Anyone used the ABS Wiring Harness Repair Kit?

A week ago my brake pad warning light went off so I picked up F/R Textar pads and four new pad wear sensors. Everything was going fine until I popped open the metal locking mechanism that secures the ABS/brake pad wear indicator plugs and started gently pulling out the old BP sensor connection on the Right-Rear. I noticed some black plastic bits on the ground directly under the axle so I grabbed a LED headlamp and peered over the rotor for a better look. The connector housing was literally destroyed. The metal retaining clip was basically holding 20 cracked pieces together. I did some digging and found an OEM ABS Wiring Harness Repair Kit (Part# 996-612-954-01-OEM) that should arrive tomorrow. I can't seem to find much online re: installation instructions so I am guessing I'm going to need to break out a soldering iron, heat shrink wrap, etc. Does anyone have any experience with this kit and have any installation advice to offer? Part in question: This is the piece that was basically destroyed:

I haven't done this to a 996. Looks like you may need to repin a connector. It has been a couple of years since I had the full interior out, but as I recall, the rear connectors require you to feed it up into the area under the seats. I think the larger of those grommets goest through the floor. You may end up with a pretty big project to remove trim, seats, carpets, etc. if you look in the uppermost right of this picture, I think that is where it pokes through. I had this all stripped out when I replaced my wiring harness. Not sure what year your are dealing with, but here is the relevant bit of the wiring diagram for a 99. 2002:

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Thanks for the info! By looking at the product pics, I was thinking it was a splice kit. Now it is looking like a multi-day process.

Does anyone with "rip the rear interior out" experience have any tips on what i'll need to take the back seats and carpeting out? I'd like to to purchase any tools I might be missing before I dive into the project this afternoon. Relevant tools that I already own: - Full socket/wrench set - Plastic trim removal kit (I own two of these) - Torx drivers/bits - Triple square bits - Allen bits - Varior screwdrivers - Misc auto-specific electrical connectors/fittings/fuses - Electrical tools (Multimeter, dykes, pliers, strippers, crimpers, heat shrink wrap, heat gun, silicone bonding tape, electrical tape) - RTV, silicone, dielectric grease There is one connector type (included with the wiring harness repair kit I ordered) that I am unsure of. Is there a speciality tool to use with the following?

For reference, I found a relevant article: https://996turbo.tumblr.com/

I use a tool similar to this one. There r several different variants and once u figure it out its simple to crimp most factory style pins. IWISS Weather Pack Terminal Crimping Tool - Wire Crimper for Delphi Metri-Pack 150, 280 & Weather-Pack Terminals 0.35-2.0mm2 AWG22-14 Amazon Amazon

You should be fine with the tools you have. There are only a few fasteners (seatbelt, metal tray for relays, ground points, seat back latches). Speaker grilles may be either Phillips or torx (I've seen both) A bone tool (trim tool) is useful for reinstalling the side trim (rubber window gasket). A lot of it is removing trim (w/plastic clips) and carpets. You may need an allen wrench for the seat back bolts. I seem to recall a triple square somewhere, but I don't remember where. Maybe the seat back bolts? You've already heard feedback on a depinning tool, and the crimper was already called out. I have a radio shack crimper from forever ago that I use on pins like that. I use a heat gun for heat shrink.

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Neat article, wrong end of the car though.

Oh brother! I think you have your work cut out for you... Just for grins I went and took a good look at where those wheel speed sensors terminate on my spare wiring harness (doesn't everybody have one, lol). That harness goes from the wheel area, under the pan, up through the floor, across to the plastic loom cover over the transmission hump, then down to a white connector, which if memory serves is connected down at the side of the sill, near the bottom of the seatbelt area. Where it comes through on the passenger side (mirror image driver side): Path it follows on driver side (red) and passenger side (orange): Please see the picture I posted above in post #2. The white connector is the one on the lower right of the picture. If so, you're looking at front seats out too. Sill protector out. Main carpet out, or at least peeled back. Here are some snapshots (sorry, not a good photo environment in the attic of my shop). This is where the wheel speed sensor (shiny black larger sheathing at the left) harnesses enter the black plastic loom protector. Not a huge deal, but you'll have to get to it (remove carpet under rear seat) and open it up to surgically replace the sensor loom: This is where the shiny black sheathing of that harness ends just prior to the wires going into the connector (next photo): The two wheel speed sensor harnesses terminate in this white connector (I think these are the ones you'll depin and repin). The wheel speed sensor wires are the ones at the right in this photo: I didn't trace the remaining wires to their termination, but they appear to do a 180 and loop back toward the plastic loom protector. If you need me to, I could chase them down.

Thanks for the info! That does not look like fun. So what is the argument against cutting the run about 6 inches outside of the wheel well and then splicing the wires (heat shrink wrapping the individual wires and then heat shrink wrapping the "bundle")? Would the splices induce any resistance to the circuit that could throw the ABS/brake pad wear indicators off? Is this a viable solution other than not being "technically" correct?

A proper splice should be fine. Because of the location i would solder and heat shrink the wires.

Another thought I just had.... If we analyze the product image and do some reverse engineering/sleuthing, couldn't it be inferred that Porsche wants the installer to cut and splice the cable run (vs. making your way all the way back to the white pin connector)? My reasoning is as follows: - The repair kit does not come with all wire ends terminated with a pin. - The repair kit comes with crimp-type splice connectors. - The repair kit comes with heat shrink tubing.

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In your opinion, what would be the proper splice? I'm thinking this one: Splice > solder > heat shrink wrap (individual wires + "bundle")

I have used this kit to repair all four corners of my �98 996. The heat here just kills those connectors! I went the splice method as I didn�t want to mess with re-pinning the connectors. The rear was a total PITA as you have to pull the carpet and rear seats. Pulling the front seats makes it easier but it is not mandatory.

There is the right way, and then lots of other ways. It is your car, do what makes you happy. I personally would not cut corners, but that's just me.

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I guess the question becomes.... Why does Porsche sell the kit with crimp connectors, heat shrink wrap and with no end pins if they want you to connect to a pin connector?

I changed mine yesterday. Both rear sensors have to replaced at the connector plug next to the driver seat. Not a difficult task but need to remove driver seat and carpets..

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How did this work out for you? Were you able to splice the wires?

I know this is an old thread, but does anybody know the correct depinning tool for these barrel connectors? I've been through four so far, and they're all either just too small to actually push in the prongs or just ever so slightly too big to fit down into the plastic housing and actually get to the prongs, or too short for me to be able to tell if its the right one or not ... Took me an hour to remove the interior and get to the harness for this job, then I spent four hours unsuccessfully trying to depin the connector.

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By the way, the kit comes pinned now - EDIT: Sorry, different part number. This is 996-612-953-01-OEM.

For anybody doing the splice method .... you absolutely do not have to remove your interior. If you remove the rubber gasket in the wheelwell, pull out as much cable as you can, cut it off with about 5 inches hanging out, and do the solder+splice it at that point (heat shrink individually then the bundle), there's enough space in the cavity that you can put your spliced portion up behind that gasket so that it's "inside" the car without having to remove the interior. Best of both worlds if you ask me. Clean, effective, water-safe, and a massive time saver. This is like a 90-150 minute job per corner if you do it this way.

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I (personally) needed the interior out anyway, for rear window regulators and cabriolet hydraulics, but this is a brilliant solution - keeps the splices inside the car, behind the rubber seal - provided you can get that grommet / seal back in place without pressing from the inside - and is a great idea.

Thank you for all the great information and pictures of this harness (loom). I too have had that wheel sensor ABS and brake pad wear connector just completely come apart and bought the repair kit but didn't know the extent of the re-work. I really like this year 2006 Boxster because the parts are available and reasonable in price and with this forum I haven't been without great help. Thanks !!!

Wow, great timing on this old thread popping up. I just ran into this exact problem!! I stripped my interior down to the studs over the winter to install new carpet & soundproofing so that's not a big issue. Repinning it with the new kit or splicing & stuffing?

Same here, tried to replace the rear right speed sensor today on my 987 and this is what I ended up with� Sounds like I�ll get the repair kit and splice it from the wheel well. My car spent 14 years in a very hot climate so removing the carpet etc is likely going to break yet more stuff (as well as being a giant PITA).

Much gratitude to the contributor who posted photos of the wiring harness paths for the ABS and other circuits, and also ABS wiring diagrams. The photos revealing locations of the exposed wires and connections were a huge help in solving the failure of ABS and other circuits on my 1999 996 C2. Mice infiltrated my garage and car during several months of none use. The mice chewed ABS wiring near the ABS module under the brake fluid reservoir, chewed wiring on top of the fuel tank under the battery, and chewed wiring on the driver side floor near the rear seat. The chewed wiring damage left the speedometer, fuel gauge, and ABS system inoperable. The photos that were posted of the ABS wiring under the carpet near the rear seat allowed me to find the damaged area with minimal removal of interior components, I post photos here with consideration that they may help any victims of mice intrusion identify the probable places on the 996 that mice may choose to nest and chew wiring circuitry. I repaired all of the damaged wiring with spliced in inserts, coated the wire splices with shoe goo, and wrapped all exposed wires and connections Left rear floor area - mice nested and chewed wiring harness - access was gained by removing D side rear seat, seat belt bolts, side panel and pulling up carpet. A plastic cover over the connector and nest was sawed off to avoid a more extensive disassembly Mice nested and chewed wiring directly under the ABS module Damaged wiring inactivated ABS system and speedometer, activated brake wear light I began diagnosis with a iCarsoft POR V1.0 code reader which reported wheel speed sensor failures, when the wheel speed sensors tested good, I deductively established the wiring harness damage I first discovered the chewed fuel gauge circuitry on top of the fuel tank, followed by damage under the ABS module, and finally the rear floor area under carpeting. The wheel speed sensors directly feed to the ABS module and the signal from the ABS module feeds to the speedometer.,

My favorite connector is the style that crimp on and the plastic cover is clear so you can see the connection quality, the cover is heat shrink and the inside of the tube has a thermal adhesive in it. Once they are on, you'll break the wire before you can pull them apart. They sell a version with solder in the middle as well so the solder melts when you shrink the tubing. they come out looking amazing. Soldered connections do require a degree of skill to do just right so as not to weaken the wire.

Thanks for your helpful wire repair suggestion pdxmotorhead. I initially attempted conventional soldering of the small gauge wires, but a successful solder fix was very slow and often elusive given the location is tenuous to access and the solder heat factor readily causes damage to the wiring and pin connector. Twisting the wires and coating the twisted connections with shoe goo ultimately creates an ultra strong, transparent, water proof, fully insulated repair connection, yet the disadvantage of this no heat approach is that it takes a day for the shoe goo to fully cure and reach maximum strength. I searched and found the type of transparent heat shrink connectors with solder that you reference on Amazon Amazon Amazon These would surely be excellent for some applications, yet the need to apply sufficient heat to melt the solder component might make them impractical for some delicate applications.

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Just did this on my 997 Turbo -- you saved me a bunch of time in removing my rear seats and pulling up my carpet (and possibly having to remove the rear side panels, or the Bose speaker, who knows...). All four harnesses were crumbling after I removed my calipers to paint them. I'd ordered new harnesses after putting the calipers back on and seeing how they were breaking apart -- before they even got here, BOTH the rear harnesses had their wires detach from the pins going into the wheel speed sensors. This throws the car into limp mode and I'd never actually experienced it before - the car has a fixed acceleration rate no matter what you do with the throttle and it is GOD AWFUL

I'm waiting for the rear abs kits as the non psm harnesses needs to ship from overseas, I did the splice fix on both rears till the parts arrive. The first time I've not had a CEL light on in a year. The interior removal while faddily only takes about an hour and a half the hardest part will be unpinning the harness

Can anyone confirm that this repair kit has the same color coding on the wires as the orginal on a 996.1 which is Brown/Green and Borwn/Black got to the brake pad sensor.Brown/Blue and Brown/White go to the speed sensor.And a Brown wire that goes to ground (chassis) at the wheel carrier screw point?

I've not received the kit yet, mine's being shipped from Germany since I have a non PSM car, I've soldered the connections till then. Pelican has a picture of the harness on website that might help you.

You ordered from Pelican and they have to source from Germay ? mine is a early nonPSM as well...

Yes it's 4-6 weeks out and I was told and no refund. that's why I decided to splice the existing wires till they arrive. Nice to finally have no dash lights on.

Im tempted to create new deutch connections

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I broke apart the harnesses on my 997.1TT to temporarily wire them directly to their sensors -- this is exactly how my car was wired, and it is exactly how the new Porsche replacement harnesses were wired.

Suncoast in Sarasota can get these quicky if you need. Mine took like 3 days.

Thanks for the heads up unfortunately I'm committed to mine now, it's been 4 weeks so hopefully soon. There's no hurry now since my abs light is out and the check engine light has stayed off and a functioning cruise control once again. I'll keep Suncoast in mind next time I have a need for parts. good luck with the installation! Cheers these were the part #s I ordered 996-612-964-01 996-612-265-01

Wire colors on the repair kit are same as the wires coming off the harness in the car. Just match them up. Real easy.