Engine STOP Light+smoke from behind dash

[306Puggy]

Hi, I have a somewhat puzzling problem. Yesterday my car was fine, this afternoon I go to get in it to nip down to the shops before they close and I find that with the engine running the STOP light is on. So I switch it off, check the oil and coolant, both fine, so I procceed to drive down the road for a few yards, before I know it, smoke is eminating from behind the steering column and I can smell a plastic burning smell. Also, the instrument cluster is playing up, the rev counter goes to 950 without the engine running and the speedometer hangs from where I was last driving. I have removed the steering column shrouding and plan to run the engine until I can see if anything is burning, but in the meantime, any ideas?

[Jiffy]

I'd get a fire extinguisher asap mate!

[Lolben91]

Best of to take it apart and have a look! Last thing you want is to be driving about and the car erupts into flames.
Check all your fuses, i had a burning smell in my old car at one point because someone wrapped copper wire around a blown fuse and it was arching.
But it sounds like to me you have some dodgy wiring, defo get in there and have a look before you drive it again, like i said, dont want a fire!

[306Puggy]

Right, turns out it was nothing too complicated. The rev counter that I swapped out of a slightly different instrument cluster (but same make-VDO) had burnt out for some reason:


I removed the rev counter from the instrument cluster which caused the STOP light to switch off. I am hoping the reason for the rev counter burning out was a fault with the unit; I had noticed that it was overeading by about 250 rpm as well as the needle not quite resting on the 0 with the engine off.

I had that rev counter for all of 5 days, now back to no rev counter again, not ideal for tuning, but at least I am not waiting for something to burst into flames anymore!

Anyone got a spare VDO instrument cluster that I can have for not a lot of money?

[Jarrus]

why has this guy been banned off the forum?

[CJ_Derv]

They may have meant to ban piggy and got wrong person damn

[Jtrigga]

Just realised who this person is our old friend Flynn.