Electronic Issues after hitting Pothole

[Clinical]

So I hit a pothole tonight (f u iowa roads)

It wasnt even nearly as big as some others I've accidently slipped into, but enough to jolt the car.

I lost all interior lights minus dash lights, my radio went out, and now the dash light for my brights is on with the brights off and turns off when the brights are on.

The previous owner located the fusebox to inside the front passenger side fender near the intercooler piping. The thing of wires going from it, it looks like a few wires are split open - i'm not sure if thats from the pothole or not.

Either way, I saw some smoke and heard a lot of sizzling from the wires...

I'm feel really helpless as I know absolutely nothing about wiring in any way shape or form. I just unplugged the battery and heard it stop sizzling and now its sitting in my garage.

I have no idea what to do

 

[frankenstein406]

Something shorted grounded, any fuses pop? I think the city has to pay for it depending how long the pothole was there depending on state. Go take a pic quick!

 

[Clinical]

Something shorted grounded, any fuses pop? I think the city has to pay for it depending how long the pothole was there depending on state. Go take a pic quick!

I'm not sure, I'll go check in a few minutes..

Either way if I have messed up wiring I think I'm screwed cause I have no idea about wiring and I can't afford to pay a shop to do it. I'm not sure how liable the city is for things like this.

 

[firefighter]

Sounds like its shorted out. Keep the battery disconnected.Go back and check and cover your bare wires.Go by a hardware store and get a product for covering wires (comes with a brush on applacator) and start checking for burnt fuses. you could have burnt some relays hard to check,you could have the dealer check them out,but before you do that you have to fix all the shorts. Any wires that are burnt have to be replaced.Get your self a good volt meter learn to use the continuity function.Don't worry we all started where you are today thats how you will learn how to rebuild and take care of your car.

 

[Clinical]

Well after letting the wires get completely dry and then cleaning them and such with the battery cables disconnected. I hunted around and the 10v fuse for the brights was burnt out. My brights still worked but the dash light for brights was on when they were off and off when they were on.

I still am new to the DSM game so I'm not sure what all to make on this.

The weird thing is, after the car sitting since yesterday and changing that one fuse - some stuff is working now.

My power windows are working, brights dash light working, keyless entry is working.
However my power locks, interior lights, stereo are all still not working. However my keyless entry WILL flip the power locks but I can't use the locks from the car - wtf?

I'm really baffled, it still does look like I have a split wire or something in the mess of wires coming from the fuse box. I still really don't know how to go about all this.. I'm about to just take it to a shop, if they'd even work on it. I don't really know how to even go about replacing the wire when it goes up through the tubing with the mess of wires into wherever it does go.

Idk, I feel helpless - ugh

 

[frankenstein406]

if you were closer I'd help. Just look around also check the alt fuse. Just dig through the wires and see if theres any bare ones.

 

[Clinical]

Some pictuers of the mess:
Fusebox(yes I have a cover, just not on right now)

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Some pictures of the wires..

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[Benshooter]

Looks like that's your problem! Go get a small electrical kit from a hardware store or an autozone. They're pretty cheap, usually about $10. You'll also need a pair of wire crimpers/cutters/strippers. It's the multi-tool that does everything, also about $10.

After you pick that stuff up, start cutting the factory electrical tape away and peel the wire looming back. Seperate the damaged wires from the bundle, then cut clean ends for them, then strip a little insulation off each end and crimp into a crimp connector (looks like a little tube)

you may need a few small pieces of wire if the new ends of the damaged connectors don't reach each other comfortably. When you make any crimp connection, give it a good tug when you're done to make sure it's secure. Then wrap everything back up.

 

[Clinical]

Looks like that's your problem! Go get a small electrical kit from a hardware store or an autozone. They're pretty cheap, usually about $10. You'll also need a pair of wire crimpers/cutters/strippers. It's the multi-tool that does everything, also about $10.

After you pick that stuff up, start cutting the factory electrical tape away and peel the wire looming back. Seperate the damaged wires from the bundle, then cut clean ends for them, then strip a little insulation off each end and crimp into a crimp connector (looks like a little tube)

you may need a few small pieces of wire if the new ends of the damaged connectors don't reach each other comfortably. When you make any crimp connection, give it a good tug when you're done to make sure it's secure. Then wrap everything back up.

Thanks, I'll look into it

I'm still nervous about working with the wiring at all but hopefully this'll be something I can tackle without an issue.

 

[tallywacker]

Thanks, I'll look into it

I'm still nervous about working with the wiring at all but hopefully this'll be something I can tackle without an issue.

Clear the worries out of you mind. Dig into into the middle of the loom first and work you way out repairing, connect them back together according to color scheme, cover the wire with at-least some electrical tape, but better to solder and shrink rap, and there ya go. Worst that can happen is that you don't fix what already wrong and have to look somewhere else.