside the insulation. If one or two strands of a multi-stranded wire are intact, continuity check will show good circuit, but resistance could be too high. If the resistance is too high, repair or replace the harness.