Electronic Contact & Connector cleaners?

[r2sma]

Hi,
All the chat about the condensation getting into the rear light clusters of the A6, (As mine is as the moment) with every bulb in the cluster faulting daily, can someone please tell me if...
Any 'Electrical contact cleaner' will sort this? or any types i shouldnt be using?
Or, do i have to ultimately have to change the connectors themselves?
If so, does someone have an easy step by step guide for this as i hear you can short-circuit?
These faults which are obviously very common, are they all the same connectors at fault or are there some rogue ones hiding under the bonnet as well?
Last, but by no means least, i heard you can get a compound that you smear onto the contacts which make a better contact circuit after cleaning and prevents this happening again. Any ideas?
Many thanks

[r2sma]

Can anyone tell me where to find the 'Earth' connector in the rear light wiring connector loom, or what colour the wire is, or even better, a photo showing it?
Secondly, can anyone tell me how to remove the old single connector to replace with a new one?
If i need to purchase a new 'Whole' wiring connector for this part to connect into the rear light assembly, anyone know a part number or if a third party sells them?
Many thanks

[nealeb]

I use a straightforward contact cleaner from Maplins (I think it's an Electrolube product sitting in the garage at the moment) and I'm pretty sure that they are all pretty safe around plastics and so on. There are all sorts of claims for miracle cures, and it's not easy to spot the snake oil among them. My personal view is that just spraying the contacts in themselves is useful but only on new contacts to stop moisture and so on getting in and starting the corrosion. Older contacts should be taken apart, sprayed, and then made/remade a few times. Good quality contacts, if the springiness is still OK, will scrape away corrosion and the contact cleaner then creeps in and seals up the fresh surfaces. I have a motorbike which, like most of them, tends to suffer from damp affecting electrical connections and the above treatment helps enormously.

[Einstein]

Electrolube EML is an aerosol contact cleaner, which leaves a lubricant residue that is mainly used as switch cleaner..
Ambersil Servisol super 10 is a very similar product.. and the one I normally use for switches and pots..
Both are suitable for cleaning contacts, and will give a bit of protection against the elements.

Electrolube also do a grease, that is more suitable for static connectors... although check which one you get, as some are not too plastic friendly..

Would suggest Electrolube CG52B .. Just separate connector, apply a little and make/remake a few times.

If the contacts of the connectors are corroded, then the aerosols would help to clean them, although if too far gone, replacement is the way to go..
you can use a spare connector from a scrapper, extract the contacts, cut the cables leaving a couple of inches.. solder together new contact, and insulate with heat shrink..
reassemble connector..

hope any of this helps..

John

[r2sma]

John,
I never thought about a scrapper, however i dont think there will be many A6 /C6's in the scrap yards around these parts - maybe easier to bite the bullet and buy one from Audi direct.
Thanks anyway

[Einstein]

I presume then, yours are well corroded... as it's only the contact pins you require, I would imagine any VW/Audi over the past 10 years would have the same type of connectors.

I doubt that Audi would supply new connectors, as they are more likely to want to sell a wiring loom.


John

[r2sma]

I presume then, yours are well corroded... as it's only the contact pins you require, I would imagine any VW/Audi over the past 10 years would have the same type of connectors.

I doubt that Audi would supply new connectors, as they are more likely to want to sell a wiring loom.


John

John,
Quite the opposite about the condition of the connectors being corroded, they look straight out the box and very clean.
I was told that if the earth hasnt got a good tight fit, then that may a factor in the lights faulting, hence the replacement single earth connector, or complete clip connector
Erik

[Einstein]

Bad earth connections are usually where the wire bolts to the chassis... they tend to corrode as when fitting, it removes any corrosion protection..
You will need to remove and clean.. apply a little petroleum jelly, or the electrolube grease, and re-fit.

John

[r2sma]

Bad earth connections are usually where the wire bolts to the chassis... they tend to corrode as when fitting, it removes any corrosion protection..
You will need to remove and clean.. apply a little petroleum jelly, or the electrolube grease, and re-fit.

John

Just a quick note;
I contacted my local Audi dealership about this to see if they had any quick diagnostic solutions, however, even with all the complaints on the forum about this SAME fault, Audi haven't heard of this fault which i find very strange!
I was hoping the lad i spoke to would click on straight away with an answer to the problem and able to repair without having it sit in the workshop for hours whilst they fault find. Unfortunately they dont have a quick fix.
Erik