Dash fire

Post by **Pepperami** » 15 Oct 2008, 15:00

Have the steering wheel and switches off now. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong or damage in this area. The plug that goes into this has residue on the end hole that the burnt wire is in. There is fire damage to about half a dozen other wires, I'm hoping these were just in contact with the burning wire. It was the grey with black trace.

Post by **Mocki** » 15 Oct 2008, 15:21

i had a dig in the stores, but it appears the loom i have is early, so different, however i may have another one or two, i just havent had time to find them yet.......

i havent forgot, just havent been to Dani's with daylight time to spare

Post by **Pepperami** » 15 Oct 2008, 15:29

Cheers Steve. Sevy is on the case too. I think i can graft that bit of loom in. The other damaged wires can I cut out the cancer and solder and sleeve/ heat shrink the joins? It does look like the side light circuit but i need to find the cause of this fairly quickly.

Post by **poshbuggers** » 15 Oct 2008, 16:12

I've just had to replace that whole section of the loom after a near miss fire.

I think it either down to crud in the headlight on/off switch or the main beam/dip switch circuits causing bad earths.

I advise you to either strip down/clean out or replace both switches. I know I will be doing.

Post by **Pepperami** » 15 Oct 2008, 16:35

Cheers will check it out as i have all of that off at the minute.

Post by **T3 Ben** » 16 Oct 2008, 12:20

i had the same problem this morning. Smoke bellowing from the dash. At the time i had the headlights on dipped beam and was indicating right. Got steering column shroud off when i got home and found the grey with black trace wire had melted causing damage to some of the other wires around it. The wire comes from a plug on the column and is melted all the way to the fuse box. What do you think could have caused this?

Post by **Pepperami** » 17 Oct 2008, 16:55

Have nearly finished cutting out and replacing the burnt wires now. Just one thing how do you get the end of the wires out of the plugs?

Post by **poshbuggers** » 17 Oct 2008, 17:44

Looking at the rear of the plug, poke a flat headed screwdriver (small) or similar object down the hole for each wire (on the side of the terminal that is flat, rather than the one with the two lugs) - this pushes in a metal tab within the terminal connector and allows you to pull the wire out.

When you refit the wires, make sure the little tab is out to secure each terminal within the plug.

BTW....looking at mine it's certainly that circuit. I have sidelights, but when I turn on dipped/main beam I get the indicators on permanently - suggesting the column headlight/indicator switch is the culprit.

Post by **Pepperami** » 17 Oct 2008, 18:48

Cheers! It may be a steering wheel thing.

Post by **Pepperami** » 19 Oct 2008, 13:28

All sorted now. Cut out burnt wires and replaced them all. Replaced steering wheel and switches. All is fine and working.

If you fit a different steering wheel be very careful, i think mine has been on a couple of years before it caught fire.

Lastly i would like to thank everyone on here and brickyard for all of the technical advice and good wishes. Thanks also go to Mocki for the parts i needed.

Post by **lloyd** » 19 Oct 2008, 13:58

Glad to hear it's all fixed and you are mobile again.

Does this mean we might see you next weekend?

Post by **Steve P** » 19 Oct 2008, 14:01

Glad you've got it all fixed Peps. You were missed at F & G.

Post by **Pepperami** » 19 Oct 2008, 14:14

Why???

Post by **Steve P** » 19 Oct 2008, 14:27

Think Putney missed his drinking partner!

Post by **Pepperami** » 19 Oct 2008, 14:39

No sorry he's in a different league to me. I think

Sorry we had to miss it. Catch up later spose.