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Sliding Electric Door Cable Repair

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BethL

Messages
7
Location
Carmarthen
Vehicle
T5 SE 180
The cable on our electric door of our 2009 California recently snapped. Purchased a replacement kit from eBay, and all is good apart from the fact we are unable to crimp the ferrule on the end of the cable securely enough to withstand more than a couple of openings before it pops off.

Has anyone had a similar issue and how did you resolve it? We don’t fancy paying VW the full cost they are quoting.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated
 
Have a look at the video, about 40minutes in...
Another option, try a cycle shop, they should be used to crimping cable ends.
 
Thanks, looks like we are doing it correctly but can’t secure the ends on we’ll enough . We’ve tried an industrial crimper with little success too. Thanks for the video
 
Any yacht riggers near to you? Think Ratsey are Pembrokeshire. They would be used to swaging wire.


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If you are going to try the grub screw solution, which sounds worth a go. You might be able to modify a electrical connector - the "chocolate" block type. If you cut away the insulation the brass connector with its two grub screws might work. Assuming you got one the right size the only problem I can see is the brass being too soft to allow you to tighten without stripping the thread.
 
If you are going to try the grub screw solution, which sounds worth a go. You might be able to modify a electrical connector - the "chocolate" block type. If you cut away the insulation the brass connector with its two grub screws might work. Assuming you got one the right size the only problem I can see is the brass being too soft to allow you to tighten without stripping the thread.
Thanks, we’ve got a few different options to try now, fingers crossed one of them works!
 
This Russian guy uses a small hydraulic crimper that you can buy on Amazon for around £25. Take a look at his video at 9min45sec
 
Last edited:
Just about to go camping last week and my electric sliding door cable snapped, typical!
After ordering the parts I managed to fix mine in an afternoon by following this video closely
There were a few difference, my 2010 California has small retaining clips to hold the wire ends into the door guide roller which prevents them coming out, the spring was on the outside not inside and I used a loop of thin nylon string to pull on the spring to pretension it. I also found it difficult refitting the panel with black clips like the original and so purchased some white ones that made it really easy, links below. I only had very slight noise as the cables and reels rewound initially but all quiet after about 10 opening and closing of the sliding door. The most important part is getting the pretension correct, I cut my cables 15mm shorter than the marked end position on each reel, see above video. I'd read various comments about issues crimping the ferrules so I purchased an hydraulic crimper that made it easy. Complete repair cost £12 plus £26 for the crimper so slightly cheaper than the VW quotes of £561.80+Vat to supply and fit :)

I found a few more videos online that do it slightly differently so thought I'd share as different methods of preloading, hope you find them useful ...
Spring on outside and hydraulic crimper (Amazon £25)...
Spring on inside ...

PARTS
Wire, reels and ferrule set for right side £6.99 ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-VW-T...ding-door-repair-kit-right-side-/133166994381

Hydraulic crimper £25.99 ...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GNWSY1K/?tag=eliteelect-21

White Panel clips X10 £4.85 ...

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