Checked the fuses?

On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 1:30 AM, Arkady Mirvis wrote:

> Fellow listees,
>
> How common is the problem with wires breacking between the driver side
> door and the body? In my 1987 Westy the left door speaker isn't
> working and the window motor in the passenger side door doesn't
> operate the glass. I do suspect the wires are broken due frequent door
> on and off during many years. Recently I was offered by my friend to
> take any part I wanted from a burned down Westy. I took off the part
> of the harness between the driver side door and the body. 10 wires
> were broken! The insulation was hard as a rock! It is my opinion that
> the rubber around the harness is too short and should have been longer
> and going down. That way the harness would twist and last much longer.
> This can't be changed easily. I suspect that VW installs wires with
> same insulation for hot and cold climates. In the North, at sub-zero
> temperatures the insulation will crack and in that place the wire will
> break very soon. VW installed cheap wire with a few conductors. The
> right design would have been a fine, multi-conductor wire with
> flexible at all temperatures insulation. Does anyone knows of the best
> type wire for eliminating wire breackage problem? If anyone had the
> problem, what was the method to correct it?  Thank in advance.
>
> Ark (the heaterman )