Nearly had a fire.

Hi all.
That was close one.
Went around the block last night to test some jetting and for some inexplicable reason smoke started spewing out of my console.
That really freaked me out.
NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!!!!!!
U just never know. I didn't need it this time but damn that was a scare.
 
So - under the console there is a coil of wire all taped up into a sausage. (MK2 ghia)
Does anyone know what its for???
 
That was my fire. It kinda looks from the schematic to be for the cig lighter (which i don't have). Have no idea why it shorted or whatever.
For some reason it has knocked out my instrument lights. The instrument lights work but they are no longer geting power from the wiring loom :-( Can't seem to find why at the mo.
 
Thanks, Daz.

oh. I didn't know escorts had a dim
That would explain why I have none now.
Awesome - thanks heaps.

Since it has all melted anyway cut it back as far as necessary so that you are just left with  black/grey and light blue/red wires, then join those 2 wires and insulate, you have succsesfully bypassed the resistor and illumination will run at full voltage. Black grey is power from comination light switch and blue red then feeds all your illumination(dash, cig lighter illum,clock illum etc). by the way you may have popped fuse no3(from memory).
If you find that no3 fuse  is blown and/or it keeps popping after the above mod, you then have a short in the illumination circuit(light blue/red wire), which is probably why the resistor cought alight in the first place.(the resistor tried to act as a globe lol)
The light blue/red wire feeds Dash, heater switch, clock and cig lighter illumination and possibly any other gauges you may have added.
 
 
Cheers 

well, the no 3 fuse does also feed part of the parking circuit front and rear(either rh or lh can't remember which) and number plate lights.
It could be that it earthed at the resistor but it could be at any one of those illumination places or anywhere in between.
 
Cheers
 

Damn it!!
I did what RS said it all looked good - got instrument lights back.
Went for a drive - alls good - got home, closed the grage door for darkness - no instrument lights.
Put a new fuse in again popped it straight away.
What is with my car and warmth!!!????
Grrrrrr!!!!!
Now i gotta pull everything apart looking for a short that only happens when its hot!! - go figure!
Thanks again for your help RS