First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life.
07-09-2003, 03:46 PM
#1
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First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life.
I did all the finishing touches last night and this morning. Went to the DMV and got my plate, then went got an inspection sticker. Next stop was new tires and a brakejob. Everything was going great. Then I smell something burning and see smoke coming from my speakers, and out the A/c vents. I immediately pull over and it just happened to be at an auto shop. Then I see flames coming from inside the dash through the speaker grill and headlight switch. I ran inside and grabbed a fire extenguisher. I put the blaze out before too much damage was done. But now I got yellow poopie all over my brand new interior and all kinds of melted stuff behind the dash. It's back at the house now and I determined the problem to be the headlight switch. Not sure why it caught fire but I'm pissed that the fuse didn't burn out before it did. I'm gonna pull the dash out tomorrow maybe and assess the damage. I already know I need a new switch. All the plastic connections melted too. Any idea if I can get a replacement thing to connect to the new switch. And my brand new Infiniti 4x6 melted through. Sometimes I think that my car just plain hates me. :mad :mad :mad :mad :mad :(
07-09-2003, 03:56 PM
#2
Team Owner
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ice pac)
Yikes I am glad you got the flames put out.....The car does not hate you ....remember it is just a car it just reacts to what you do to it :eek:
07-09-2003, 04:02 PM
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (Alwyn678)
:sad: :nonod:
07-09-2003, 04:24 PM
#5
Team Owner
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ice pac)
A couple of tings to keep in mind, first off ...our sharks are about 30 years old on average, and so the amount of corrosion is built up pretty badly...that means the internasl of any switch, connector, anything conducting power is subject to overheating...or pinched wire....why the fuse did't blow...hard to say...wasn't there...
GENE
GENE
07-09-2003, 04:31 PM
#6
Melting Slicks
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (mrvette)
Sorry to hear about your vette, I'ts a good thing you stayed calm and kept your head ...... :thumbs:
07-09-2003, 04:43 PM
#7
Safety Car
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ice pac)
Could have been A LOT worse. You could be calling your ins agent about a melted pile of slag at the auto shop. Good thing you had the foresight to hava fire extinguisher handy and the calm nerves to use it. Once you get the dash rewired, thats one less thing to worry about!!
Brett :thumbs:
Brett :thumbs:
07-09-2003, 04:46 PM
#8
Team Owner
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (75Rag)
:eek: Glad you're ok.
I've been keeping an eye out for you on the road, I'm taking classes in Houma (Nicholls off campus) and pass in front ouf your subdivision twice a week.
That sucks, but on the bright side it could be MUCH worse. :yesnod:
I've been keeping an eye out for you on the road, I'm taking classes in Houma (Nicholls off campus) and pass in front ouf your subdivision twice a week.
That sucks, but on the bright side it could be MUCH worse. :yesnod:
07-09-2003, 04:47 PM
#9
Drifting
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ldyoung)
Remember...if its got ****, or tires...it's gonna cost you!
CVT4ME
[Modified by CVT4ME, 3:49 PM 7/9/2003]
CVT4ME
[Modified by CVT4ME, 3:49 PM 7/9/2003]
07-09-2003, 04:50 PM
#10
Safety Car
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (Corey 68)
Look at it this way, you're ALIVE! You could have been in the middle of nowhere and have a charred blob that used to be a Vette.
07-09-2003, 04:56 PM
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Melting Slicks
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ice pac)
Sorry to hear about your problems, but thank God it was not worse. Good luck.
CVT4ME, great reply, I'm still laughing. :rofl:
CVT4ME, great reply, I'm still laughing. :rofl:
07-09-2003, 05:07 PM
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ice pac)
Our local Corvette shop guy "Daybo" told me the first thing I need to do is get an extinguisher...guess he is right......sorry to here about the trouble!
:(
:(
07-09-2003, 05:26 PM
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (WydGlydJim)
I cannot reccommend enough to keep an extenguisher in the car. I didn't have one with me. I got really lucky that the shop had one. But I will not drive that car again until I have one ready in the car. I've been assessing the damage and its not too bad, providing my interior cleans up alright. So far I need a headlight switch, the plastic connector for it, a new 4x6, and a grill. I can live with that.
Still don't know why it went wrong. I do know however, that the instrument lights were not working. I changed the fuse for the instrument lights this morning. I never had a problem with the switch before today. My guess is that part of the switch was defected and the burnt fuse kept it from catching fire. The new fuse should have burned out though. That's whats confusing me. :confused:
Corey: I'll keep an eye out for ya on 311. I'm hoping to have mine back on the road by this time next week. Stop by one day if you get a chance. I really would like to see your car. :seeya
Still don't know why it went wrong. I do know however, that the instrument lights were not working. I changed the fuse for the instrument lights this morning. I never had a problem with the switch before today. My guess is that part of the switch was defected and the burnt fuse kept it from catching fire. The new fuse should have burned out though. That's whats confusing me. :confused:
Corey: I'll keep an eye out for ya on 311. I'm hoping to have mine back on the road by this time next week. Stop by one day if you get a chance. I really would like to see your car. :seeya
07-09-2003, 05:29 PM
#15
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (WydGlydJim)
Just thanks god you are OK and not much damage to the car. It happened to me once and the red bottle is alway in the car and more than one in the garage.
07-09-2003, 05:31 PM
#16
Race Director
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (CVT4ME)
[QUOTE]Remember...if its got ****, or tires...it's gonna cost you!
What a quote. Never heard that one before but how true it is. To bad we always want both of them.
Does not sound to bad on the repair. Make sure you check all the wiring and to have no exposed wires to short out. They can be frustrating at times.
What a quote. Never heard that one before but how true it is. To bad we always want both of them.
Does not sound to bad on the repair. Make sure you check all the wiring and to have no exposed wires to short out. They can be frustrating at times.
07-09-2003, 06:41 PM
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Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (PB82CE)
so the fuse kept blowing before, then you put in a new one? and it didn't? was it a higher amperage one? if so that could well be the issue, the current may have been too strong for the wires but too weak for the fuse. My dome light went on a fritz once. It started smoking from the center I beam. Still have not got in there to take care of it. too much on my plate.. can't keep up.
07-09-2003, 08:13 PM
#20
Re: First time cruising around town/ one of the most horrible experiences in my life. (ice pac)
Man! I have been to the point of wanting to drive my car off a bridge with some of the troubles I have had :banghead: After reading your story... hang in there bro :thumbs: