Dash Wire Fire - It Happened - $3.75 Can Save U Grief Options

[RickS]

Was installing Super Bright white LEDs to replace my instrument bulbs and had all the gauges done except the speedo. All was glowing fine until that point. I replaced the two in my speedo and flicked on the light switch to test if they were properly situated and working and then I heard a very faint hisssssssssssssssssssssss, and then the smoke started pouring out from behind the dash. All the dash lights then went out.

Needless to say, I felt sick. At least the smoke was very faint. I checked all the fuses and WTF, they were all fine.

Then I found this article which says, that the instrument lights are one of the electrical systems Porsche/VW didn't bother to fuse. Thanks a lot P/VW!

http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/1998/12-98a.html

Prevention is ridiculously cheap and quick. Simply add a $3 fuse holder with a 3 amp fuse to the instrument lights wire at the switch. The wire is black with blue rings. Just place a female and male spade connector on each end of the fuse, plug the thing in to the wire you disconnected, and shrink wrap the ends, or tape it like crazy, and test. And don't forget to disconnect the negative from the battery first. Test with out the fuse, plug the fuse in and your done.

Please 'bump' this post to keep it near the top so everyone sees it.

[bperry]

I had a massive electrical fire in my 74 about 25 years ago.
I was rebuilding my spedo and replacing the plastic gauge face in my
tach with glass. When I put it back together all was fine until I went to
start it later than night and turned on the lights. The engine starting
running really rough, the lights were really dim. I revved the engine a bit
to keep it running and then a few seconds
later massive smoke started pouring out from under the dash.
I killed the engine but the smoke kept pouring out.
When I peeked under the dash I could see the yellow flames of fire.
I had to run back in the house to get a wrench to disconnect the battery.
In the morning I discovered that I had not connected all the spades back
to all the gauge lights. One of the spades was touching the housing. Can't
remember if it was a tach light or a spedo light.
Anyway it fried about 5 wires and they were completely fused together.
Didn't take that long to fix but I was shocked at how such a small thing could
escalate into such a massive short that didn't end when the key was removed.

--- bill