Our Master Technician was presented with a frustrating camera problem a couple of months ago.  The complaint was explained by the customer.  “When I select reverse the camera shows the reverse image of the car for a couple of seconds then it goes out”.

The car was reversed into the workshop and the problem demonstrated. Sure enough, the onboard screen displayed the camera image then went blank.  Initial inspection on the VAS 5051B diagnostic kit showed no specific fault but came up with a faulty parking sensor on the N/S/F (nearside front) of the vehicle.  With multi meter in hand access was gained to carry out checks on wiring, connection plugs and a resistance issue was identified.  Bumper removed the fault was traced to pair of trapped wires.  These had deteriorated from not been secured in their plastic clips and worn through baring the wires core.  (See images)  The wires had corroded from water ingress right up through the inner wing section for well over 2 foot!

Any Manufacturer wiring loom is expensive and predominantly on a made to order basis.  The corroded wires required replacing as were connected into the main wiring loom.  This was the only way to remedy the fault or wait for days ordering a full harness from Audi which is costly.

Ross uses a phrase from time to time “Belt and Braces”.  He used heat shrink solder butt nipples covered by 5mm heat shrink over the new fitted wiring section,  then secured the new loom with Tesa wiring harness tape.  Refitting the repaired loom in all its retaining clips.  Audi technical would have been proud.  A terrific job well done!

The images displayed were taken to show the customer how intricate the repair had been.  When we asked the customer, “Had the bumper been off before” his reply was “not while I can remember and I’ve had the car some time now.

In our business you treat the cause not the symptom.

Conclusion, someone must have had the bumper of prior to this customer owning the car and not placed the loom in its correct clips?  Or did it happen on Audi’s production line?

We will never know.