electrical problems again

minoltaman

minoltaman

Member
driving my A2 today when the ABS warning light and ESP warning both came on and a large exclamantion mark lit up on the dashboard followed by black smoke from the steering collum area. I managed to pull off the road and dived out of the car thinking it may bust into flames. nothing happened, got back into the car started it up, all normal, as nothing had happened. drove home ok. Now I suspect a wire has burned out, again which one and perhaps a large bill again to find the culprit like last year. Perhaps it is time to sell before anything more expensive happens !!!!
 
:eek:

What I suggest is to remove the knee panels covering the fuse box, and hiding the relay's above this and have a GOOD look at the wiring!

It may be one of the relays that is overheating to the extent of catching fire!

FULL investigation is needed immediately otherwise you will end up with what my car was like (have a look at my link below). IF you do insist on driving it around which I don't recommend as your putting your own safety, and the safety of others at risk, then carry an appropriate fire extinguisher, for electrical fires!

What spec is your car?

Regards

Sarge
 
Rod, check the cruise system wiring too - remember I told you that the routing was wrong (it was done by someone other than me, no names mentioned).

The only thing in the area of the steering column that will give rise to black smoke is wiring or a relay, as Sarge rightly says.

Selling is a little drastic, for what should be a relatively simple fix and anyway, you'd not get much interest if you disclosed the electrical gremlins.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Electrical Problems

Thanks for all your replys tomorrow I will remove the panels and have a look at the wiring and relays. I hope it will be simple but after having dodgy wiring last year I am a bit wary that it will cost a lot.
 
This time though, with the black smoke, there should be something easy enough to spot and you can then take it from there, saving time and money.

Cheers,

Mike
 
electrical problems

You should know this car is not that simple. I have dropped the lower panel, fuse box looks ok, all relays on top of the fuse box look ok, remove instrument assy check wiring all looks ok, ie: nothing burnt or any burnt smells, now what !!! do I start cutting back wiring tape to try and see if there is any damage to wiring.
 
I suspect wiring higher up Rod - you'll need to remove the upper and lower cowls to inspect it, which means steering wheel removal.

Have you inspected all the fuses, including the selection in the passenger foorwell?

Cheers,

Mike
 
electrical problems

checked the fuses and found the 40 amp fuse blown which located in the fuse box near the relay. now what?
 
Ill share an experience I had about 5 years ago with a ford escort!

I was driving along and could smell burning. Then had smoke rising from behind the steering column. Real electrical burning/plastic type smell.

Stopped literally pulled every fuse out of the car and it stopped smoking. Thought the car was going to set on fire.

The problem turned out to be the indicator stalk itself the board inside had burnt out. The tracks on the pcb which had a roller which ran across them when you put the indicators on had just shorted somehow and it was all black inside (stank as well!). Fitted new switch and it had gone.

Thought it might give you something else to look at. Hope you find your problem.

Gary
 
electrical problems

I have looked in the owners hand book and this fuse is not listed. So I do not know what it relates to maybe ABS. I have nothing to tell me. So it looks like a trip to the Auto electrician again!
 
minoltaman said:
checked the fuses and found the 40 amp fuse blown which located in the fuse box near the relay. now what?
Click to expand...


40 Amp? that's seems a bit high for that fuse box, I don't recall a 40Amp fuses in that fuse box.
Is your car a Petrol or Diesel?
What position number is the fuse located at?

It COULD be that someone had issues with a fuse blowing and done the worst thing of all, and stuck in a higher ampere fuse, which in turn tallys with something burning as the fuse may be the incorrect rating... just thinking out loud here.

Regards

SARGE
 
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electrical problems

The 40 amp fuse is a large one located next to a gray coloured relay and can be only seen when you lower the panel under the dash, it is not in the fuse box at the back of the fuse box cover. The car is a 1.4 TDi 2002 plate 2003 spec.
 
Sorry not to rely sooner Rod - been away to Whitby today.

Anyhow, if it's the fuse at the side of the relays (to the left of them) then it's the radiator fan control unit fuse.

There sould be a really thick (4mm square) wire, red with a blue stripe, that goes from the fuse to the red connector at the bottom of the A pillar and then on to the fan control unit.

The units are known to go wrong, but only sparingly and I would suspect a rubbing wire somewhere. Follow the route of the loom to see where it goes through the bulkhead and assess from there.

Cheers,

Mike
 
electrical problems

thanks for reply, as you look at the fuse box you can not see this fuse because it is mounted above the fuse box and can be only seen when you remove the lower dash panel, then you have a large Black relay, next a small gray relay and then on the right hand side a large 40 amp orange colour fuse verticaly mounted. It is this fuse which has blown, any ideas?
 
So the fuse is on the door side of the relays yes?

Fuses.jpg


Which of A, B or C is it?

C is the fan control fuse, with red/blue wires I referred to earlier. B is the additional heater fuse and should have red and red/yellow wiring and is normally a 60A fuse.

Cheers,

Mike
 
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electrical problems

no it does not look like your drawing at all. the fuse box I mention is in front of the driver on the r/h side ( just been out to look as I said it has a large Black relay then a smaller gray relay then a vertically mounted 40 amp fuse which has blown) my car is a 1.4 tdI 2002 reg but 2003 model
 
That drawing is for a 2002/03 model year AMF engined A2 and bear ing mind that most of the stuff in the diagram is hidden when the lower trim is in place (you'd only see the smaller fuses when you took the cover off - all the relays and the other fuses are normally hidden).

You'll hve to send a photo Rod - I still suspect it's a fan control fuse, as this is 40A as standard - the additional heater fuse is 60A.

Cheers,

Mike
 
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