Disassembling connectors

[MAKG]

Apparently, my heater blower motor suffered an internal short and melted the A/C heater switch. It has been replaced, and I have a replacement (junkyard) switch and connector. Only the highest setting fried; the others work. The switch is definitely bad; this is not a diagnosis question.

What I'd like to do is replace the one burnt terminal (the ground side), and the plastic housing. I'd rather not cut, solder and heat shrink six wires under the dash, except as a last resort.

But I can't figure out how to get the terminals out of the connector. I thought I could stick my dinky screwdriver through the front, but it didn't release the terminal. Is there a special tool for this? How does it come apart? It seems so obvious, but I guess it isn't.

This is a standard (more or less) six conductor hard-shell connector, female side.

 

[red85]

Put the screwdriver through the backside of the connector. Most plugs are pushed in through the back. Hope that helps.

Phil

 

[RobbieD]

You're on the right track; the "special tools" for removing the common male and female spade-type terminals from a connector body are, essentially, just dinky screwdrivers. The usual trick is to figure out the locking tab arrangement so that you know how best to insert and pry, and what substitute tool will work best (like sometimes a machinist's pick is better than a flat blade). Try using a good a good light and a close eyeball on it to see the lock tab arrangement, or just keep dicking with it.