Corroded Earth Points (VL)
Symptoms
Intermittent electrical faults, instruments drop out, lights dim, ECU throws random codes, fuel injection behaves erratically.
Cause
The VL has several critical earth points on the body and engine that corrode over time. The earth strap from the engine to the body is the most critical, if it develops high resistance, the ECU uses the sensor grounds as a return path, causing havoc with fuel injection and ignition timing.
Fix
Remove, clean (wire brush to bare metal), and reassemble every earth point on the car.
Apply dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion.
Pay particular attention to the engine-to-body earth strap, the battery negative cable, and the earth points on the inner guard near the ECU.
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