stevieb
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Posts: 7
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Post by stevieb on Jul 13, 2010 18:07:09 GMT
Car type: Peugeot 306 V reg Diesel 2 litre. Grateful for an explanation as to the possible cause for the casing housing the handbrake cable to melt along it's full length(see image attached). Also the car battery has fully discharged and keeps discharging when jump started / charged. The car is at the garage and I'm awaiting an explanation from them as to the cause. The handbrake cable was replaced in April by the garage that has the car. From my understanding there would need to have been a live wire touch the handbrake cable to create a short circuit onto the cable and through to the body work. Is there a live wire anywhere near the handbrake cable?  To get the cable warm enough to melt the housing and produce smoke up through the handbrake slot inside the car there must be quite a current passing through it. Would be grateful for any advice on any wires that could have caused this to occur in the area and if anyone has encountered similar with their car. Could this have occurred as a result of the garage's installation of the cable back in April and it's taken a few months for the casing around the electric wire and handbrake cable to wear away to make a connection? I've been told that it's the earth from the battery causing it by the garage, but this is up under the bonnet and would normally go through the throttle cable. The handbrake cable starts halfway along the car and goes to the rear wheels So this doesn't make sense. Attachments:
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Post by oldpug on Jul 15, 2010 17:01:43 GMT
This is strange,I`ve never seen this happen ever! cables to the engine and gearbox yes when the engine earth cable is broken but never hand brake cables.There is nothing electric at the rear axle that needs "earthing"??all there is by the hand brake is a little switch by the lever for the warning light and maybe electric rear window switches( if you have them) By the look of it your lucky the carpet did not catch fire.This is all fishy,has someone been working on the car? I think it had something happen in the workshop?
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stevieb
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Posts: 7
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Post by stevieb on Jul 16, 2010 9:19:22 GMT
Hi Oldpug. Thanks for your comments.
The last work that was done on the car was in April during the MOT. The only work done during this MOT was replacement of the handbrake cable and a headlight bulb. In January this year he O/S rear brake caliper, both rear discs and pads were replaced. All by the same garage.
I've spoken to the garage today and their explanation is that there were two burnt out earths (they're not aware of where from the autoelectrician they've used for the electric work) and the alternator had a dead short that caused these bad earths. This is still not really explaining what has happened so am visiting the garage today to have a look myself and have them explain things more fully and also try and locate these burn out earths they speak of.
Is there a wiring loom for the electrics for the brake lights, reverse lights and fog lights that passes near the handbrake cable?
Our pug doesn't have electric rear window switches so has even less in that vicinity that is live to touch the cable.
At the moment I can see a hefty bill coming my way for a new cable, alternator, battery and electric cabling along with the labour charge.
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stevieb
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Posts: 7
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Post by stevieb on Jul 16, 2010 9:22:52 GMT
My gut feeling is that it is still as a result of the handbrake cable installation back in April and thus the garage should cover the cost. But, I'm not sure on the approach to take to link the installation to this incident occuring.
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Post by oldpug on Jul 16, 2010 12:18:15 GMT
I think the wireing for the rear lamps pass along the n/side sill inside the car under the carpet.As I said this is fishy?? Any shorting of wires etc and you would have burning inside the car long before the hand brake cable melts.I just cant think of anything electrical that would cause the h/brake cable to melt?The alternator and "burnt?" earth faults would cause alsorts of problems under the bonnet.The main earth cable from the battery bolts to the top of the gearbox together with two more earths on the same bolt,one into the main loom and one goes from the gearbox to the chassis just under the battery tray.There are lots of other earth pionts around the car but if they broke things like a lamp or indicator or what ever would stop working.
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Post by oldpug on Jul 16, 2010 12:34:44 GMT
Just a thought?? Has any MIG welding been done on the car? If you do and dont disconnect the battery you will burnout the alternator and cause havoc with an ECU etc.
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Post by oldpug on Jul 18, 2010 14:37:13 GMT
Whats your thoughts on this one Frank??
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Post by frank on Jul 19, 2010 21:03:50 GMT
i really have no idea, is it just the one side melting??
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stevieb
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Posts: 7
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Post by stevieb on Jul 22, 2010 18:18:34 GMT
Hi oldpug and frank. Sorry not responded for a while. The cars still at the garage and proving a puzzle?
No welding has been done to the car since we have owned it. It's just the o/s/r handbrake cable that has had the casing melt around it. I had a look at the car whilst it was at the garage on Friday last week and looked in the region of the T bar at the base of the handbrake lever. The wiring to what would be the rear electric window switches was in good condition and the line to the indicator switch for the handbrake lever was also in good condition from what I could see.
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Post by oldpug on Jul 26, 2010 14:11:39 GMT
If its just one cable makes it even more strange?? I think something happened in that workshop that burned the cable.As I said before shorting of electrics!!?? you would have had a fire inside the car long before the cable got hot.
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Post by frank on Jul 27, 2010 0:08:29 GMT
id agree with oldpug, im certain its got nothing to do with an electrical problem as the car wouldve been alight long before now. you sure youve not got any kids lighting fires under the car? stranger things have happened
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stevieb
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Posts: 7
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Post by stevieb on Aug 1, 2010 20:21:47 GMT
The most recent developments from the garage is that there is melting around the cables just behind the battery under the bonnet. They've disconnected the ECU to find that the fuel pump is still running with no ECU on?
We've also had an independant engineer from the insurance company come and look at the car at the garage. He's not diagnosed the problem, but has said that it was not as a result of fire damage and is therefore not covered under insurance..... think they should look up the definition of fire.......
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Post by oldpug on Aug 4, 2010 17:23:47 GMT
Put a match to the car!! it must be driving you round the bend.This is to go on for ever?
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