# Electrical issue in my M3...any advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [February 23, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516 "2009-02-23T15:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/41 "2009-02-24T09:52:13Z")
Eek. What size is the wire that melted and what size is the fuse on that wire? ---
**Author:** ![drvnkd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/drvnkd/32/109615_2.png) [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 10:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/42 "2009-02-24T10:09:32Z")
If you moved any of the wiring, you may have removed a short… If you have not moved it, try to check continuity between the melted wire and ground. The problem must be between the fuse and the battery. (unless the fuse block has somehow been bypassed) It would take some serious current and time to damage your battery. ---
**Author:** ![djdstar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/djdstar/32/7617_2.png) [@djdstar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/djdstar)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/43 "2009-02-24T12:39:53Z")
some pics from yesterday i forgot to post. will check ground asap. ![http://i40.tinypic.com/1i0igp.jpg](http://i40.tinypic.com/1i0igp.jpg) ![http://i44.tinypic.com/2lbhooj.jpg](http://i44.tinypic.com/2lbhooj.jpg) ![http://i44.tinypic.com/ay1zxs.jpg](http://i44.tinypic.com/ay1zxs.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![djdstar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/djdstar/32/7617_2.png) [@djdstar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/djdstar)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/44 "2009-02-24T12:40:26Z")
pretty ballin pics for a camera phone, damn ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/45 "2009-02-24T12:43:12Z")
Where does the spade terminal go? (not that it really matters) ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 12:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/46 "2009-02-24T12:45:53Z")
That looks like the housing is friction/crush damaged very close to the terminal. I’m betting that it was grounded out to something VERY close to the terminal itself. Open up the battery terminal cover and look for signs of arcing ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/47 "2009-02-24T12:49:29Z")
That is at least 12 GA wire. You need to move some SERIOUS current to damage that shit, so there is definitely a problem before the fuse. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/48 "2009-02-24T12:50:51Z")
Lastly, reorient that relay so that the connector is DOWN. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/49 "2009-02-24T13:08:24Z")
yeah I am finding it very hard to believe you could draw enough current to melt that wire and not the fuse/wires after the fuse ---
**Author:** ![drvnkd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/drvnkd/32/109615_2.png) [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/50 "2009-02-24T13:38:35Z")
Is the power wire only deformed near the spade? Definatly check the area near the spade. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/51 "2009-02-24T13:41:01Z")
That blurry cell phone pic almost looks like someone missed when they crimped the spade on but used the wire anyway. ---
**Author:** ![drvnkd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/drvnkd/32/109615_2.png) [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/52 "2009-02-24T13:45:36Z")
I think Newman called it… It looks like thats where most of the heat was concentrated. ---
**Author:** ![djdstar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/djdstar/32/7617_2.png) [@djdstar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/djdstar)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/53 "2009-02-24T14:31:18Z")
Newman is the man yet again. I just went down there and took a second look. Ground was fine - it was shorting on the terminal itself. Looked like the clip from the terminal may have pushed it down in an awkward position. Anyways, I’m going to clean it up and hook it up again I think. ---
**Author:** ![theblue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/theblue/32/5074_2.png) [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 10:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516/54 "2009-03-10T10:30:02Z")
clean it up, but don’t hook up for a few days until you’re sure it’s fixed. [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-issue-in-my-m3-any-advice/63516.md?page=2)