Cheap automotive fuses, not so cheap...

[Dino D]

So some of you will remember that back in late September last year I had melted wiring in the Z3 due to the light inside of the boot shorting but the fuse not failing when the light's wiring was shorting which could have ended in a full on fire.

The fuse for the soft top motor did burn out when the wiring for that circuit melted from the heat (the wiring for the soft top motor is wrapped up with the boot light wiring and all the other wires that go from the rear up the fuse box in the engine bay).

The fuse for the boot light was a Halfords one. The fuse for the soft top motor a genuine one.

So I've managed (finally!) to get the car over to an auto electrician to repair it and upon looking at at he said it was the fuse at fault - apparently some replacement fuses are not the right materials or even the wrong rating. If the fuse worked it would have simply burnt out and not allowed the continual shorting which caused the damage.

He has got the car running again to ensure it was just the boot light which was the issue and nothing else and will now start the long task of redoing all the wiring that was affected. The worst of the work is under the fuse box which needs stripping (if you have seen how many wires are under your fuse box you really wouldn't want to do that job!). Luckily it's just the section of loom that runs from front to rear and not the main loom that goes behind the dash.

I'm glad it's going to get sorted but highly annoyed such a cheap item I took for granted caused such a big problem.
A cursory search of the Internet brings up a few similair stories and some retailers doing recalls of dodgy fuses.
I didn't think anything of buying fuses from Halfords but would have avoided poundland for example.

Now where does one buy proper fuses from then?

 

[hard top]

didn't think anything of buying fuses from Halfords

Halfrauds went bankrupt over here, wounder why?

 

[Low Rider]

So some of you will remember that back in late September last year I had melted wiring in the Z3 due to the light inside of the boot shorting but the fuse not failing when the light's wiring was shorting which could have ended in a full on fire.

The fuse for the soft top motor did burn out when the wiring for that circuit melted from the heat (the wiring for the soft top motor is wrapped up with the boot light wiring and all the other wires that go from the rear up the fuse box in the engine bay).

The fuse for the boot light was a Halfords one. The fuse for the soft top motor a genuine one.

So I've managed (finally!) to get the car over to an auto electrician to repair it and upon looking at at he said it was the fuse at fault - apparently some replacement fuses are not the right materials or even the wrong rating. If the fuse worked it would have simply burnt out and not allowed the continual shorting which caused the damage.

He has got the car running again to ensure it was just the boot light which was the issue and nothing else and will now start the long task of redoing all the wiring that was affected. The worst of the work is under the fuse box which needs stripping (if you have seen how many wires are under your fuse box you really wouldn't want to do that job!). Luckily it's just the section of loom that runs from front to rear and not the main loom that goes behind the dash.

I'm glad it's going to get sorted but highly annoyed such a cheap item I took for granted caused such a big problem.
A cursory search of the Internet brings up a few similair stories and some retailers doing recalls of dodgy fuses.
I didn't think anything of buying fuses from Halfords but would have avoided poundland for example.

Now where does one buy proper fuses from then?

Very interesting point made here Dino

 

[bertiejaffa]

Halffrauds went bankrupt over here, wounder why?

but you still have C&A....

 

[hard top]

but you still have C&A....

Yep, but V&D went bankrupt as well, been around since 1887...Not many people know that...

 

[jonco]

..................I didn't think anything of buying fuses from Halfords but would have avoided poundland for example.

Now where does one buy proper fuses from then?

What a b***er. Thanks for sharing info.
Agree wouldn't have given a second thought to buying items such as fuses from Halfords.
I wonder in these times where BMW source their fuses from and how do you tell which is right quality from what is already installed?

 

[GazHyde]

It's always good to get to the cause of a problem, but when it's down to stuff like this it really makes you think. I've always bought items like that from Halfords, primarily because BMW charge such ridiculous prices for such items.

I usually have bigger concerns over cheap stuff from eBay, case in point being the Guibo bush that lasted less then 3000 miles. I really avoid eBay for parts unless it's a genuine OEM part. I know people who import stuff straight from HK or China and sell it, cheap as chips to buy from there but is there any quality control on the manufacturing?

 

[bertiejaffa]

Yep, but V&D went bankrupt as well, been around since 1887...Not many people know that...

VD has gone from Amsterdam....?!?! I don't believe you !!

 

[t-tony]

It's always good to get to the cause of a problem, but when it's down to stuff like this it really makes you think. I've always bought items like that from Halfords, primarily because BMW charge such ridiculous prices for such items.

I usually have bigger concerns over cheap stuff from eBay, case in point being the Guibo bush that lasted less then 3000 miles. I really avoid eBay for parts unless it's a genuine OEM part. I know people who import stuff straight from HK or China and sell it, cheap as chips to buy from there but is there any quality control on the manufacturing?

I had this same discussion last year with a recently departed forum members who told me that the Chinese don't make inferior goods, they simply make them to the quality ordered by their customers. I disagree. . . . .

Tony.

 

[hard top]

@t-tony nicks his stuff from work.....

 

[t-tony]

Yes mate, but only the good stuff.

Tony.

 

[Bozzy]

Frightening knowing it was just a simple fuse that caused all these problems @Dino D .
Glad you're getting it sorted now .
When I got my zed the boot light was disconnected,I guess in anticipation of this problem. I did reconnect it and so far had no trouble,but if it is disconnected the wires can still chafe in the boot so in that case would this still happen ?.

Steve

 

[Dino D]

Yes if the wires are just hanging they can short out if not insulated (and should blow the fuse instantly as is normally the case and had been previously hence I had to put a replacement fuse in). It happens easily when you remove the light - I took my boot carpets out to track a leak.

Not sure entirely what happened but it's either the light became dislodged when I was loading the boot or the wites themselves had chafed through where it just runs along loosely in the box section and caused the short.