Civic electrical problem?

[VTC-8OY]

Ok today i was driving along the M4 motorway driving as normal, when out of nowhere the whole car jus SHUT OFF, n smoke just started coming in from the A/C vents, it smelt like burning rubber, i quickly pulled over, n let the smoke disapear. I got out the car to check the engine bay, but everything seemed fine, so i tried starting the car again n it wouldnt start at all, not even onto ACC. I had to get it towed home, didnt end up doing anything!

Any idea what the hell could have caused it doodes? (p.s my car is a EG civic Vti hatch)

[JasonGilholme]

what have you checked so far?? Are you getting any sort of power from you battery?? test it with a multimeter. also check the wiring behind where you put you key in you may have shorted something out.

Have a quick check over all your wiring to see if you can see any copper wiring protruding out of the plastic surround. this will give you an idea of where to look.

Its weird that smoke came out through your air con vents and shit. There must have been some high current/voltage involved. It might have been somethin to do with your ignition.

just havin a stab for ya. hope it helps

Jason

[SKREMN]

sounds like you have got some fried wireing
has anyone played with or modifyed any wiering or added any sterio or stuff???
happend to a friends car once had to get new loom and replace it all

[iamhappy46]

Do you have an amplifier or any aftermarket wiring that has not been fused within 15cm of the battery? If so, I would say look at that first.
Disconnect your battery and use a multimeter set in 'continuity mode' and connect them to the cars + and - leads. If you have continuity, you have a battery short somewhere. If not, turn the ignition to Accessory and On positions and repaet procedure, this will help diagnose which circuit has the short.

[VTC-8OY]

thanks for the input guys, i havent really checked/tested anything yet (i'l leave that to the pro's) except taken out the gauge clusters to see behind for any noticeable burnt wires.. but yea i can still listen to my system etc.. i have a kill switch in my car that my dads mate installed ages ago, recently i 'sorta' fiddled with it but didnt arrange any wires around or nuffin.. could dis be an part of the issue?

[ECU-MAN]

you probably would of blown the main 100Amp fues, this will kill power to alot of things in the car

[iamhappy46]

100amp fuse would not have made 'that' much smoke from the vents. I still suspect a shorted wire somewhere, possibly the 'kill switch' earthing out after playing with it.

Leave it to the pro's but keep in mind a new wiring harness ain't cheap...

[VTC-8OY]

yea i had a look today behind the killswitch were the wires connect to, n yeah one of the wires had come lose n musta touched sumfin n melted few wires.. no fuses were blown.. if i just get rid of the kill switch +wiring n arrange everything back to normal, do u's fink it will work? or rekon it mite have caused other problems..?

[iamhappy46]

If no fuses are blown, sounds like your Dad's mate possibly had the starter motor constant power wire, which normall runs straight from the battery to the starter motor extended into the cabin to make the kill switch. This is the only wire that is not normally fused.
Ask him to revert whatever it was back to normal for you, carton of beer should cover the time ;) Otherwise, an auto electrican could return your wiring to normal, or atleast wire up your kill switch better.
Hopefully it has not caused any major damage.