What are these wires for?

[porschenut]

I just noticed these two loose wires that I don't recall seeing before, on the left side of the engine compartment next to the fuel filter. They're terminated with female spade connectors and are wrapped with electrical tape (I didn't do it). I can't find any male connectors within reach of them. They emerge from the wire bundle leading to/from the rear fuse/relay block. One is brown (ground), the other red with black stripe. Car is an '86. Any ideas what they might be for?

[ianc]

They probably went to the rear windshield wiper motor if your car used to have the tail but now doesn't.

ianc

[porschenut]

Good guess Ian, although my car never had a tail or rear wiper. Would the wires still be there anyway? I've been all through that engine a million times and I can't imagine why I wouldn't have noticed them before.

[ianc]

although my car never had a tail or rear wiper. Would the wires still be there anyway?

Couldn't say. I'd begin by checking the color of the hot wire against the wiriing diagrams to see if you have a match. You could also check to see if you have a wire of corresponding color at the indicated spot in the relay panel connections.

ianc

[SCrescue]

Dave,

My guess would be either a rear window defog element or a heater blower, if your car was so equipped. Just a guess though.

Mike

[Netspeed]

My Bentley manual shows red/black going to the rear wiper motor with the ground being at G302. Maybe it's a generic harness with wires left unplugged for options not installed? I just went downstairs to check and I've got the same two unplugged wires strapped to the harness. I've got a Cab so it's no wonder the rear wiper never worked

[porschenut]

Thanks guys. I spent about 3 hours last night combing through the wiring diagrams in the Bentley manual. The only thing I found in the vicinity that matches the hot wire color is the rear defogger. But, my defogger already works fine as is, and the wires to the defogger grid are in a separate loom anyway.

It's probably for some other option I don't have, as suggested. Especially since Netspeed has the same thing in his car. The only things that don't work in my car are the cruise control and the footwell heater blowers, so I'll just tape them down and ignore them.