vlokswagen
New member
My car is a 94 525i Touring with 242k. Here's the sad tale: I'm driving home from the inaugural 2010 World Cup Game with my family when smoke starts coming out of the centre/handbrake surround. So, desperately reach in and pull out two wires that I thought could be shorting out. (I think they were for the light in the cassette tape storage housing which I had removed some years ago).
Pulled over to check and switch the igntition off,but, even with the key out of the ignition the power stays on, all the lights are on and the anti theft horn is going off. The smoke is also getting worse, but it's now coming from the dash and the centre of rear seat and propshaft hump. A small fire starts in centre/handbrake surround (under the carpet). I disconnectthe battery and put it out with a powder extinguisher. The car is put on a truck and taken home and this where it gets difficult.
Possible causes:
1) Aftermarket removable towbar (now removed)
2) Wires shorting out (light in the cassette tape storage housing)
3) Blower motor/Resistor pack - removed and checked, brushes OK, no debris, resistor pack clean.
4) Cluster?
5) OBC?
Damage Repaired:
1) Fuse #5 is melted and wires burnt, repaired (spliced new inline fuse).
2) Front harness wires fried, specifically from light switch and instrument cluster. Removed dash and harness and repaired by splicing burnt wires and refitted.
3) Instrument cluster is fried (speed sensor ground fried)
4) Rear harness (from centre/handbrake surround to rear seat) fried. Repaired as per front harness.
Remaining Problems/Issues:
Now, even though the car starts and runs and there is no more smoke/popping fuses or burn't wires (that I can find), but it still has some serious problems. Here's what happens as soon as I reconnect the battery:
1) Ignition comes on without key turned.
2) Anti-theft horn sounds (until lights switched on)
3) Indicators only work with lights on, but now anti-theft horn sounds in time to indicator.
Right indicator lights stay on (not flashing) with ignition off.
This is the first time I've done this kind of thing and, thanks to all the expert help on this forum, I've managed this far, but now I'm truly stuck and I desperately need some help! What should I check now? I can't sell the car and it's my only means of transport. There is still a recession in South Africa (World Cup and all!) so I can't afford to take it to the stealers. I have to fix it myself and so I need some expert advice.
Pulled over to check and switch the igntition off,but, even with the key out of the ignition the power stays on, all the lights are on and the anti theft horn is going off. The smoke is also getting worse, but it's now coming from the dash and the centre of rear seat and propshaft hump. A small fire starts in centre/handbrake surround (under the carpet). I disconnectthe battery and put it out with a powder extinguisher. The car is put on a truck and taken home and this where it gets difficult.
Possible causes:
1) Aftermarket removable towbar (now removed)
2) Wires shorting out (light in the cassette tape storage housing)
3) Blower motor/Resistor pack - removed and checked, brushes OK, no debris, resistor pack clean.
4) Cluster?
5) OBC?
Damage Repaired:
1) Fuse #5 is melted and wires burnt, repaired (spliced new inline fuse).
2) Front harness wires fried, specifically from light switch and instrument cluster. Removed dash and harness and repaired by splicing burnt wires and refitted.
3) Instrument cluster is fried (speed sensor ground fried)
4) Rear harness (from centre/handbrake surround to rear seat) fried. Repaired as per front harness.
Remaining Problems/Issues:
Now, even though the car starts and runs and there is no more smoke/popping fuses or burn't wires (that I can find), but it still has some serious problems. Here's what happens as soon as I reconnect the battery:
1) Ignition comes on without key turned.
2) Anti-theft horn sounds (until lights switched on)
3) Indicators only work with lights on, but now anti-theft horn sounds in time to indicator.
Right indicator lights stay on (not flashing) with ignition off.
This is the first time I've done this kind of thing and, thanks to all the expert help on this forum, I've managed this far, but now I'm truly stuck and I desperately need some help! What should I check now? I can't sell the car and it's my only means of transport. There is still a recession in South Africa (World Cup and all!) so I can't afford to take it to the stealers. I have to fix it myself and so I need some expert advice.
