So as stated in the title I am having an issue with my ignition switch burning out the 30amp tab plug on the ignition switch. I have plenty of pictures to show what i mean. As you can see in the photos the 30amp tab on the back of the ignition switch is exclusively burning out. This is the second ignition switch I will be putting in, in a a one month time frame. It got so hot last night that it actually melted the pink/plug that hooks onto the ignition switch. I smelled burning plastic/wire, knew it was the switch, luckily was really close to home and got there. You can see in the picture the red wire on the switch that is burnt and know looks brown, that one is for the 30amp tab. Not sure what the issue is, but I will give you everything that I know of that I have custom wired up on my car, my car has a couple unique wiring deals done. First I have wired in the light up vents from the newer cars, along with the red ambient lighting in the front, all to the cigarette power wire, for that red accent ring. I have also wired in bumper fogs to the headlight fog wire, not running anything in the headlight fyi. So that is all the custom wiring. If any of that could be drawing to much power from the plug, please let me know. I will be unhooking all of it in the meantime to test if it is. the switch that will be going in when it gets here is a oem audi ignition switch from ECS Tuning. If anyone knows of anything else that could be causing the issue, like a bad fuse or bad something somewhere, again I would be grateful for any assistance. Also if anyone knows what the 30amp plug is for that would be useful information. Thank you.

 

I highly doubt this is a draw issue as you would be blowing fuses.. Heat in electrical connections is caused by poor (high resistance) connections. What it looks like is the female end of the connection is either a) dirty or b) insufficiently crimped onto the male tab.

I would suggest pulling the harness plug apart and cleaning the connecter with a wore brush as well as bending the tabs so that they grab tighter and make a better connection.

 

Notice how the other female ends in the connector are nearly touching each other while there is a .040 - .070 gap between them on #30..

You might also find that the wire itself may be poorly crimped/soldered to the connector.. But you will only find that out once you pull it apart..

 

Good suggestions by Crypto, good place to start. Did you fuse all of the custom wiring you have done?

 

I am very appreciative of your response crypto. The connector harness is solid except for where that 30amp wire goes into it. It is melted all the way through. So my plan is to take the wire and pull it out and solder on a new piece of wire to replace the section that has turned brown.. and slide an insulated connector onto the end of the new section of wire, with some dielectric grease. The new connector will slide in through the hole that was burnt through the harness connector. And to answer you dallas, no I did not. I ran a spliced wire from cigarette lighter to my fuse panel, then ran all of my accessory wires needing power to that wire... not cool I know, but it works... I am planning on changing it anyways so don't hate. It's not getting hooked back up that way again. I was told by a fellow worker to use my super old multimeter deal to test for ohm restitance on the wire. He said it should be zero if it is allright, but if it has any I have a corroded wire or pinched wire somewhere. Any input on how to do that? I'll post a pic of my electronic tester. What setting do I use, and does the battery need to be hooked up?

 

Ohm is the horse shoe looking symbol, and yes it should read zero, but that isn't very useful as it can readzero and still be making a poor connection (for 30A)..

On a side note dielectric grease does prevent corrosion of the terminals, but it also acts as an insulator. You still have to maintain good metal to metal contact..

I think your replacing the wire end is a good idea. I wouldn't use a insulated crimp though, I would use a uninsulated crimp (or strip the insulation off a insulated crimp) and both crimp and solder the connection.you can add heat shrink or electrical tape after you've soldered the connection.

 

I am just going to twist the new wire onto old wire then solder them and heat shrink a piece of heat shrink tube around them. The new insulated connector i have clamps really well onto my old ignition switch tab for 30amp's. So plenty of metal on metal contact. Won't use dielectric grease then. Still think it's more than just a bad connection on my switch. I mean it burnt a hole in my plug.... Plus I still am at a lose for what the damn wire even does. I uploaded schematics but have no clue what it means.. I can't be the only one this has happened too.

 

Here is another thought. There are 2 30s on that switch (red and brown).. If the brown 30 isn't making a good connection (or no connection) then its pulling the entire load through the red 30..

You might also have a blown fuse somewhere that's causing the same thing.

 

That is a thought... Checked all fuse panel fuses. None are blown. Maybe a failing square fuse... Like the big block square ones? They are under the driver kick panel shroud deal. Just an idea, waiting to see if anyone supports that. The remains of the wire that burnt up. I think the wire gauge is 14 or 12. Have to buy some. Also the hole that now exists.

 

As long as you wired your custom wiring behind SOME fuse it should be fine and it sounds like you did as you used the cigarette lighter fuse. (Like you say its better to use individual fuses for each, but based on what you have said, the custom wiring shouldnt be causing your problem).