Fried Wires? ** Updated 7-08-07 **

[RDF]

Got a ? for all of you.  I went to start my Cuda and it sounded like the battery wsa dead (engine didn't turn over), so I hooked my charger up to it in the dark (mistake #1).  As soon as I hooked it up, I heard sizzling and bubbling so I unhooked them right away.  Looked around, couldn't see anything so hooked it back up again thinking my battery charger needed to be plugged in (mistake #2).  Again I hear the sizzling but decide to get my extention cord and plug it into the wall.  By the time I get back to the engine compartment, smoke is pouring out from it.  Turns out I had the cables on wrong    .  That's what I get for doing it in the dark.  At any rate, when all is settled, I see a few wires have partially melted, but all seems good.  When I hook it up correctly, now my lights come on automatically.  I checked the switch and it is off, so I think I melted the wire for the headlights.  Is this possible?  Any other ideas as to what I may have damaged?

[MEK-Dangerfield]

You have a fuseable linkage that is part of your front wiring harness. It comes off the starter relay. Maybe that has melted and shorted a couple of wires along with it?   


  Mike

[RDF]

You have a fuseable linkage that is part of your front wiring harness. It comes off the starter relay. Maybe that has melted and shorted a couple of wires along with it?   


  Mike

Yes, I noticed that when I took off the starter relay that the fusable link wire was completely melted.....so I ordered another relay and will replace those wires tomorrow, hopefully it will all work again.

[ChallengerHK]

Good luck with it.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I did something stupid once(OK more than once), and I cooked my fuseable link. That baby sure can make some smoke.  I hope that's all you did here.


  Mike

[RDF]

Well I just replaced the starter relay and the fusable link......the car starts and runs fine now, but the lights are still on.   Strange.....leads me to believe that the headlight issue was happening before I smoked the link and relay.

Anyone have any ideas as to why the headlights are staying on now?

[MEK-Dangerfield]

If it wasn't some wires burned together in your harness, might the headlight switch be bad? Usually they "open" and nothing works, but maybe your's "shorted"? 


  Mike

EDIT: Are you saying the lights are on always, or just when the engine is running? What are your dash lights doing at this same time?

[RDF]

Are you saying the lights are on always, or just when the engine is running? What are your dash lights doing at this same time?

Lights are always on, even without the ignition key in...I also noticed the High Beam indicator on the dash is lite up as well.....even when I take them "off" high beams.  Really strange.....

[MEK-Dangerfield]

At this point, I think something in your front harness is fried. They are pretty easy to replace. I think something like $120 from Year One. Whatever is going on now, isn't good for your battery.  If this is all that happened, then be glad. Your battery could have blown up. 


  Mike

[RDF]

At this point, I think something in your front harness is fried. They are pretty easy to replace. I think something like $120 from Year One. Whatever is going on now, isn't good for your battery.  If this is all that happened, then be glad. Your battery could have blown up. 


  Mike

I figured it wasn't good for the battery, so I unhooked the positive cable from it and called it a night.  I'll have to look into it later on inthe week when I have more time......

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Pull off your bulkhead connections and look for any melted terminals in those connections, maybe start there. There is a chance it could affect your switch i guess, i'd pull that switch panel from the dash and unplug the switch and see if they go off.  If I can help with something gimmie a holler, wouldn't be a bad time to put your lights on relays and keep the current out of your switch if you get a new one too. 

[RDF]

Pull off your bulkhead connections and look for any melted terminals in those connections, maybe start there. There is a chance it could affect your switch i guess, i'd pull that switch panel from the dash and unplug the switch and see if they go off.  If I can help with something gimmie a holler, wouldn't be a bad time to put your lights on relays and keep the current out of your switch if you get a new one too. 

That's my next step is to see if the switch is gone.  If that's ok, I'll be sure to give you a shout because electrical is one area I don't like. 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

That's my next step is to see if the switch is gone.  If that's ok, I'll be sure to give you a shout because electrical is one area I don't like. 

Lemme know, we can pop the one out of my car and test it if need be. I'm no pro, i can use the heck out of a multimeter though  , we'll figure it out. Gimmie a holler, im free usually on weekends (just not next weekend). I can help put your headlights on relays too if you decide to. 

I got H4's here  100x better than stockers if you do much night driving like I used to


 

[RDF]

I just unhooked the switch and hooked up the battery again....but the lights still come on......ugh...   Looks like I'll be doing some fishin' for some loose/melted wires elsewhere.  I have no clue where to being looking though.    Any ideas anyone?    Goody, are you out of town this weekend or the Forth of July weekend?

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I just unhooked the switch and hooked up the battery again....but the lights still come on......ugh...   Looks like I'll be doing some fishin' for some loose/melted wires elsewhere.  I have no clue where to being looking though.    Any ideas anyone?    Goody, are you out of town this weekend or the Forth of July weekend?

I'm free this weekend bud, weekend of the 4th my girlfriend is in from Vegas  Lmk, we can probably tear it up enough to find somethin wrong