I finally was able to get a replacement outside mirror switch for Superblue, my '94 4.0, and also figured out finally how to get it out of the console (there are 3 hidden screws - one pair and one of them which is tiny, all accessed from underneath the front of the assembly). However, now that I have the assembly out, I CANNOT get the halves of the connector to separate. I have tried standard pliers, channel-lock pliers, vice-grip pliers, etc. as well as several lubricant sprays on the connector. Tried squeezing on the sides of the connector while pulling it apart, on the ends, using a nail to push into the tiny hole above the bottom connector half, pulling on both ends with two pairs of pliers, etc. etc. and it still wonāt budge in the least. Even ended up somehow painfully cutting the tip of my finger in the process of trying. At this point Iām VERY tempted to cut all 7 wires in the harness, but then I would still have to get the halves apart and then re-splice the wires, which would make no sense.
Iād like to punch out whomever the idiot at Jag was that came up with all the nutty connector designs!
Iāve had issues like that, probably corroded. Iāve sprayed PB blaster in there and let it soak, and then was able to wedge them apart. Make sure to use some electrical cleaner once you have it apart to clean off all the PB Blaster. Then Iād use a little dielectric grease to lubricate the parts before plugging back together.
That may work, Greg. I tried spraying it with PB Blaster, electrical contact cleaner, and a silicon spray product (not WD-40, but another $ one) and letting it sit for about an hour, but no luck. Had it all over me, my dash and my pants leg for my efforts. Now that is has had several days to sit like that, though, maybe the connector will finally come apart. Iāll try giving it a few yanks again later today. I had a horrible dream last night that possibly the PO, for some stupid reason, superglued the halves together.
I feel for ya. I had one, not as bad as that, but thought it would never come apart. To get it to open, after PB blaster, I ended up putting the tip of a screwdriver in a bit and turned, just to get it started. Nicked part of the plastic, but it worked. Once I pulled it apart, I noticed the metal was corroded, thatās almost like superglue!
Iāve resorted to two small bar clamps. The hard rubber feet one on each side. Amplifies your leverage. Internally the plastic connectors are honeycombed for the leads. Makes them pretty strong, but use caution clamping them anyway
Looks easy. you push down the tap on the female connector, take the hacksaw, separate the connector and splice in a new one!
Evaporust, ziplock back, few hours - feasible?
So, btw, how does Jag advise that one separate that type of connector (if it does)? Should they just pull apart at each end, or some special āsqueezingā needed somewhere, simultaneously? I could swear that some Jag connectors were made so as to require THREE hands to unfasten them!
Looks quite logical really, can you see the tab at the left connector? This clicks into the receptacle of the right. You push the tab down and then pull them apartā¦
I know that connectors quite often drive me crazy. You are trying to separate with out breaking something that maybe has become hardened and brittle over the years, and it has no clear direction of pull here while pushing there. I feel your pain Dallas. I usually try to logic it and that usually fails. So then I try the monkey with a football approach and fiddle until it comes apart. I then look at the two halves and see how simple it should have been/could have been.
good luck. Hopefully by now you have accomplished what you set to
Was in a similar āpickleā a few months back. or a year or more??? Time flies!!!
Before I go in to ātaleā mode, Iāll opine. As I see from the very helpful picture, the connector has a ālatchā. A three hand operation to be done with two. Lift the latch and pull.
Yeah, my daughterās now gone Passat had the coil block connected with a similar connector, but in plastic not hard rubber. Indeed others on their forum had described the motions needed to part the connector. I succeeded in parting it, bur busted the latch!! Cooked brittle!!
But, no harm, the coil pack had a sound new latch. the fix went well and the VW fired right up and purred. purred . Now gone, Nissan Versa note is er ride now. Kinda neat little SYV. Great MPG.
Actually, comparing now the male 1/2 of the connector (which is integral to the switch assembly) to the image on the screen, the connectors do not appear that similar. The only similarity is that you have one half sliding into the other half, and there are 7 pins (instead of 8, although there is enough blank room for an 8th one, if needed). The only means of keeping the halves connected that I can see is a tiny square pilot hole on the bottom side of the male connector, which is presumably for a tab on the female half to slide into. On the old switch assembly Iāve tried pushing this tab down with the tip of a tiny screwdriver, but that does nothing to loosen it.
And yes, was down here another 2-3 hours working on it last night before giving up again and heading home. Even the local pastor stopped by (who is the lady I sold my '96 X-300 to) while I was working on it, saying she sensed a need to come see me. Good timing, as I was getting quite upset . I told her if she prayed for it to come apart and it did, then I WOULD believe in miracles (didnāt happen though). I have always told her my XJS was going to be the death of me, one way or another.
Funny, as I was just thinking about trying a lighter under/around it, just not so close as to melt the plastic. Since I donāt have a garage, if I use a heat gun - do they make any that are cordless or can be plugged into the cig lighter for power?
Iām also wondering at this point if the PO (or their tech), either inadvertently or intentionally for some reason super-glued/epoxied the halves together. Isnāt there some kind of substance I can try injecting into the connector to dissolve it, if so?
However, now that I have the assembly out, I CANNOT get the halves of the connector to separate. I have tried standard pliers, channel-lock pliers, vice-grip pliers, etc. as well as several lubricant sprays on the connector. Tried squeezing on the sides of the connector while pulling it apart, on the ends, using a nail to push into the tiny hole above the bottom connector half, pulling on both ends with two pairs of pliers, etc. etc. and it still wonāt budge in the least. 
Even ended up somehow painfully cutting the tip of my finger in the process of trying. 
At this point Iām VERY tempted to cut all 7 wires in the harness, but then I would still have to get the halves apart and then re-splice the wires, which would make no sense. 
Now that is has had several days to sit like that, though, maybe the connector will finally come apart. Iāll try giving it a few yanks again later today. I had a horrible dream last night that possibly the PO, for some stupid reason, superglued the halves together. 
I could swear that some Jag connectors were made so as to require THREE hands to unfasten them! 
I have always told her my XJS was going to be the death of me, one way or another. 
Isnāt there some kind of substance I can try injecting into the connector to dissolve it, if so?