Canon Lens only autofocuses during full zoom or no zoom

[arrivingstorm]

Hello,

I have a canon EFS 18-55mm lens that I've been using for 5-6 years. The lens is in great condition cosmetically, but recently started having a peculiar problem. I usually use the lens in autofocus mode with the camera in auto as well. Recently, the lens will not autofocus unless I have it zoomed completely in or zoomed completely out. That is, if I zoomed to something in the middle of its range, then it will not autofocus and thus will not allow me to take a picture.

I have opened the lens up and verified that the gears are all intact. The lens does move slightly to autofocus, so that tells me that the motor must be in working order. Does anyone have any ideas as to what may be causing the issue? 

Much thanks,

Storm

[diverhank]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"...when the lens zooms the cable flexes and certain cable positions ..."

OK, whatever, but that, means the cable would have to reattach or reconnect broken wires when it got all the way stretched out or all the way contracted.  Plus doing so many times!  I am still not going for it.  

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Flex cable breaking preventing AF for certain FL is real and probably due to what Jhoffman described.  I saw it for myself when one of my nephews showed me his Canon zoom lens  (can't remember which model).  He sent it in for repair and it was the flex cable.

[ebiggs1]

Of course anything is possible but did it stop AF at only either end or did it stop at one end or the other?  Flex cables break a known condition but they don't fix themselves at either extreme end?  The cable would have to be totally stretched out and then compressed up for the other end.  I can buy it not working at one end or the other and not in the middle but both ends?  Doesn't sound right to me but what do I know?  I've been wrong before c'est la vie.

[diverhank]

In my nephew's case, half of the lower FL did not work, the other half worked. 

[ebiggs1]

I can go for that.