pete88gt

Okay, so I installed a set of 3 gages in my mustang yesterday, temp, volt, and oil pressure. I decided to run a simple switch to control the back light on them, and like an idiot decided that my cigarette ligher would be a good spot for the switch since it fit perfectly. I decided to be "smart" and not unhook the battery since everything worked I just wanted to install a switch real quick. I went to push the switch into place inside the cigarette lighter housing and it sparked against the inside of it (i wasn't even thinking about it being metal). Anyway, the entire set of wires, the power lead and return wires, and the ground that I used that was hooked up to the original cigarette lighter power supply melted completely. I noticed that the ground that led to the power side mirrors switch was completely melted too. Today I checked out the fuse box and I pulled each fuse out and replace the ones that were toast accordingly with the proper amp fuse. My overhead dome light, my radio (the fuse on the radio itself didn't pop), and my factory gage cluster backlight no longer come on. WTF did I do. I know I'm an idiot for doing it so let's just leave that part alone, how do I fix it? Thanks.

jwog666

replace all the melted wires and go from there. good luck.

WhiteFoxGT

Well if all the fuses are good, then I hate to say this but you gotta trace every wire and replace the ones that are burned up.. Sounds like you lost a main ground wire..

I had a similr stunt of stupidity when I removed my trans and let the starter hang with the battery connected...I melted a main battery ground strap...and basically half the car was inop...

Find a diagram, trace the grounds, and find a common ground and make sure it is still intact.. Now how long did the piece spark? Just a few quick short to grounds wont damage wires like that, but a couple of seconds will melt away..

calfroper_06

dang i hope you didnt fry your gauges

pete88gt

i got mechanical aftermarkent gauges so they work fine. the factory gauges still work fine too, but the backlight on the dash has quit. tracing the wires is going to suck. i found the spot behind the radio where that circuit grounds at and its not melted...crap now what? those wires run under the carpet...

getafewlives

Good luck dude. I did a similar thing. I was wiring up a remote starter/locks and used wire that was too thin. It melted back to where it was piggytailed to. And fried the lock switch.

Coulda been much worse.

mjr46

you'll need to replace all the wires whose smoke has now left them!!! dohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

ewgoetz

That bites, I did something similar, was hooking in some aftermarket headlights and didnt want to wire in some mini lights that were on them so I used a differnet line and ran it to a relay and a power wire from the bat to a switch in the car and from the switch to teh relay. needless to say one of the wires must of goten skined while i was runing them and shorted when I turned it on and started a fire under the dash/hood. fortunely i was able to put it out before it did any damage to any wireing.
You need replace or rewire anything that is melted. If your gonna just rewire it than make sure you soder the wires instead of using crimp's. sodered wires wint crrode or get pulled apart if tuged on like crimped ones.