Need some help

[suki243]

So last night i was driving and i stupidly put the car into the lower gear, (automatic) when i did so all the interior lights shorted out, like the instrument panel and the light that is under the shifter. I then smelt smoke and burning plastic. i turned off the car and lights and sat there for a bit, tried it again, the burning stopped.


I think what happened is when i put in the carpet i didn't leave enough slack for the light wire that goes to the shifter and it must've exposed itself a little and shorted out against the floor. This also isn't a stock wiring system, its an EZ wiring, and my instrument panel lights are connected directly to the light switch.

I checked the wire from switch to lights for continuity and it was fine. I checked the fuses and they were fine. the headlights, turn signals and all still work just not the interior lights. I'd do the whole 9 yards and pull everything out and what not but i'm not at home, i'm at school and i didn't bring all the tools with me.

Therefore, I think i burned out the light switch. What do you guys think?

P.s. Next time i'll install an inline fuse between the interior lights and the light switch

 

[truck90278]

Your probably right, however I would be concerned that you can have a short of that magnatude and NOT blow a fuse, that's what they are for. If you replace the switch, you still have the short, need to fix that. If you burned the wire up, you may have many places in the circuit that can short out.

 

[suki243]

For the time being i disconnected the wire that goes to shifter light, i cut it off and wrapped it in electrical tape. it was spliced with instrument light wire.

I think the reason the fuse didn't blow was because it got to the switch first. I didn't put a fuse between the lights and the switch.
And rather only one part of the switch burned cause everything is alright still

 

[Tim65GT]

Just buy a 5 amp fuse and holder and temporarily wire it up to the headlight circuit so you have dash lights.

That should hold until you get home and figure out where the fault is and how to fix the root of the problem.

 

[runawayabc123]

I am confused, maybe because my pony has a 4 speed manual, but how does down shifting in an auto cause a different light to come on, much less expose a short?

 

[iskwezm]

I am confused, maybe because my pony has a 4 speed manual, but how does down shifting in an auto cause a different light to come on, much less expose a short?

theres a indicator light on the shifter base.