My Main wiring harness got messed up!!!!

[rec]

My main wiring harness that connects to the fuse box got burnt because of a short. Now im looking at 700-800 to fix it. What could of caused the short? I dont even know what a short is.

[NeFaRiOuS_SLE]

short circuit (n.) a connection of comparatively low resistance accidentally or intentionally made between points on a circuit between which the resistance is normally much greater that causes overheating, fire or explosion.

In other words, it means that it might've been a bad fuse, or something came in contact with the wiring, or the wiring melted for whatever reason and crossed with another one.... Think of it as what happens when you put scissors into an outlet, except household wiring is better insulated and therefore less likely to burn the wires, and automotive wiring is designed to not bite more than it could chew to lower production costs (even though it's only by a matter of pennies).

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_circuit

[solaris]

a short happens when your positive and negative (ground - not really the earth ground as in AC system) come in contact with one another. there will a tremendous amount of current that will flow through the wire. if the fuse doesn't break during this contact, the wire will overheat and the insulation will burn

[swindler]

short cir·cuit (shôrt sûrkit) noun. A lame movie from 1986 starring Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy about an experimental robot developed by the military that is electrocuted, suddenly becomes a sentient being, develops a conscience about the horrors of war, and spends the rest of the movie trying to flee from the bad, bad military guys.

[MCOjerry]

short cir·cuit (shôrt sûrkit) noun. A lame movie from 1986 starring Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy about an experimental robot developed by the military that is electrocuted, suddenly becomes a sentient being, develops a conscience about the horrors of war, and spends the rest of the movie trying to flee from the bad, bad military guys.

OK...so many jokes lately... FUNNY!

[rec]

a short happens when your positive and negative (ground - not really the earth ground as in AC system) come in contact with one another. there will a tremendous amount of current that will flow through the wire. if the fuse doesn't break during this contact, the wire will overheat and the insulation will burn

thats exacly what happend!!!

[rec]

so basically what happend was that i had a wrong fuse in the fuse box that was too high voltage for what it was supposed to be so it didnt blow out when it was supposed to but just got hotter and melted and caused other crap to burn and start flippin up. So now i just got word that my warranty is going to cover it but they dont know what caused it. They think it was my stereo but my stereo still works.

[swindler]

I actually am quite a bit more knowledgeable than reflected in my previous post. (Sorry about that - couldn't resist.)

Where along the wiring harness was the damage? How significant was the damage? What kind of stereo/wiring mods did you make? Did you splice into any existing wiring, or make your own runs? Was all the work you did fuse-protected?

Typically, if there's any fuse protection whatsoever, and you have a dead short, the fuse will blow before the wiring. If it's a thin-gauge wire and the fuse is big, then the wire would go first, but it would just burn itself open and not cause too much damage. What you described sounds like a heavy current short.

[rec]

well i dont think it was the stereo because toyota solara has 2 wiring harness one for the stock radio and one for the aftermarket so there is no need for cutting wires and stuff like that. My dvd player just plugged right in . Could it have been where i put the ground wire on ?


The burning of the wires started right under the fuse box which is located under the front left side of the car. It burnt right through the firewall.

[rec]

i just got an estimate for the actuall main harness and it costs $2,900 !! are they efen crazy ?

[JMSinMaryland]

STFU and let them cover it. I mean that in the nicest way . Don't go asking questions and giving suggestions. If they committed to repairing it let them. You've touched nothing under the hood and was just driving the car like normal. RIGHT.

[DaTwUnKrAziEpInOy]

$2900 sounds extremely pricey....but those wires control everything from lights, power accessories, engine management, airbags, to ABS. So you mean to say you installed a higher amperage fuse for what reason....but hopefully you'll get that fixed soon.

[rec]

i didnt put the fuse i bought the solara from a used car place. Ive never touched anything under the hood. No mods. I bought an extra warranty when i bought the car and thats whats going to cover it. They were trippin off my in dash dvd saying that could of caused the short if it was installed wrong but i dont think so.

[anttarz]

i didnt put the fuse i bought the solara from a used car place. Ive never touched anything under the hood. No mods. I bought an extra warranty when i bought the car and thats whats going to cover it. They were trippin off my in dash dvd saying that could of caused the short if it was installed wrong but i dont think so.

They will use absolutely every excuse not to fix or bear the responsibilty for the short. That is why on a used car like that it is not worth it to get an extended warranty. The quote of $2,900 for the main wiring harness sounds right, i had a short in mine from a poor after-market security system install from the previous owner. Instead of replacing completely i plan on just buying the electrical diagrams from toyota and replace just the wires i am having issues with. This is all unless you can find one from a junkyard or someone willing to rip it out of a salvage. I have had no such luck.

[rec]

i didnt put the fuse i bought the solara from a used car place. Ive never touched anything under the hood. No mods. I bought an extra warranty when i bought the car and thats whats going to cover it. They were trippin off my in dash dvd saying that could of caused the short if it was installed wrong but i dont think so.

They will use absolutely every excuse not to fix or bear the responsibilty for the short. That is why on a used car like that it is not worth it to get an extended warranty. The quote of $2,900 for the main wiring harness sounds right, i had a short in mine from a poor after-market security system install from the previous owner. Instead of replacing completely i plan on just buying the electrical diagrams from toyota and replace just the wires i am having issues with. This is all unless you can find one from a junkyard or someone willing to rip it out of a salvage. I have had no such luck.

Yeah those mofos tried giving me bs but in the end they said they are gong to cover it this one time and thats it if the problem happens again they arent going to cover it. Thank god. The shop i have my car @ is going to replace the whole harness or if they cant they will find an old one from somewhere and just replace the burnt part.