Reverse wires ripped out by driveshaft? Anyone else?

[cirrusblue]

Has this happened to anyone else - it happened to me this weekend.

Car was recently lowered and new sways, not sure if this effected it.
But, 30 mins into a trip - there's a tapping sound on my stick shift, that within 5 minutes gets louder and then there's a final loud sound like something was breaking free and then quiet... silent.

Get home, put the car up and there is ripped wire comming off my reverse light switch on m y tranny. The wires in the shift boot ares are all fkd up and I found the end that ripped off kind of jammed in there under the inner shift boot. The wire looks ok, it may have just separated at the connector like it should.

I gotta get some sway bar reinforcements put in this week so I'm gong to have my mechanic look at it, i hope it just needs the wires reconnected.

has this happned to anyone else?
anyone had this cable ripped off to substantial noise while driving?

- CB

[BMWManiac]

I don't know how this would happen....didn't think there was enough slack in the wire to get anywhere near the driveshaft when it is connected. Sway bars are way too far away, didn't affect it.

The wire goes from the switch back through the rubber mount, and the connector is right in front of the shifter. Not sure who routed it, but I don't see how it would get caught on anything unless someone wrapped it around the dssr maybe?

[5Toes]

Ive heard of it happening on several occasions. seems more common on e34 535i. it should be easy to splice in and repair the wire, just use butt splices that you crimp.

[cirrusblue]

Thanks. I spliced it back together but the switch doesn't seem to activate in the tranny. Ive fabbed up a couple slightly longer switches. Going to see if that does anything.

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[Andy.B]

I had this happen in the middle of a six hour drive. The wiring is now secured with more zip ties than could possibly be needed.

[cirrusblue]

I had this happen in the middle of a six hour drive. The wiring is now secured with more zip ties than could possibly be needed.

Yikes! What sound did it make when it happened. Do you remember?


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[Andy.B]

It didn't make a noticeable sound, which led to me continuing to drive as the wiring wore through the transmission output shaft seal. Leaking transmission fluid was the symptom that led me to it.

[DesktopDave]

My cabrio had a bad guibo that sliced up the reverse harness. The plug was OK, I just had to splice in a bit of wire. How's are your guibo and transmission mounts?

I also had an E23 with a UUC short shifter...it rubbed on the guibo in 2nd gear on acceleration. When back to a taller stock unit and the problem went away.

[dude8383]

This happens more often than you think. Can't tell you how many cars I've had to repair the reverse wiring on.

I'd say that if its never been touched before then the plastic piece that used to hold the wire in place... disintegrated long ago.

[wilholl]

blown Fuse #10 led me to investigate why my reverse lights were on constantly.
When I disconnected the reverse light connector, next to the shifter, all of the wires pulled out from under the car. The wires had been torn by the driveshaft and shorted to each other.