SmokinZ

Today I noticed a really bad electrical short in my 2006 Z06. Nearly a 1/2 square centimeter of the floorboard was glowing red and it put out some smoke as it smoldered. It seemed to intensify if there was pressure on the driver seat. After I got a look at what was happening I pulled the terminals from the battery.

Has anyone experienced this or have any ideas? It's too late tonight to pull the seat out, but I'll do that this weekend.

Les

Wow, I'll bet you never thought you'd earn your forum name this way! Glad it wasn't worse. Never seen anything like that.

wolf8218

Maybe your cats are too hot? I don't know what else is under the seats that could get that hot. If you checked the seat wiring harness and found no exposure then I'm just as stumped as you.

SmokinZ

Yeah, I'm pretty sure its not the cats... (car have been off for a few weeks because of weather). Tonight I was just pushing it in the garage to get access some space behind it. I know there is wiring under the driver's seat but it didn't seems to be coming from that (at least visibly). I'll take the seat out tomorrow and have a better inspection.

wolf8218

Do you have the heated seats?

SmokinZ

yes, it does have heated seats

wolf8218

I'm not personally familiar with the heated seat configuration, but that could be the cause of the short?

pkincy

Yes, I have. I had Abel Chevrolet do the Seat Track replacement on my rocking 08 Drivers seat while I was in for the wiggle test.

Took the car back to where I was staying and the seat belt light (it was buckled) started blinking and then the car doors quit working. The car would start but nothing would work in the car or on the dash. Drove it back to Abel and went out for a late lunch while they figured out what was up.

Got back and they said that it was a major short in the wiring from the seat to the dash under the carpet in front of the drivers seat. Apparently they hadn't moved this wire loom or lifted the carpet that far, but they did find that it was frayed and finally shorted out. The short blew the 60 amp fuse for the interior electonics. They found that fuse and then traced the cause to the short under the carpet.

SmokinZ

Thank you, pkincy. It's a pretty good confirmation and description of what is probably going on. I didn't get a chance to take the seat out last night, but I'm in the process now. Hopefully I'll be able to locate the short without tearing up too many things.

SmokinZ

Well, I'm pretty sure I found the culprit. There is most likely a short between the seat wiring harness and the seat framework. As far as I can determine, when the seat moves forward and back there is a bolt that makes contact with the harness. I should be able to make a small repair to the harness and re-secure it out of the way better.

The front of the seat is to the right side of the picture. The door side of the seat is to the bottom of the picture. (Drivers side seat)


Here is the closeup.

pkincy

I had planned to carry a new 60 amp fuse but after seeing this I won't. There is a lot of electricity carried in that bundle and simply replacing a fuse could mask a problem.


Glad you found it.


Perry

SmokinZ

Yeah, and it just so happened that the wire that was damaged was the main power source! Luckily I think that was the only issue.

I re-insulated the damaged wire, re-wrapped the harness sheath and added two securing locations.