Where are the fuses in the engine bay located?(pics)

[manhertm]

OK, so my weekend has started out in the shitter. I'm on my way to do my Reserve duty and my cars starts smoking, UNDER THE DASH! It smelled like an electrical fire, so I pulled over with the quickness. I already knew where the problem was coming from, the previous owner rigged some make shift kill switch that cut all the power when flipped. The only problem is it would always short out, about a 6 months ago ,I took out the switch and connected the wires directly. I'm not electrician by far and it worked so, I left it alone, I figured as long as the car was running) About a week ago, I started smelling a weird scent, I thought it was coming from my cabin filter, since I haven't changed it since I owned the car, but it was those wires, I spliced. To sum it up, I think the wires were being overloaded and they got hot and shorted out something. I don't know what fuse it shorted out, but by looking at the size of the wire, I'm guessing it's not located on the side panel. Now back to the title, where are those engine fuses located? Thanks I'm gonna go take some pics so you guys can see what I'm talking about.

By manhertm, shot with Canon PowerShot SD550 at 2008-10-18

The yellow wires were used with the previous toggle switch,one wire leads to the port that is circled in blue. The red wire circled is what was orginally connected to the blue port. When I first pulled over I cut ends of the yellow wires and twisted them together temporarily until I could get off of work later. It worked but I accidently touched the metal part of the steering rack and thats how it shorted out something.

[T0M3K]

Electrical components on German cars is one of the few things I don't want to mess with. Tracing wires usually helps, but I don't think it is even possible in our cars without comprehensive schematic.

[michgo]

Were the yellow ones for the killswitch? If so just completely remove them.

The wire circled in red goes back on the middle bolt circled in green. It will spark and probably reset a few things in your car (Date/Time, Radio nothing major).

Basically replace red wire with yellow wire and just get rid of yellow wire.

I just messed around with the same area recently wiring up my airbag controllers. Let me know how this goes!

[manhertm]

Electrical components on German cars is one of the few things I don't want to mess with. Tracing wires usually helps, but I don't think it is even possible in our cars without comprehensive schematic.

Well, whatever fuse that wire leads too is directly linked to the battery. If it wasn't connected the car had no power at all. The original red wire looks like it is OEM( and I'm hoping the cluster of red wires connected to that port is too) I just need to take a look at those engine bay fuses to see if anyone of them are blown.

[manhertm]

Were the yellow ones for the killswitch? If so just completely remove them.

The wire circled in red goes back on the middle bolt circled in green. It will spark and probably reset a few things in your car (Date/Time, Radio nothing major).

Basically replace red wire with yellow wire and just get rid of yellow wire.

I just messed around with the same area recently wiring up my airbag controllers. Let me know how this goes!

Yeah they were connected to the switch, but I think I blew a fuse anyway because when I would connect those yellow wires the power would come back immdiately. Now they are connected ,but there is no power. I'm gonna connect the original red wire anyway, but I don't think it will work.

[michgo]

Yes, that is your direct distributor block for battery power so it saves the hassle of wiring through the firewall

The red one is the OEM one and needs to go on that middle bolt.
Your fuse box is located to the left of your steering wheel and light switch. Basically open the drivers door and there will be a little plastic panel you can remove with your key.

[Molotov]

ugh.. is that bare wire? what the hell haha. rip their kill switch out

[brewmastr]

uhm i need some more pictures here, i cant tell if that grouping of wires at the bottom screw in that pic are all screwed into that screw, or bare and twisted together, if they are just bare and twisted together you need to solder and shrink wrap them badly man, and that yellow wire jus looks like you can unbolt it and toss it away and then bolt that red wire back up to the fuse panel where the yellow wire is bolted right now, and for future refrence never just twist wires together and leave them bare in cars, ive seen it all done wrong and it always results in something not working right, the best way to do it by far is solder the wires then shrink wrap them, that ensures the connection is solid and continuity is intact.

[dirtybrd]

Those fuses will be on the drivers side just in frt. of the windshield under the ECU cover.

[manhertm]

uhm i need some more pictures here, i cant tell if that grouping of wires at the bottom screw in that pic are all screwed into that screw, or bare and twisted together, if they are just bare and twisted together you need to solder and shrink wrap them badly man, and that yellow wire jus looks like you can unbolt it and toss it away and then bolt that red wire back up to the fuse panel where the yellow wire is bolted right now, and for future refrence never just twist wires together and leave them bare in cars, ive seen it all done wrong and it always results in something not working right, the best way to do it by far is solder the wires then shrink wrap them, that ensures the connection is solid and continuity is intact.

The twist yellow wires were supposed to be temporary until I could get home and take a closer look, that bundle of red wire, beats the hell outta me, I'm not even sure they are oem.
I tossed the yellow wire and hooked everything back the way it originally was ,but my car still has no power. I got the ECU cover off and checked the 2 fuses , but they looked fine for the most part, they work not blown. I can't really tell if they are still good though. I took some pics of the fuses under the dash and around the ECU, can you guys tell if I need to change them? The orange fuse is the one under the ECU cover and other two are one pictured under the dash. Orange fuse is more brown than usual around the connectors and other two connectors under the dash has that white corrosive stuff you find on battery terminals.


By manhertm, shot with Canon PowerShot SD550 at 2008-10-18
By manhertm, shot with iPhone at 2008-10-18

If anybody has access to wiring diargrams under the dash, that would be a big help. I'm pretty sure it has to be a fuse because everything is connected back the way it should be. Maybe I'm not seeing a fuse that could be blown. I gotta try to tackle this before, I take it to my mechanic, I know diagnosing electrical problems can get expensive real quick.

[dirtybrd]

They look good, does anything work?

[diagnosticator]

There is a master fuse at the battery. I think it is a strip fuse.

[manhertm]

They look good, does anything work?

That's the problem nothing has power, it just like I disconnected the battery. I have no clue why the car has not power, like I said earlier, I twisted the wires together temporarily until I could get home, but as I tried to push them back under the dash, I touched the metal part of the steering rack and sparks flew. It was fine until I did that, so that's why I think it's a fuse that's causing the problem.

[dirtybrd]

I think you're right. It's in a plastic housing. I think you have to replace the battery term. if it blows.

[manhertm]

I think you're right. It's in a plastic housing. I think you have to replace the battery term. if it blows.

Where is that located? Wait, would that be on the battery?

[dirtybrd]

Look at the positive battery terminal.

[manhertm]

What exactly would I need to change here?
By manhertm, shot with Canon PowerShot SD550 at 2008-10-18
By manhertm, shot with Canon PowerShot SD550 at 2008-10-18

[dirtybrd]

Ding, ding, ding. You can get that at a VW dealer, I doubt a parts store will have it.

[manhertm]

Well, I hit up the Audi dealer on Monday and see if that works, thanks dirtybrd.

[diagnosticator]

Replace the blown strip fuse circled.

[manhertm]

Replace the blown strip fuse circled.

Wow, you are the diagnosticator!