Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Wire fire (Read 1631 times) previous topic - next topic

Wire fire

I'm not sure whats going on, but I went to start my car and the dash began to smoke. Pulled the battery as fast as I could but I was too late. Pulled the dash face apart and found a...I think it used to be green/yellow stripe wire just sitting there bare copper with the insulation melted to other wires. I'm not sure what/where caused this but I need to know where this goes so I can replace the thing. It seems to go from the (stock) radio area to somewhere around the steering column and from there I'm lost.

Afraid to hook the battery back up until I can pull this thing. Need help immediately :(
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #1 –
burnt wires at headlight switch. One must come from across the dash and the other goes to the power source? Upper left corner. Don't remember what color these are normally. Where does it go from here?

A non fused wire?
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #2 –
I can't find any wiring diagrams on this thing.  "hobbyist" manuals only show a few things.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #3 –
Is this going to be a dash pull fix? Through the headlight switch hole, I can see the wire go somewhere around the fuse box but can't get anything to break free for some slack.

Going to have to be getting a ride to work tomorrow I guess. I really need help on this guys, its the daily driver. Battery's now sitting on a chair.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #4 –
only thing changed by me lately was replacing the stock radio with a fully functional one from Michael (AEM) over this last weekend. Basically unplug old one, plug in new one. Has been working fine.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #5 –
Quote
I think it used to be green/yellow stripe
There's one of those coming off fuse #8 (always on), stopping at the light switch to provide for the courtesy lights when the dimmer is all the way over, continuing to the base cluster's B17 terminal (to the speedo module), then to the clock and glove box light.
Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

1988 5.0 Bird, mostly stock, partly not, now gone to T-Bird heaven.
1990 Volvo 740GL. 114 tire-shredding horsies, baby!

Wire fire

Reply #6 –
that sounds like it but the instrument cluster plug has no burnt wires. From what I can gather, it starts somewhere around the fuse box, heads to the headlight/dimmer switch, goes somewhere (maybe straight across the dash) and ends up being split at the radio to go to the radio's inner plug (don't remember what all's connected but the large yellow power wire is on the same plug) and somewhere further up the dash (clock?). The other wire at the split is intact so the current looks like it went from the radio to the power source.

The wire doesn't test with continuity with the starter relay so I'm assuming it killed itself. Plugged the battery in for a second and everything was fine and the car started up. Haven't tested everything but other than having bare copper in the dash now, the car still seems to function. I need to know where these things go though so I can pull it, check the rest of the harnesses, and replace the wire with a FUSED one (go with 5amp?).

edit:
Sport cluster...guessing it isn't used on it then. So far that seems the correct wire but it DOES go to the radio

Do I even have a glove box light? :wtf:
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #7 –
Fuse 8 is still intact - 10A. Power locks and mirrors still work. Not sure what function I should use to test the dimmer. Clock does not come on. Door chime doesn't come on. Illumated entry works. Don't have keyless entry or anti theft. Not sure whats happened but I'm guessing one of the wires from fuse 8 is this one and is all that needs to be replaced.

Of course, its easier said than done, right? I can't pull the fuse box out more than a couple inches.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #8 –
Alright, it IS fuse 8, the wire traces back to that position and is burnt clear down (fuse is still good though). Slowly getting the thing pulled out but won't be able to do anything but cut the wire at the fuse block. Not sure if I can pull it through the wrapped up area above the steering column though. All wire so far seems in tact with some minor melting in spots but no bare copper...and of course this one's (black/charred) insulation is stuck to everything.

I'm just going to tap into the "always hot" line I ran when installing my alarm, and throw a 5amp on the new wire (probably 14 gauge). Anyone see any problems with this solution?


Also, I still can't figure out what its doing going to the dimmer switch. I cut the wire at the switch (with an inch of stub left for soldering) and the dimmer still works completely normal, even past the clicked-on position.

and I was wrong, the door chime is still there. So its fuse > dimmer > radio > clock...and thats it I believe.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #9 –
Alright, it IS fuse 8, the wire traces back to that position and is burnt clear down (fuse is still good though). Slowly getting the thing pulled out but won't be able to do anything but cut the wire at the fuse block. Not sure if I can pull it through the wrapped up area above the steering column though. All wire so far seems in tact with some minor melting in spots but no bare copper...and of course this one's (black/charred) insulation is stuck to everything.

I'm just going to tap into the "always hot" line I ran when installing my alarm, and throw a 5amp on the new wire (probably 14 gauge). Anyone see any problems with this solution?


Also, I still can't figure out what its doing going to the dimmer switch. I cut the wire at the switch (with an inch of stub left for soldering) and the dimmer still works completely normal, even past the clicked-on position.

and I was wrong, the door chime is still there. So its fuse > dimmer > radio > clock...and thats it I believe.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #10 –
Alright, it IS fuse 8, the wire traces back to that position and is burnt clear down (fuse is still good though). Slowly getting the thing pulled out but won't be able to do anything but cut the wire at the fuse block. Not sure if I can pull it through the wrapped up area above the steering column though. All wire so far seems in tact with some minor melting in spots but no bare copper...and of course this one's (black/charred) insulation is stuck to everything.

I'm just going to tap into the "always hot" line I ran when installing my alarm, and throw a 5amp on the new wire (probably 14 gauge). Anyone see any problems with this solution?


Also, I still can't figure out what its doing going to the dimmer switch. I cut the wire at the switch (with an inch of stub left for soldering) and the dimmer still works completely normal, even past the clicked-on position.

and I was wrong, the door chime is still there. So its fuse > dimmer > radio > clock...and thats it I believe.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Wire fire

Reply #11 –
Quote
only thing changed by me lately was replacing the stock radio with a fully functional one from Michael
Wired properly? Is it a Ford radio?

Quote
Also, I still can't figure out what its doing going to the dimmer switch. I cut the wire at the switch
Close the door, roll the dimmer switch all the way up until it clicks. Does the dome light come on?

Quote
and ends up being split at the radio to go to the radio's inner plug (don't remember what all's connected but the large yellow power wire is on the same plug)
The green/yellow there is the always-on "memory" wire for the radio.
Here's my adapter.
.
Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

1988 5.0 Bird, mostly stock, partly not, now gone to T-Bird heaven.
1990 Volvo 740GL. 114 tire-shredding horsies, baby!

Wire fire

Reply #12 –
Okay, what the heck is going on here?
I can't see my 2nd post in the normal view.
I CAN see it in the text archives.
I CAN see it in the the list when I hit reply.

Is it there, or not????
Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

1988 5.0 Bird, mostly stock, partly not, now gone to T-Bird heaven.
1990 Volvo 740GL. 114 tire-shredding horsies, baby!
 

Wire fire

Reply #13 –
It is(was) a factory replacement. Unpluged old one's two plugs and ground/bracket, plug in/hook up new one and it worked fine for like 2 days.

With that wire at the dimmer cut, if I close the door and turn it all the way up, the dome light and under/dash lights come on. This is what got me confused and I don't even know why I need to rewire the dimmer (but I did anyways).

I just went ahead and threw an aftermarket unit I had lying around in there. With the new/additional wire ran from the starter relay (with a fuse link for now - couldn't find any of my 10 gauge fuse holders), it works like it should.

Removed all but a few inches of the old wire, and taped it at the ends where cut. Got the last part of the dash back together at 9:30 last night. Still smells a little, but no problems driving to work this morning.
1988 Thunderbird Sport