1.9td Fuse Box Burning Out

[james B]

Hi everyone,

I've have a problem with my Galaxy and would appreciate some feedback. I recently had my alternator changed and the next day, the fuse box unit, it's the one beside the battery melts where the lead runs in from the alternator. It's a TDI 1.9 with climate control and my garage has replaced the same unit on other Galaxys and also Sharans but has not been able to find out why as yet.

 

Any suggestions as to cause very welcome and also if other people have come across this problem.

[gregers]

do a search on this,it is a common problem.it may well be in the faqs?

[alan_131]

I'm a newbie and one of the experts will be able give you a better answer but I'm sure I've read somewhere that a bad crimp on a major cable connected to one of the fuse boxes is known to cause this type of problem. I've certainly seen some serious damage caused by bad crimps on mains systems. It's a vicious circle - bad joint causes heating causes joint to worsten till eventually big damage occurs...

[mikej]

As said very common and very seldom the alternator, mine went a few years back and almost took the car with it. Don't just change the fuse box change the large lead from the alternator as well prior to refitting the new box or it will melt again, apparently a bad crimp at the box end causes it to go high resistance and overheat Also found the box's to be cheaper at VW than at Fords? Edited May 5, 2012 by mikej

[MadBaz]

Definitely due to bad crimps, I did some testing with a multimeter a while back, and although the resistance was small, across the crimps when warm the resistance was twice the amount than cold.

[james B]

THANKS

[chrispb123456]

If caught early enough they can be soldered using a small blow lamp, would also advise soldering a new lead before fitting.