Asking Again About Electrical Problems

[Samurai9]

I have asked before about this, but do not recall getting any response. My 1993 Hijet is now at the garage and will be examined tomorrow. This is the first time I have had a mechanic check it over. The only things I know to be wrong are all electrical. When I got the truck, all of the lights worked except one of the headlights. The speedometer and horn and wipers worked, as well as a CD player added by the former owner, but not the radio. The fuel gauge and various warning lights did not work. While checking for a bad fuse (didn't find a problem there), I accidentally disconnected the wiring harness. Although I tried to put it back, since then no lights have worked, and the horn and wipers are getting no power. The speedometer continues to work. Thank goodness, the truck still starts and runs fine. A leading possibility is that I have not properly reconnected the wiring harness and that the headlamp (which I have replaced) was simply burned out. That still leaves the fuel gauge and the warning lights non-working.

The garage owner has discouraged me from expecting any help on the electrical problems because he has no manual or wiring diagram. I am hoping that a fuse is a fuse and a wire is a wire and that therefore an experienced person will be able to get most things to work. I have looked online for a wiring diagram but haven't found anything.

I WILL get the lights and horn working one way or the other!

Any suggestions or comments?

Thanks,

Sam

[Samurai9]

I asked my regular garage whether they could check out my truck and try to deal with electrical problems and I was told OK, yes, bring it in. I did this on Monday. As of today no one had looked at the truck and I was told in effect that they would get to it when they had nothing else to do. I had paid $75 to have the truck towed into town for this work; now I will have to get it towed back out to the country with nothing accomplished. I am a regular customer at this place and they have worked on two other of my vehicles.

I think this result indicates the difficulty of owning one of these trucks if you are not a mechanic and do not have a friend or relative who can work on motor vehicles. Moreover, if you have someone work on the truck and a part is needed, you are probably stuck for several weeks, assuming you can order the part. I don't know if you would be better off in this respect with a Mule or Ranger.

Not only did the garage not work on the truck, they left the key in the ignition and killed the battery! They are charging the battery and have promised to pay for the tow back to my land, but I have still wasted time and money and probably will have to look for another garage/mechanic.

Sam

[zbadboy]

"I think this result indicates the difficulty of owning one of these trucks if you are not a mechanic and do not have a friend or relative who can work on motor vehicles. Moreover, if you have someone work on the truck and a part is needed, you are probably stuck for several weeks, assuming you can order the part. I don't know if you would be better off in this respect with a Mule or Ranger."

I understand your frustrations but disagree with your comments. Your mechanic should have told you up front (prior to towing it in) that he would get to it when he had the time. There are people on this sight that can get parts immediately if not within a week from Japan.

When it comes to electrical problems with a vehicle there are very few mechanics (even with manuals and schematics) that can quickly and correctly diagnos an electrical problem. This is even more difficult on a website forum.

My friend owns a Harley that he has had in the shop over 5 times under warranty and they still can't figure out why it won't start sometimes. You can find countless consumer complaints about $30K vehicles that they are unhappy with.

I know you are frustrated and rightly so. Is there anyone in your area that owns one of these or a dealer that maybe able to help you out?

Good Luck

[Samurai9]

ZBADBOY, apart my experience today, I think you will probably agree that the average mechanic has more experience with a Jeep or four wheel drive Ford Ranger than a Hijet and parts are more readily available locally. Both of the shop owners I spoke with asked about wiring diagrams. I think you will admit that you can get a Jeep wiring diagram in most auto parts stores (in the manual for sale at the counter) while NO ONE seems to have a Hijet diagram. Hence the difficulties in making repairs.

I also have the problem of having to get this working truck hauled to the garage instead of being able to drive it there. You would have the same problem with a Kawasaki Mule or Polaris Ranger in my state, since these are not allowed to drive on the roads. Will the typical auto repair shop down the street work on an ATV or UTV? Or do you have to take these to the Polaris dealer out at the big mall?

I reattached the wiring harness and think it is making contact. I reattached the CD player power wire to one of the fuses and now it works. I will re-examine the fuses to see if I can find a problem there. Right now I plan to drive the truck (with the SMV triangle installed) to a nearby shop on Monday. It is only about three miles via suburban roads, so maybe I can get there without being stopped by the fuzz.

I continue to think that an experienced auto mechanic would be able to get most of my electrical accessories and lights to work. (Maybe I am being naive about that.) Too bad that my regular shop refused to treat me like the other customers and even make an attempt. Well, there are other mechanics in town and other garages. I am a determined guy and I will eventually get my truck fully functional. I am not bitchin': I was aware of the risks involved in buying this old truck on eBay. Things could be worse. I am happy that my truck starts easily and runs well.

Sam

[lzpoor]

you may want to check for a loose ground have worked on several vehicles over the years that grounds threw me for a loop

[tmikewww]

Sammy,
Do you have a "shop" in your area that rebuilds starters, alternators, other automotive electrical components? You might give them a try. Here where I live, we have such a place. Any time there is an automotive dealer/repair shop that can't figure something "electrical" out, they take it to "Jacobs".
Good luck "hunting"
tmikewww
(tom)

[Samurai9]

Tom,

I had about the same thought: look for a shop or mechanic who specializes in electrical issues in autos, someone who can check some things without having the benefit of the wiring diagram. Since I had the additional electrical failures after pulling the fuses and accidentally disconnecting the wiring harness, I am guessing that I caused the problem. The prior owner installed a cheap but useful CD player/receiver and may have caused a short or other problem accounting for the electrical problems present when my truck was delivered.

I reconnected the CD player wire to one of the fuses and it worked. This tells me that the wiring harness is properly attached and that the fuses are hot. I will pull the other fuses and examine them again but doubt that any is burned out. For the heck of it, I may replace the 15 and 20 A fuses with new ones and see if there is any improvement.

Could I have a short somewhere? Couldn't a mechanic check for a short?

I will post a photo of my fuse panel in the galleries.

Thanks,

Sam

[MiniBrutes]

Its true. Most mechanics dont know wiring worth a ****, and many even hate working on it.

You know where to take it? The BEST car stereo shop that does alarms and remote starts. 12V Installation technicians usually know more about vehicle wiring than the best "mechanic" in town.

I know, because I am one. Other dealers and shops send their vehicles here for daytime running lights, electrical diagnosis, Etc. If it isnt in their book or scan tool, they have no clue.

On the flip side, I dont think I could do a valve job if my life depended on it! Haha

[Samurai9]

MiniBrutes, thanks for the suggestion. There is a world of knowledge out there if you can find it.

Sam