Hello I have attached some pictures for guidance but this is my scenario. after starting my car and letting it idle I began to smell burning plastic. I soon noticed smoke billowing from the fuse box. I have an ignition interlock system which is just a fancy term for a breathalyzer and I thought that might be the problem. The problem wire is a red one that runs down the side of the fuse panel and up into a cluster that eventually goes in behind the steering wheel. Can anyone tell me what wire this is or a cause or solution for my problem? Any info is greatly appreciated. Sorry if the pictures aren't clear enough /Users/ryanlundy/Desktop/DSCF1497.JPG /Users/ryanlundy/Desktop/DSCF1493.JPG

 

 

no pics

 

Hey Ryan,

you're gonna need to put it up on a picture host site like photobucket or imgur.

 

We need pictures but in the meantime I'm going to guess it's the aftermarket device since it doesn't sound like anything stopped working in the car and it didn't blow a fuse or a fusible link. Did it stop smoking when you turned the key off or before you turned it off?

 

I know people that have had breathalyzer, and they seem to always fuck your car up some how, something's probably shorting out.

 

sounds like you were way over the limit!

 

Sorry for the photos not working. Hopefully it works this time although the photos are a bit blurry. And sorry for a late reply. I've been staying at a friends for an easy commute to work.



http://s900.photobucket.com/user/rya...tml?sort=3&o=1

If that doesn't work here is the address for the photo bucket pagehttp://s900.photobucket.com/user/ryan_lund/library/?sort=3&page=1

 

 

Thanks for your reply. The smoking stopped as soon as I turned the car off but continued a few seconds after I started the car again. I only tried starting the engine once after the initial incident. I didn't want to worsen the conditions but I wanted to locate the problem.

 

 

looks like some aftermarket wiring that got short circuited

 

Do you have a multi meter? With the key off, check it for ground continuity or check it for voltage first for the meter's sake. It's hard for me to see on my phone but is part of the wire fine with a fairly sharp cutoff point between melted insulation and good insulation (did it get pinched in the brake or throttle mechanism and short there)? Does it go into the wiring harness at any point. I'm assuming everything with the car functions normally or you would have mentioned it and the breathalyzer must work to start the car. Does it transmit a signal, is there any sort of transmitter that might require 12v with ignition on? Something has to be non functional as a result of this. Have you turned on all electrical accessories? Any evidence of an aftermarket audio system that may have been installed at one time? Fog lights?

No wire should ever burn like that. It should be protected by a fusible link which would probably let it get really hot but eventually melt or a fuse that should have blown instantly in the case of a dead short. That's why I'm thinking it's aftermarket. If it's from the breathalyzer I would let them know they almost burned your car to the ground.

 

My buddy got a dui last year and they made him get one of those interloc breathalizr devices when he got his license back. it gave him all kinds of electrical problems and left him stranded all the time, it pissed him off to the point where he ended up bypassing it by installing some switches between the ignition and the device. I certianly wouldent reccomend that but, I'd deffinately call and complain about the device if it is infact the issue.