Fried wires

[Skychismo]

So I pulled and reinstalled my gauge cluster last weekend. After doing so I noticed a clicking feeling in the steering wheel when turning. While investigating it tonight I noticed the headlights would dim if I turned the wheel right. It would only dim at certain spots. Stupidly, I held it at one of the spots and smoke started pouring out of the steering column. The brown wires in the column seemed to have been fried. Anyone know why this would happen? Everything in the gauge cluster worked fine.
https://vimeo.com/110742673

[Skychismo]

The car is a 1984 325e

[E30NJ]

Did you replace the cluster fuse with a bigger one by mistake?

[Skychismo]

Did you replace the cluster fuse with a bigger one by mistake?

No, I ended up not doing anything to the cluster.

[Gregs///M]

The fuse box has incorrect sized fuses.

[Skychismo]

The fuse box has incorrect sized fuses.

Thanks, I'll check the fuses. I've only had the car a month so that's probably it. The fuel filter was in backwards so it's a real possibility.

[Skychismo]

The fuse box has incorrect sized fuses.

I checked the fuses and they're all good. Basically the turn signal eliminator switch is shorting out on something when it's triggered while turning the wheel right. I don't see any tangled wires or anything else out of the ordinary in the column.

[estoguy]

I had a similar thing happen with the wiring for the washer jet heaters - the fried wires were causing a bunch of issues. I just disconnected everything. I have a complete set of spare wires, but I've gone both winters without with no problems. Don't feel like going through the hassle if I don't need them. LOL

[KIRIEIW]

OP did you figure out what caused the clicking in the steering column? My car just started doing this.

[Skychismo]

OP did you figure out what caused the clicking in the steering column? My car just started doing this.

I think the clicking I'm feeling was the electricity jolting through the column. I still can't figure out why it's shorting out. If you're not burning up wires, clicking would indicate your clock spring is on its way out.

[Gregs///M]

I checked the fuses and they're all good. Basically the turn signal eliminator switch is shorting out on something when it's triggered while turning the wheel right. I don't see any tangled wires or anything else out of the ordinary in the column.

Im not saying to check if the fuses are good, im saying the wrong size fuses are installed.

If the electrical fuse panel was like OEM, the fuse would have blown and not fried the wires. In your case, someone put a larger amperage rating fuse for that circuit and now the wiring itself is the fuse, not the actual fuse.

[Steve Corbett]

[Skychismo]

Im not saying to check if the fuses are good, im saying the wrong size fuses are installed.



If the electrical fuse panel was like OEM, the fuse would have blown and not fried the wires. In your case, someone put a larger amperage rating fuse for that circuit and now the wiring itself is the fuse, not the actual fuse.

Sorry, by "good" I meant the correct fuses are installed. I'm not sure why they didn't blow.

[Skychismo]

What's weird is that is only fried the wire up until it plugs into the main harness. The wire after the plug is fine.