2000 Expedition EB 4x4: Smoke from passenger footwell

[chucky2]

Started up my dads 5.4L 2000 Expedition, Eddie Bauer 4x4, the other day, and was greeted with a solid on ABS light (not surprising, I had to replace an ABS wheel sensor recently, which did fix that problem) but also a flashing 4x4 light. It was cold so we had it warming up, my mom opens the front passenger door to get in as I'm debating whether to even take it for the errand, and I see smoke coming from the passenger footwell, over where the foot trim is on the right.

Shut it off, disconnected battery.

Is this something common (I've searched here and Google, not really finding much), anyone have any ideas? Why oh why does this stuff have to happen when it's cold...

Thanks for any help, I could use it!

 

[stamp11127]

Not common, keep the battery disconnected, remove kick panel and evaluate the damage in the box. Smoke is from an overloaded circuit that hasn't blown a fuse or fuses. If you don't correct it, have some weenies ready for the roast - it will light up.

Another remote possibility is a coolant leak. What did the smoke smell like, something burnt or a sweet smell?

 

[docraymund]

Check the wirings at the foot panel for signs of short circuit. Open wiring harnesses and smell for a burnt odor to give you a clue. Take out the glove box. You will need a strong flashlight. You'll find it eventually. And check fuses for blown ones. There is a guide here on how to do that.

 

[thewizardatst24]

Check under the passenger seat for a set of wires (there's 3 in my car). Wire has battery, ignition, and ground. Don't know what they were for. 2nd Cat converter got extremely hot from bad vacuum hoses causing the insulation on the wires to burn causing a direct short to ground and ensuing passenger seat fire.

 

[GAINMOB]

or oil has ran down and burning on something in the area...more likely what stamp said

 

[DUNE RCR]

Another possibility... The resistor for the fan? I had to replace mine and the pigtail cause mine was melted, happened before I got mine, just noticed the fan didn't work except for high speed.

 

[chucky2]

Thank you All for the comments in my thread, and I apologize for my absence. I got a chance finally to check out the smoke this weekend (it was really nice here) and this is going to be a bigger problem than I'd thought. Will post pictures later...the short (no pun intended) of it though is it's looking like a new body harness.

Maybe after pictures someone else will have a better idea...

 

[stamp11127]

Usually unless the harness is a total loss it is repairable.

 

[thewizardatst24]

Like a Hoover, it sucks!!

 

[chucky2]

Well, here are the pictures I promised. Sorta hard to take them, need another hand or something that I didn't have:

Footwell, calling this BadArea1:



This next area is between the footwell area and the area just forward of where your foot would rest if it was back by the seat, calling this BadArea2:



Finally, BadArea3. This is a little forward of where your foot would be resting if it was back by the seat:



Sorry for the cell pics, my dSLR is being loaned out (figures) so I don't have it. I'm wondering now in the face of the $400 something wiring harness if I shouldn't just try crimping in good wire for these. The problem is, how do I figure out what wire to use for each of these bad wires in these areas?