Yazaki (Yazaki Corporation, founded 1941, Tokyo) is one of the world’s largest automotive electrical architecture suppliers. It is best known as the global leader in automotive wiring harnesses (≈30% global share) and also a major tier‑1 supplier of automotive-grade connectors used across ICE, hybrid, and EV platforms.

Company Snapshot

• Founded 1941; operations in ~46 countries; FY2024 group sales ≈ ¥2.61 trillion.

• Core business: vehicle power and data networks — wire harnesses, instrument clusters, and connectors.

• Connector brand standard: YES / YESC (Yazaki Engineering Standard Connectors), including the cost-refined YESC Kaizen line.

  
  

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Main Connector Families

Yazaki’s automotive connectors are organized by terminal blade size and sealing type rather than by a single “Yazaki connector” model.

• 0.64 Series (0.64 × 0.64 mm blade) — Miniature signal connectors, 2.54 mm pitch, 22–18 AWG. Used for sensors, body electronics, PCB headers. Available sealed/unsealed. Operating temp −40 °C to +125 °C (sealed). Double terminal lock, TPA preset.

• 1.5 / 2.8 / 6.3 Series — Mid-power connectors (blade sizes 1.5×0.8, 2.8×0.8, 6.3×0.8). Cover lighting, actuators, ECU power feeds, wiper/door modules.

• 9.5 Series (9.5×1.2 mm) — Higher-current power connectors up to ~60 A class, used in chassis and powertrain power distribution.

• Sealed YESC — Rubber wire seals + interface seals, TPA/CPA locks; target under-hood, door, and wash-down zones.

• Hybrid YESC — Mixed blade sizes in one housing for combined signal + power circuits.

• Headers / Device Connectors — Wire-to-PCB and wire-to-device styles for ECUs and mechatronics.

• EV/HEV high-voltage connectors — Orange housings for safety ID, rated up to 600–800 V class and high current (some references cite 250 A+ modules); used in battery packs, BMS, on-board chargers, PDUs. Battery-area seals often to IP67 / IP6K9K.

Key Design Features

• USCAR & ISO blade compliance — Inter-mateable with many North American / Japanese OEM standards.

• TPA (Terminal Position Assurance) — Front-loaded spacer; terminal cannot be mated unless fully seated.

• CPA (Connector Position Assurance) — Secondary lock on sealed female housings to prevent partial mating under vibration.

• Dual locking — Terminal lock + housing lock; 0.64 series spec: ≥75 N terminal retention, ≥110 N connector-to-connector retention.

• Temperature range — Typical −40 °C to +100 °C (unsealed), −40 °C to +125 °C (sealed); HV variants push higher.

• Electrical spec examples (0.64) — ≤20 mΩ voltage drop, 500 VDC / 20 MΩ isolation, 1000 VAC dielectric, 1 min.

Where They Are Used

• Traditional vehicles: engine control, transmission, body modules, seats, doors, lamps, instrument clusters.

• EV/HEV: battery harness, BMS, inverter, OBC, DC-DC, charging inlet, high-voltage distribution.

• Smart cockpit & ADAS: low-speed signal links, sensor harnesses, domain controller I/O.

• Non-auto: industrial equipment, agricultural/construction machinery, occasionally marine/telecom reference designs.

Why Engineers Specify Yazaki

• Proven in high-volume OEM programs (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, VW, etc.).

• Harness + connector co-design reduces integration risk.

• Wide off-the-shelf YESC catalog with global supply; Kaizen line lowers cost without changing footprint.

• Strong vibration/drop-in reliability story: TPA/CPA, sealed options, USCAR-2 level validation mindset.