Yesterday my car was driving fine, everything was good, I made a stop, left truck running, my wife came in and told me my car was smoking, I get outside quick enough to see smoke is coming from my glove box, I open up the glove box and as soon as air hit it... I saw flames... luckily I was right next to a water hose. I put out flames, there are no signs anything happened in my glove box were visible anywhere in the vehicle (as far as fire damage). I that's not the case behind the glove box. So I disconnected my battery terminal, reconnected it, my car started up just fine like nothing happened except the AC doesn't work, also the light where my speedometer and what not does not illuminate when I turn my lights on.
With my AC not working I took it around the block this morning I rolled down all my windows... now my passenger side window won't roll up. I'm pretty sure wires got singed in the flame, unsure what to do now the engine purrs just fine, kind of nervous of what the shop is going to tell me I've been beat out of money by other mechanic's , they see a rover pull up and they see dollar signs, (even if the car is 10 years old)
Has anything similar ever happen to anyone if so what was the outcome, the solution, and or any advice you can give me please I appreciate it. I am brand new to this forum. This is my third disco 2 so I'm an enthusiast I'm just not trying to get raped on the repair cost.
I've got access to overlandrover which has any and every part I could need. I live in Nashville and usually take truck to Lance's Foreign Repair.
Any feedback will be appreciated. Sorry for the long thread.

 

Well thats definitely an electrical issue unless something under the truck got too hot. I'd crawl under and see if there's anything like wires touching the exhaust or transmission. Most likely something under the glove box got grounded out somehow and caused a small electrical fire. I definitely wouldn't drive the truck any distance until you have it fixed, and if you have to drive it or even turn on the accessories then I'd keep a fire extinguisher heavy. Car fires are dangerous as hell and kill way too many people every year. You could actually remove the center console and see what you can see for yourself, but beyond that I don't really know how to help you without being there with the truck. Perhaps someone else can be more helpful.

 

Remove the glove box. All of the ECU/BECM/WABCO computers are under there. Its the central location for all wires to converge at.

 

Hey thanks... I got it up to a seemingly honest shop. I didn't realize you can take the glove box door off so easy. I got a chance to see the singed wires, it doesn't seem like it'll be an expensive job, but we'll see fingers are crossed. Also my passenger side window stopped working on the way to the shop. I was later told a lot of those wires or beneath the glove box here is a picture of what it look like if anyone can make sense of the wiring.

... Thanks again for your replies I'm glad I finally joined this forum.

 

Thanks pal...
Yeah I didn't realize the glove box snapped off so easily.
I got it to the shop and got a chance to see it... there was 2 wires burnt one with alot of copper exposed.
... it could've be worst.
I think everyone has seen the person standing helpless while the car melts to the ground.
There is no sign of what happened aside from the wires and a plastic piece that's hidden behind the cover below the glove box.

 

Wow, looking at that picture you are sure lucky it wasn't MORE serious; although, looking at it, it does look pretty serious. I haven't spent enough time under my dash to know what those thicker gauge wires go to, but they are obviously designed to carry heavy amperage. When you find out what happened please post it.

A few years ago the a retired FIRE CHIEF who lived close to me lost his entire house to a fire that started under the dash of his car, in the garage, in the middle of the night.

 

Well hopefully the shop will be gentle. Best just to ask for an 'estimate only' up front. First need to identify what circuits were affected and then go from there as to the root cause. There could be some collateral damage to wires that were routed next to the ones that got hot. Window motors draw amperage so that could be the cause. A schematic would tell you which wires those are that burned. There should have been a fuse that blew first in order to prevent that.

Edit: I just re-read your first post. Could be the fan motor; second biggest current draw besides the starter itself. If the shop gives you some ridiculous estimate and you decide to take it home and tackle it yourself then pull all unnecessary fuses starting with the fan motor (the one inside the car, under the dash, next to the scorched wiring).

 

Is there any chance a mouse has been in there chewing? I use to have mice chewing wires with low voltage in them.

Any other sign of critters?

 

Man... that's hilarious.
No... but that's a good one.
Thanks.

 

I was doing some low voltage stuff for a project I was working on. I'd come in in the mornings and find the wires weirdly chafed. Swap them out, thinking it was me that did something. Next day, same thing.

Turns out rodents had been chewing at them.

Also in a house I lived my speaker wires would get chewed.

I've also found dead mice in cars I've bought.

And we all know they eat hood liners.

So, it's a valid question if you had an odd 'unexplainable' fire in your car glove box.

As Mr Spock would say, 'if you eliminate the possible, only the impossible is possible' no wait. 'If you eliminate the possible..... '

Hang on.

Edit. "If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."