Boxster Gauges won't alluminate

[marcumc]

Hey out there I'm new to the forum but i need some help. Purchased a 1998 Boxster and on the way home from Columbus gauges would not light up. Got home pulled in the garage seen a small amount of smoke coming up from behind the gauges. Removed the gauges disassembled and found one of the components had overheated and melted on the circuit board. Purchased a set of used gauges off ebay installed and same thing happened. This only happens when the lights are turned on. PLEASE HELP....

[particlewave]

Do the other interior lights work (window switches, headlight switch, climate control)? Stock stereo or aftermarket?

[marcumc]

I bought this car from a dealership in Columbus and I did notice that the radio in it is different than shown on the add on ebay. When I went to look at the car the new radio box was in the car.
Sounds like I should take the radio out and check the wiring job.

[KevinH1990]

If two clusters have had the same issue, it sounds like something is causing too much current to go to the component that is melting down. Since it only happens when you turn the lights on, I would start by checking the wiring related to the dash lights.

As Particleweave's post hints, also look at anything that a previous owner might have done to modify the car. For example, if the PO added a new stereo, he or she might have tapped into the wiring to gain illumination for the head unit. There are a lot of "hacks" that folks can do and a lot of ways for them to go wrong.

See if you can track down a wiring diagram for the cluster (I believe there is one in the Bentley manual) and then start tracing it to see whether there is a short somewhere.

Good luck.

[particlewave]

It's funny because I just rewired my cousins Jeep Cherokee yesterday. She had some neighborhood kid put in her new stereo and it started smoking out of the dash the next day and the dash lights didn't work.
It was a mess back there, but the dash light wire melted its connector because he had it connected to an acc wire
I just took it all out and started over.

I would definitely check things out. Is there any way to get the dealer to handle it or cover some costs?

[marcumc]

I called them the next day after that had happened and the sales manager told me tuff luck. I will never recommend that dealership to anyone after the way I was treated and its one of the largest dealerships in the Colubus area.

[BruceH]

Did you buy the car through eBay? If so, and the radio was different from what was represented in the ad, you might have some recourse there.