vehicle smoking after installing amp!

[PureBlade]

I have a 2006 Nissan x Terra. When I bought it, it already had all the wiring set up to install a stereo and the(sub-woofer/ bass speakers), but it was missing those components (it still had the speakers that came with it, just no stereo to control them). So I got a stereo and installed it fine. I've been using it for months with no problem. The my friend got a 200w amp (for a sub-woofer) from another friend. Because he already had a 1000w amp in his track, he gave it to me.

He checked the wiring and made sure it was set up correctly, then installed the amp. We tested it with his 1200W sub-woofers and played music for a few hours, and it worked fine. Then we unplugged his sub-woofers and put them back in his truck. 8 or 9 hours later I got in my vehicle to go home, but I noticed that the back-lights for the gas gauge, speedometer, temperature gauge, and another gauge, as well as the back-light for the gear stick thing would not come on. My friend said it was probably just blown fuse, so I went home (~20 min. drive).

I turned the vehicle off, but left the headlights on because I would be right back. I got back in less than 3 minutes and the entire vehicle was filled with smoke. The first place I thought to look was the amp; no smoke coming from there. While I searched for the source, my brother unhooked the battery. I finally found smoke coming from the fuse box.

The smoke wasn't coming from the little fuse board itself and none of the fuses were blown. I think the smoke was coming from a bunch of wires that were bound together with electrical tape, but I can't be sure. I just know that smoke was coming from the compartment that housed the fuses.

Is there a reason that installing an amplifier could be as dangerous as to almost cause an electrical fire?

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[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

it sounds like something was hooked up wrong.....

 

[Toone 10+ year member]

electrical tape + bundle of wires dosent sound safe. even though ive never been one for safety.

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

electrical tape + bundle of wires dosent sound safe. even though ive never been one for safety.

Nothing wrong with taping up or zip tying wires together as long as those wires are wired correctly.

Ur buddy, or whoever hooked it up hooked something up horribly wrong. When you installed the stereo did you use a wiring harness or just splice the wires? (wires from vehicle/wires from HU) When you hooked these wires up did you happen to connect the orange wires. Ive installed over a dozen Hu's and for some reason since the beginning i was always told not to hook up the orange wires in the harness (they are usually Illumination wire/dimming wires) and that in some cars it can cause problems like you described such as dash lights going out. if you hooked these wires up id suggest disconnecting them and then checking your wires to check whats burned/damaged.

no matter what the problem, something is clearly wired wrong.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/lightning.gif.3313d59263b518d6d89ddcbfead237d0.gif

 

[PureBlade]

Okay thanks guys. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif I didn't have time to check the wiring because it was late and I had to drive back to college the next morning. I guess I'll check everything this weekend and figure out if this is going to be and expensive fix or simply a matter of re-wiring them the correct way.

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

electrical tape + bundle of wires dosent sound safe. even though ive never been one for safety.

o rly

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

Okay thanks guys. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif I didn't have time to check the wiring because it was late and I had to drive back to college the next morning. I guess I'll check everything this weekend and figure out if this is going to be and expensive fix or simply a matter of re-wiring them the correct way.

Good luck man. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

it's a feature.

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

it's a feature.

No, he drives a Nissan, not a Ford. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[PioneerSPL1990 10+ year member]

cliffs too much reading.

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

cliffs too much reading.

Car came wired for system but didnt have an HU. He installed Hu, then buddy came over with some equipment to test out. Tested amp/subs everything worked just fine for a while. Buddy uninstalls stuff. He then is driving and smoke starts coming from fuse box.

ur welcome

 

[on1wheel01 10+ year member]

wow u need to have someone that knows look at ur wiring and equipment. Where are you located maybe someone here can help u out.

 

[1hawaii50 10+ year member]

Contrary to popular belief, if you let the magic smoke out of the box, you will not get three wishes.

J/K...good luck on straightening out. Please consider...if you do not know what you are doing, then pay someone that does. It's not worth catching your car on fire over.