Dash fire

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 14:00

Yesterday i had a dashboard fire. I have traced one melted wire from the light switch to the steering column. I will need to replace this part so will post in wanted. The question is what would cause this?

I was parked up the ignition was off and the key was still in. I had also left the lights on.

Any ideas? Cheers.

Post by **lambrettalee** » 13 Oct 2008, 14:15

just a guess, but possibly a bad earth, with the amount of current going to the lights and no/bad earth it melted the lighting loom... was it more smoke than fire?

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 14:16

It was just smoke. very scary smoke.

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 14:51

Have checked out the wiring and it's a black and white one.

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 16:54

[IMG]http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd17 ... GI0367.jpg[/img]

Post by **syncroandy** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:06

Have you got the Haynes manual or better yet the Bentley, with the wiring diagrams in ?

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:11

Only haynes i'm afraid. I'm a bit dyslexic or the equivelent when it comes to wiring i'm a little colour blind.

Post by **Syncro G** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:14

If it was White/black (ie mainly white with a black trace) it'll be the main lights feed from the dash switch to the dipper, would have been a pritty thick wire (before it melted), and also unfused at that point. As the key was in the off position the headlamps, and this wire, shouldn't have been carrying current anyway, but then it shouldn't have cought fire so somethings not right.

If its a black/white wire its LH Indicators, so check them wires and switches.

I'd give it a rewire and test all related switches before use (headlamp, dip, indicator, ignition, fusebord). Also check loom for signs of chafage - Its likely to be chafage or switch failure thats caused a short - hopefully it'll feal "wrong" when switched or blatently look overheated.

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:18

Cheers for that. i have checked and there is no damage towards the fuse box. It appears to be just one wire. Am wondering should i just get the whole lot done on insurance.

Post by **Mocki** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:20

ill have a look see in my storeroom, tomorrow, i may well have a lump of loom that will be of help...... but cant be sure till ive climbed over a few boxes of stuff i didnt know ive got to find the boxes with the looms in.....

Post by **Pepperami** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:35

Cheers your a dude.

Post by **windysurfer** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:46

If it were me I'd be letting my local auto electrician have a quick look over it,if your not 100% sure what your looking for

You've invested a lot of time ,money and effort in you van to risk a fire for the sake of an hours labour.

Better safe than sorry eh?

Post by **Mocki** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:50

to be really honest, if it is just one wire, you may as well just run a new wire to replace it, rather than the whole loom..... just make sure it as big in core diameter or bigger than the burnt one..... just connect it each end where the damaged one is, and route it tidily alongside..............

either way, ill look in the stores tomorrow

Post by **Pepperami** » 14 Oct 2008, 14:02

Thanks for your all your'e help so far guys.
Getting into it a bit more now. I'm not really sure what colour wire has burnt out now it's a bit of a mess in there. My colour blindness doesn't really help with this either.
The wire plugs into the light switch on pin 58L i believe it might be light blue and black. Any more ideas?

Post by **Syncro G** » 15 Oct 2008, 11:22

58L is left hand sidelights. DOn't have a note of colours to hand though (US diag only near by). As the key was off it could be something to do with the parking lamp circuit? When the ignition is off that switch (terminal P from memory) sends power to a second set of contacts in the indicator switch that puts one side of the sidelights on. Hence I say check things carefully as its possable your indicator switch is a miss despite that seeming impossaable at first glance if its a sidelamp fault.