lots of dead electrical things!

I came out of Outback the other night to get in my car, it's cold, I fire it up, hit the heater, lights, radio, and start moving my power recliner up. Then *blink* nothing. The lights go out. The (factory) radio starts playing static and morse code beeps. The recliner stops moving. The heater stays on. Turns out I lost about half my electrical system.

Working:

Heater Fan
Turn Signals
Cruise Control
TCC Clutch Solenoid (shifts into lockup fine)
Map Light on dash
Power Windows
Wipers and Washers
Engine starts and runs fine and car drives
Alternator charges fine
Tape Player works but staticky and playing beeps in background

Not Working:

Radio Display and AM-FM tuner
Power Locks
Power Recliners
Tailights
Headlights
Brake Lights
High Beams
Cigarette Lighter
Horn
Trunk and Underhood Lighting
Interior Lighting and Dash Cluster Lights

So I go under the hood to see if any fusible links melted. No, all three of them were fine. The connector ahead of the links which should have been protected is what melted. The one wire coming out is discolored to a pinkish orange and melted to the loom covering it. The connector melted and the metal tabs were burned black.

This car is an underhood fire waiting to happen. So I patched it up as best I could, cleaned it, made sure nothing combustible like paper was near it, and tried each previously dead item. The right front power recliner was loud and moved slow. So that motor going bad is what ruined that connector. It's now disconnected. But I need to replace that wiring harness before it cuts out again, or worse, catches fire.

I'm glad I kept the fire extinguisher from my old taxicab. And it's still charged fully after 3 years!

Alan Moore
Dallas, TX

1984 Caprice Classic Wagon V-8 (dead, wiring issues)
1995 Century Special 4-cylinder (alive but also wiring issues)

Try looking at the fuses. Sounds like alot of fuses were blown at once.

Try looking at the fuses. Sounds like alot of fuses were blown at once.

I don't think you read the whole post. A wire melted under the hood, a primary power wire.

All the fuses are fine.

I have rewired that one wire and the car is fine.

Check that your fuses are the right amperage. Sometimes well-meaning people will put in a 30 amp fuse to replace a smaller sized one. What you got seems to be one result of such a shortcut.
When fuses blow, they usually blow for a reason. Something was shorted - your seat motor in this case.