Had a little incident with the Colony Park

So, I was running errands yesterday, as I do every Saturday. I decided I would stop and get lunch for my dad while I was out. As I pull up and turn my head to order, I see a little bit of smoke. I turn my head back further and see that it's coming from my B-Pillar and out the opening for the seat belt. I throw the car in reverse to get out of the way and shut it off. If there was a fire in there I got it out, as the smoke stopped, I suspect just melting wires, though.

When I started the car back up, I had no courtesy lights, no radio, or clock. As many of you know, the radio/clock have been a problem since the day I bought the car. She's out of commission and I'll be driving the Cadillac until I get the problem addressed, which I doubt is going to be fun.

 

Hope you disconected the positive side of the battery when you parked it, and left it outside, away from everything!!
You've obviously a short, and it could start a fire anytime!!

 

Oh man, not good. This is bringing back real bad memories........

 

Dang! Bad weekend for wiring - check out my "Broke My Wagon Today" thread...you weren't racing it through the drive-thru were you?

 

I would suspect that the short is in one of 3 wires, all of which are in the b-pillar. There is the permanent hot for the map light, which also branches forward to feed the vanity mirrors in the sun visor. I forget, on these cars, whether that also feeds the dome light or not. If it does, the ground is switched. If not, it is a separate, switched, hot for the dome, which would explain the lack of courtesy lights in general. There is also the switched hot for the coach lamp on the outside of the b-pillar. Pull the positive battery cable, and then pull the trim. Chances are it is a fairly simple fix, then replace the fuse. When you reconnect the battery, don't forget to follow the 20 minute "reprogramming" procedure for the fuel injection. If you don't, the first while you are driving will be 'interesting', to say the least.

 

I haven't pulled the battery cable, but I am fairly certain the fuse is blown, so the circuit isn't complete anyhow. I started it and drove it today with no issues.

I read your thread and that's actually what inspired me to post. I ALWAYS baby the wagon.

Funny the vanity lights in the visor was mentioned. I think that's where this all begins. When I bought the car, the guy told me the radio didn't work. Replaced the fuse and had no problems, but any time I would move the visor, it would kill the radio. I looked at it and the wires were all bare. I taped them up with electrical tape and just didn't move the visor.

Well, not thinking, I donated outside the store and got my little flower and put it along with the others on my visor. I'm wondering if perhaps there's metal in those fake flower stems and maybe had some shorting metal on metal at the visor and it sparked a problem down the line? I'm no wiring guy, so I could be WAY off.

 

Sorry CE. But seems like you've already found the source of the problem.
If I'd had my choice I believe I'd rather burn my wagon up racing than buying junk food !!!

 

Ha Ha! Amen to that!

 

If the problem is in the vanity mirror, it is a very simple fix. If you undo the 3 retaining screws, you'll find a plug that connects the visor to the car wiring. Simply unplug that, and tape it over. The vanity lights won't work, but problem solved, anyway. At least as far as future problems. I would still pull the b-pillar trim and make sure the wires are ok in there. Sounds like one of them is fried, anyway. Crispy-critter wires are not much fun.

 

depends....what was it?...

 

That's the plan. I want to go through all the wiring involved. That's why it's parked until I have an entire afternoon to spend on it.

It was Jimmy John's subs. I got out of line and shut the car off right away. I won't risk my Mercury for anything.

 

ahhh...there not that good anyhow....

 

They're my favorite! Much better than Subway!

 

Well, the culprit appears to have indeed been the wire at the visor. I recovered the wire and hope that works. If not, I'm just going to unplug it. It appears it did short when I put the veteran poppy around the visor.

The wires in the b-pillar were all fried and melted. As a fix for the time being, we just unplugged the burned wires. The radio and clock, and the lights in the doors work. The dome lights over the driver's seat and tailgate are currently inop, though.

 

Good deal. Just make sure all wires are covered when you do get around to it. Cool weather coming so you can play inside the wagon soon.