Dash fires...help!!

[71 blacktip]

I have a 96 coupe wih 40k miles. Early this week I had a fire in the dash which stopped when i turned car off. Traced it to burnt horn and cruise control wires, replaced wires, seemed fine for the last 4-5 days. This morning I turned on the car and smoke started billowing from under dash and through air vents again.

Has anyone else had this problem?? Ideas????
ad :confused

 

[Ken]

Lonny, I never had a dash fire as you describe, but I did burn up the wiring for my passenger sport seat controls, and let me tell you, smoke comes from places you would never associate with the origins of the short, or whatever is causing it. I had smoke coming from all around my dash area and the only things that burned/melted were the wiring and the seat foam.

Nothing in the dash was affected, but it sure did look like it was burning. There was smoke coming from the center console as well. I am in no way an expert on this phenomenon, but I would guess the smoke travels through wiring very quickly.

To say I was freaked and near panic is an understatement at the very least. :eek

The only suggestion I can give is to start looking for where you might find a short in your wiring. Good luck!

 

[71 blacktip]

Traced burnt wire to horn again, this time I removed "both" horns and checked to ground . The low horn shorted to ground, will replace soon.
Everything seems Ok so far, but try driving with a fire ext. in hand!

 

[71 blacktip]

Traced burnt wire to horn again, this time I removed "both" horns and checked to ground . The low horn shorted to ground, will replace soon.
Everything seems Ok so far, but try driving with a fire ext. in hand!