Hi Guys,
I was driving with radio on and suddenly heavy smoke came out from radio/cassette player. I panicked, turned off engine and was able to remove the battery terminal bare hands.
I would like to know what electrical device or electronics around the factory radio that may have caused to smoke and caught fire. Not really sure if that was just the radio or something else behind or beside it that could have malfunctioned or shorted that made the smoke. Its just like the smell of soldering but 20 times the smoke.
I removed some of the radio fuse number #16 (clock, radio, etc) #17 (radio amp. speakers) , #33 (side tail lights, radio, trailer socket, etc), #15 (cigar, interior lights, seat heaters, etc) just to get to safe area, but also strange is that the radio light was still on even the engine is off and key out of the slot, until I removed fuse number #20 (interior lights, clock/radio memory, engine remobilization, compact disc player*, key/lock and diagnostic)
I was able to drive home ok but not sure if what I did was also safe.
Please help. Thanks - Gerry

 

you should get the radio keys and pull the radio out you can also use the rave manual to show you how to pull the other trim pieces out so you can access the wiring cluster behind there and inspect what burnt up. there are number of things back there.

 

I had an electrical fire behind mine dash in my grand cherokee..can only imagine how much trouble one would be in a DII with twice the electronics. Yeah, pull the radio and see whats going on in there..don't drive it until you find the problem and don't park it in the garage or close to the house. good luck.

 

Thank you, I will get the radio out first. I'll let you know what happened.