New Member - Desperately need parts assistance

[msg_jwilliams]

Greetings everybody. I can certainly post this wherever else it may be helpful, but I am really hurting for a part. I have a 2007 EL Eddie Bauer with a dead transmission wiring harness (7L1Z-15525-BA) because it fell down on the exhaust and melted. The vehicle has now been sitting unused for going on two years because I cannot find a replacement harness for it through dealers or retail suppliers. Any assistance anybody can provide to find a replacement, at this point even a take off from another vehicle, would be great.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Greetings everybody. I can certainly post this wherever else it may be helpful, but I am really hurting for a part. I have a 2007 EL Eddie Bauer with a dead transmission wiring harness (7L1Z-15525-BA) because it fell down on the exhaust and melted. The vehicle has now been sitting unused for going on two years because I cannot find a replacement harness for it through dealers or retail suppliers. Any assistance anybody can provide to find a replacement, at this point even a take off from another vehicle, would be great.

Original part (before revision / supplier change?): https://www.fordwholesalehq.com/oem-parts/ford-wire-assembly-7l1z15525aa

 

[Motorcity muscle]

Could try a junk yard or proper term car recycling facility if there are some in your area. Not sure how many wires are in the harness but maybe remove harness and splice the damaged wires.

 

[msg_jwilliams]

Thanks for the link, but that ends in AA, which is the 2WD harness. I double checked there for the 4WD one I need and it shows discontinued, just like everyplace else I check.

Concur on the junkyard, and that is what I have been working on. One of the biggest problems I have found is that when the junkyards pull the trans for reselling, they simply cut the harness and then throw away the small piece and connector left on the trans. So, the goal is to find a vehicle that has not had the trans pulled yet.

I did find a guy parting out an 07 on FB marketplace last night and he confirmed he had the harness available. However, he is several states away, wants $400 for the harness and will only take cash - I am NOT mailing $400 in cash and then hoping I do receive a part in return.

 

[Yupster Dog]

Thanks for the link, but that ends in AA, which is the 2WD harness. I double checked there for the 4WD one I need and it shows discontinued, just like everyplace else I check.

What about splicing it back together like @Motorcity muscle suggested?
If you solder connections and cover/w weatherproof heat shrink it would be better than before.

 

[msg_jwilliams]

Thanks for the suggestion on splicing, I overlooked that earlier. That is also a possibility. I am going to have the vehicle towed from the dealer, where it has been sitting forever, to my house and then I can remove the harness and see what I have to work with. I am hoping the connectors remain undamaged and I might be able to overlay the old wiring. I guess the biggest challenge there would be making sure I am using exactly the same gauge for each wire (I assume a different gauge with change resistance and throw off the electronics).

 

[Timo2824]

What is the difference between the 2wd and 4wd harness? The transmission is the same, are the transfer case wires included in the burnt part? You could buy it and use the new wires to replace the burnt ones.

 

[Vincent Vega]

@msg_jwilliams I am not 100% sure of the damage your are dealing with, but splicing or making a harness seems like what I would do if I were in your position. Junk yards would be perfect, but seems like you have to be very lucky. All else fails, an automotive electric or custom classic shop would make something for you. There are several auto electric places around here, probably you too. I am sure it comes at a cost, but just so you know there is help out there if you need it.

 

[bigdogchrisl]

Another vote for splicing here. I had to do something similar. Its a PIA, however, once done - NEVER had another issue.

 

[old codger]

You might try Ford Parts Giant, they maintain several warehouses for obsolete NOS Ford Parts, they have come to my rescue numerous times. You can check their site online but if part shows not in stock, call them anyway, for some unknown reason not all parts show in stock on line.

 

[msg_jwilliams]

Thanks for the several pieces of advice. I did try Ford Parts Giant and it is discontinued, no longer available from Ford and no known aftermarket producers but I will try giving them a call. From what I can tell online in pictures, the 4WD and 2 WD harnesses are different in what connectors are included, I assume for the transfer case. There are a couple classic car restoration shops around here, but they had no interest in rebuilding a harness for me. So, I will be calling the dealer where it is sitting to make sure a tow truck can get it, and have it brought to the house so I can play with wires (and wait for the nasty gram from the HOA because I have an inoperative vehicle (expired tags and safety inspection sticker) in my driveway.........if I ever move from here, never again will it be someplace with an HOA

 

[1111ExpyEL1111]

Thanks for the several pieces of advice. I did try Ford Parts Giant and it is discontinued, no longer available from Ford and no known aftermarket producers but I will try giving them a call. From what I can tell online in pictures, the 4WD and 2 WD harnesses are different in what connectors are included, I assume for the transfer case. There are a couple classic car restoration shops around here, but they had no interest in rebuilding a harness for me. So, I will be calling the dealer where it is sitting to make sure a tow truck can get it, and have it brought to the house so I can play with wires (and wait for the nasty gram from the HOA because I have an inoperative vehicle (expired tags and safety inspection sticker) in my driveway.........if I ever move from here, never again will it be someplace with an HOA

This is why I'll never live in a place that has a HOA. There's no way I would turn my yard into a junkyard but no people in my neighborhood where I decide to purchase a house or something is going to tell me what I can and can't do.

 

[msg_jwilliams]

o

 

[JKH13]

Greetings everybody. I can certainly post this wherever else it may be helpful, but I am really hurting for a part. I have a 2007 EL Eddie Bauer with a dead transmission wiring harness (7L1Z-15525-BA) because it fell down on the exhaust and melted. The vehicle has now been sitting unused for going on two years because I cannot find a replacement harness for it through dealers or retail suppliers. Any assistance anybody can provide to find a replacement, at this point even a take off from another vehicle, would be great.

 

[Trainmaster]

Just fix the harness. The shop manual shows each wire gauge in the schematics. Shops do this kind of work every day. I can't count how many I've repaired.

 

[Allie Cooper]

If you're not up to repairing the harness yourself, I second the suggestion of finding an auto electrical shop to repair yours or build a new one. It's not difficult for them to do. If you can't find a place near you, there are several places that build harnesses for entire cars and ship to you. I'm most familiar with the ones that build them for Mustangs, but I know there are others that build them for other cars, including customs. They might be a little expensive, but probably a lot less than $400.

 

[msg_jwilliams]

Just fix the harness. The shop manual shows each wire gauge in the schematics. Shops do this kind of work every day. I can't count how many I've repaired.

That is what I originally thought as well, but the dealership said they can't do it - maybe that is a policy issue rather than a technical issue. I'll check around with some other shops in the area

 

[msg_jwilliams]

If you're not up to repairing the harness yourself, I second the suggestion of finding an auto electrical shop to repair yours or build a new one. It's not difficult for them to do. If you can't find a place near you, there are several places that build harnesses for entire cars and ship to you. I'm most familiar with the ones that build them for Mustangs, but I know there are others that build them for other cars, including customs. They might be a little expensive, but probably a lot less than $400.

Thanks, I'll do some look further out than the local area and see what I can find

 

[timo482]

so the dealer has just left it sitting because they cannot fix it? or will not fix it? or they are charging too much? i have seen 2007 that look new, and 2007 full of rust holes.. which is this one.. any competent mechanic can make a wire harness with the plugs and the color code and wiring diagram - all dealers have this information.

 

[msg_jwilliams]

so the dealer has just left it sitting because they cannot fix it? or will not fix it? or they are charging too much? i have seen 2007 that look new, and 2007 full of rust holes.. which is this one.. any competent mechanic can make a wire harness with the plugs and the color code and wiring diagram - all dealers have this information.

Yea, sitting there because they can't obtain a replacement and according to the tech, can't overlay the damaged wiring. I guess their "can't" might just be a they are not willing to do it. They left it to me to work on obtaining a replacement harness, either new or used. My 2007 is in good shape for its age including a new crate motor put in about 60K ago when the original motor crapped out on me - one of the reasons I want to get it running instead of just parting it out.