Here's how I do the job quickly, neatly, and undetectably unless you know what you're looking for. The subject vehicle is a '16 QX80, but the same technique will work fine on just about anything with a PWM-controlled alternator. For the most part the Armada/QX80 connector can be gotten out without moving the IPDM, but you may need a hook tool to depress the tab enough to get the connector to move. Some of them can be very stubborn.


On the QX's and Armadas there are always two red wires in the connector, the right one (all Red, green arrow) and the wrong one (Red with a White tracer, red arrow). If you clip the wrong one your car will no-start.


Start by clipping the correct wire, then bend the cut end on one side back on itself. Insert it into a solder shrink tube and shrink that end over the wire without melting the solder. That seals the end so it's weather-tight and can never make contact.


Then repeat the same thing on the other cut end. If you're using a Bic for shrinking as I do, keep the tube in the blue part of the flame and you won't get a lot of carbon-crud on the work.


The shrink tube will have the effect of compensating for the bent-back wires, so your finished product will be almost the same length as the uncut wire. Just tape it up neatly and it will almost unnoticeable.


If you've done it correctly, you'll have a happy alternator which outputs full rated regulation voltage at all times.

Is this the same for 2015 qx80? Mine was fine yesterday but today nothing. Won't start even when attempting to jump it. No electrical at all as though the smart key is dead. Replaced batteries in both fobs. I have no idea what to check to get it started.

No power even with a jumpstart almost always means a bad battery lug or bad cable. It's remotely possible for a completely dead battery (so dead it's sucking down the jumpstarting voltage) to cause it, but that's very unusual. The battery has to be in a very narrow range around 8V for that to happen, below that the battery will resist a charge and won't resist jumping. Have a close look at your battery terminals and cables, it's likely your problem is there.