Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:59:26 GMT From: "Al" <alistairdorenospamo.com> Subject: Re: Strange sound after removing and retruning dashboard ACC unit
"Eeyore" <rabbitsfriendsandrelationsnospamail.com> wrote in message news:45A48248.55A6C852nospamail.com... > > > Al wrote: > >> "Nel Frikandel" <nelfrikandelnospamail.com> wrote in message >> news:8fh1q25lce16dq2o8fh39acgl7kotgh0apnospamcom... >> > Hi, I'm a bit worried that I might have screwed something up. I took >> > out the dashboard ACC panel and one of the heated seat swithches, to >> > see if I could fix some of the lights that were not functioning, and >> > when I placed it back, I turned on the ignition to see if it all >> > worked well again. At that moment I heard dome sort of soft explosion, >> > a loud "Puffff", kind of like a backfire that I used to have a lot >> > when the car was till on LPG. I did not crank the engine, just turned >> > on the ignition I also noticed a strange smell. >> > >> > I did not dare to start it, due to the late hour, and I could not >> > notice something irregular under the hood, so today I'll take a look. >> > >> > Anybody have any clues? >> >> You've almost certainly trapped and shorted something out in the dash >> board, which in turn should have blown a fuse. >> >> Pull out the ACC unit again and check with a torch for burnt >> out/blackened >> wires. > > Fuses *should* protect wires from charring. That's their very purpose. > > Graham > I couldn't agree more strongly, just like O-Ring seals "should" stop space shuttle solid rocket boosters leaking, ferry doors "should" close to stop the sea coming in, airport security "should"stop hijackers, the list is endless. My opinion stands, a wire was crushed, shorted and that accounts for the sound and the smell. Given the above symptoms I stand by my (amateur) diagnosis. Thinking on the hoof here, has the original stereo been replaced? Amateur wiring to get a couple of positive feeds to the back of a non Saab radio could easily lead to the above. If the wiring used was skinny rubbish, and the power taken from a circuit on a 20 amp fuse, it's entirely feasible the wire would blow before the fuse. Especially if it was badly cut by the replacement of the ACC unit, leaving only a few strands remaining? I use the stereo as an example, any other additional circuits added after manufacture could have the same problem. I blew a phone kit automute kit up once because the muppet who fitted it didn't put an inline fuse in the circuit. PCB tracks work well as fuses! If Nel could enlighten us as to where the smell and "puff" sound came from it would be interesting. Al
