Help... 94 5.0 not starting, not Cranking at all, dash smoking

Dsg94sn95 · May 6, 2016

Alright so I was putting in new seats in my car and went to start it and nothing happens, battery is fine, cables are all redone now, thought it might be the starter but it's new in the past year or so, and tried over and over and it started smoking from the cluster.. Any ideas before I start pulling it apart

Dsg94sn95 · May 7, 2016

Anybody?

ttocs · May 7, 2016

I think there a voltage regulator back there but otherwise take the cluster out and follow yer nose to see where the magic smoke came out.

For those that do not know, electronics works on magic smoke like our cars do gas. its much easier to let it out then put it back....

Frank.JD.Perez · May 7, 2016

did you do any wiring with the new seats? ive read before that newer seats have wiring that can make install slightly difficult because the wiring is for the extra airbags in newer models. maybe something went wrong while wiring if thats what you did? or maybe ttocs is right about the magic smoke. it is very majestic.

ttocs · May 7, 2016

after years of being around it as an electronics tech I have grown to love it. I prefer the smell of a good blown cap over the smell of melted chips myself.

Dsg94sn95 · May 7, 2016

Thanks for the replies, the only wiring I did was for the power seats but followed diagrams. And when it didnt start those were the first ones I disconnected, checked all the fuses and they look fine. Anyone know symptoms of a starter relay or maybe ignition switch

neverenuff · May 7, 2016

Take off the panels around your steering wheel and look for melted wires. It sounds like the ignition cylinder isn't making contact with the switch

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ttocs · May 7, 2016

when you say you checked all your fuses, do you mean you sat and read the manual for 15 mins and figured out the one, maybe two that you thought could be blown? Or did you just get down on your back and spend 2 mins pulling/checking each fuse both under the dash and under the hood?

But again where there was smoke, you will find a problem. Seriously follow your nose...

Dsg94sn95 · May 8, 2016

Checked every fuse

Dsg94sn95 · Apr 13, 2017

i know this was like a year ago but i figured id share what the issue was. i put s197 seats in and had to make a bracket to fit. the bracket cut into the harness under the seat causing the neutral safety switch not to work. i bypassed it by running a wire to a push button in the console. the other end of the wire is going to the starter so i can turn the key on to get the fuel pump on then hit the button to engage the starter.