Started the car after work, sat ticking over for a bit, turned on the windscreen de-mister fan and it didn't work. THEN noticed smoke seeping up through the bonet vent and on closer inspection i saw a faint orange glow! Panicked slightly, turned engine off and stood well back! A burning smell of plastic followed. We had a look under the air in thingy and noticed some melting, could be the blower motor or relay or something...any thoughts?!

Oh dear oh dear oh dear....
Which bit melted Gem the heater box itself??
Cheers Adam

I know this sounds crap but i'll ask Carl, he got a better look than me.

Under the drip tray there is the internal fan motor and to the right of that is an upright board with cables plugged into it, on the right of that board is a heat sheild i think with a resistor ( i think!) It is the plugs going into that that have melted.

So is the car drivable and that Gem or not?? If not there is a couple of mk2's at moores if you need bits? I can give you a hand if it desperate?
Cheers Adam

Seems drivable - as long as I dont forget and turn the heater on! Its going to Des Key for a service soon so I'll get him to check it out i think.

Thanks for the offer though, I'll let you know if I need a hand - wont ask unless I have to - promise!

No probs. Even if it just bits you need.
Cheers Adam

May take you up on that. Probably after everyone has given me their 'advice' on the 22nd!

I was gonna say, we'll all turn up to help then

After some funny probs with dashboard lights last year I got a fire extinguisher which now resides under the drivers seat, a small fire can quickly spread, you're lucky...

Dont I know it (...hence the mild panic mentioned.)

We won't damage anything really

That same has happened to me too!! My foglightwires were glowing red as Hell..That were close the car didnt burn!

sounds like a burned out fusebox???

I don't know much about the heater box, I've never had it apart, but I know there is a thermal trip on the resistor pack. One possible is this thermal is seized, and when the motor got turned on, motor siezed too. This would cause enough current to go through, and if the connector is rusting (ok... there are a lot of if's here, but all are not only possible on an older car, but highly likely) the resistance over that connection would cause a big heat build up. Just been talking to Andy (Pettaw) about this, and we reckon the fuses that control the fan are shared, else I'd get you to pull them out so this doesn't happen again until it's been looked at.

Out of intrest, what setting was it on Gemma? That'd help confirm/ throw out the theory