Want to install an Engine Block Heater yourself? This guide may help.

[Green Hokie]

Originally Posted by efusco

Having ,personally, repaired EBH cords on my car twice and my wife's Highlander Hybrid once, and replacing the entire EBH assembly on mine once I can tell you that the breakdowns absolutely do, frequently, occur just past the reinforced area of the cord from repeated flexion and use. A $2 extension will save you a lot of time and energy.

Understood & good advice, no doubt. While my experience was different/opposite from yours (the plug end on my old EBH cord was still in great condition and still very flexible), I can certainly understand why this area of the cord could breakdown/fail due to repeated flexing/use.

[JimboK]

Originally Posted by efusco

Having ,personally, repaired EBH cords on my car twice and my wife's Highlander Hybrid once, and replacing the entire EBH assembly on mine once I can tell you that the breakdowns absolutely do, frequently, occur just past the reinforced area of the cord from repeated flexion and use.

That also is where mine failed.

[Rxmxsh]

It's been just over a year for me. I think mine quit this week....

[Matt Herring]

To make the plugging in and out a little easier (for the male/female connection) I've heard that dielectric grease will make the transition a little easier but where do I put the grease...right on the three plug prongs on the male end before inserting into the female end? Just didn't want to do anything I'm not supposed to...thanks in advance for the help!

[efusco]

Originally Posted by Rxmxsh

It's been just over a year for me. I think mine quit this week....

Most likely that cord problem. This is why I now recommend using one of the 8" extension cords, so that if it wears out/breaks you just replace it and the original heat cord is fine.

[mccats]

Originally Posted by efusco

Most likely that cord problem. This is why I now recommend using one of the 8" extension cords, so that if it wears out/breaks you just replace it and the original heat cord is fine.

Hate sounding so dumb, but it is 6:30 in the morning and I'm not sure I'm understanding this correctly. New to the EBH situation. Have one which is dealer installed, but they just installed it and didn't route the cord through the grill. Bumped into this thread and all of the pictures.

To save the life of the EBH cord and plug are you saying you attach the EBH plug to an extension cord and then route that extension cord through the grill? Then one would plug that extention cord into another one which goes to the timer? Thank you for the clarification.

[patsparks]

I think you got it. The idea is that in plugging and unplugging the EBH from the mains you move the plug end of the cable to the EBH. If you make a stubby extension cord and firmly secure the cable that comes with the EBH under the bonnet the only cable you will be bending or that might pull if you are a bit sleepy and back out with it still plugged in is a short 8 inch length of flex, cheap and easy to replace. It also keeps the plug in the EBH standard cord out of the weather avoiding corrosion to the pins.

Might even be a good idea to replace the plug on the short extension cord each fall (autumn) to remove a possible fail point.

[efusco]

Originally Posted by mccats

Hate sounding so dumb, but it is 6:30 in the morning and I'm not sure I'm understanding this correctly. New to the EBH situation. Have one which is dealer installed, but they just installed it and didn't route the cord through the grill. Bumped into this thread and all of the pictures.

To save the life of the EBH cord and plug are you saying you attach the EBH plug to an extension cord and then route that extension cord through the grill? Then one would plug that extention cord into another one which goes to the timer? Thank you for the clarification.

Yes, I leave the little 8" cord poking through the grill and permanantly attached to the EBH cord so it takes all the flexing and wear. If it gets shorted all I have to do is pull the EBH cord a bit further through and attach a new 8" extension.

I had to repair my original EBH cord 3 times in 2 years, eventually replaced the original EBH and cord about 2 years ago and started using the 8" extension and have had no issues with the new EBH cord at all.

[mccats]

Thank you both for your input. I sure don't want to have to repair or replace the EBH all of the time, so this solution makes perfect sense.

Might I ask you a few additional questions? Are you coming out of the top grill or the bottom one? Looks like the pictures at the start of this thread show the bottom one. It seems impossible to get a plug through the top one on our 2010, but haven't studied the bottom one yet.

Also, do you have any kind of a cap for the end of your 8" extension or just leave it as is? I live in Des Moines, IA and they use a lot of salt on the roads so assume the plug would get pretty dirty on a normal snowy day. Maybe you just keep a towel handy to wipe it off and wait until it's dry to plug it in.

The dealer just left the cord right there with the EBH, so it's not routed anywhere at this time. I'll take a closer look at the pics included in this thread again, but if anyone has any pics of where they routed/attached the cord on a 2010 through the engine compartment to come out of the grill would be great to see them.

Thank you again for your help.

[efusco]

I think you'll need to hit up FireEngineer or someone who has an EBH in a 2010 for recs of where to run the cord, I haven't investigated that as I have a Prius II.

I do not cap the cord, but I think you might be able to use the cap that's on the EBH cord. Again, I don't worry about it too much b/c if it gets too corroded I can always replace it.