Automatic Transmission Shifter cable caught on fire

[neros1916]

I bought a 97 Pathfinder a few days ago and unfortunately the battery was not as secure as I thought. It tipped over while driving and the positive terminal soldered itself to a piece of the frame. The short circuit found the shifter cable and ignited it, starting a fire underneath my car, starting at where the shifter cable leaves from inside the center console to under the car, and traveling the entire length of the cable (the fire just died out when the cable burned through).

I did not see any real damage to the car other than the shifter cable. I replaced that today, but now I have a check engine light and my tachometer is 100% dead. The codes I am getting are P0325(knock sensor) and P0725(crankshaft position sensor). Obviously this was caused by the fire, so my question is this:

Knowing that the fire started at the shifter cable, what may have been damaged? There is no visible damage, so how might I find the root cause of this? I know these sensors are on the engine and the fire was not on the engine...however i am guessing immense amounts of heat surrounded the origin of the fire..which if you know the location of the shift cable from the automatic shifter(you know the arm you move from P>R>N>D>1>2.

Thanks for all your help.

[AZhitman]

Ugh... without seeing the vehicle and tracing the wiring, this one's gonna be tough. I'm guessing there were some additional circuits shorted out when the battery arced, or possibly some wiring damaged by heat.

I'd start checking voltages (per the FSM) at the CPS and the KS first.

You can grab the FSM fgor free at www.nissanservicemanuals.com

[Chuck Tribolet]

That sure shows the power of a 12V battery. I'm surprised it took that path rather than just straight up the
negative cable.

You need to start by checking all the fuses and all the fuseable links. The FSM will tell you where they are Pages
EL-245 and 246.

Pull the fuses and check them with an ohm meter. Check the FSM to see where they all are.
Eyeball the fuseable links.

Then eyeball the wiring. Keep in mind that it may have shorting against something else before it hit
bodywork.

Now start chasing codes.

And when you get things going again, keep an eye on the alternator. You MAY have blown the diodes.

Chuck

[neros1916]

Thank you both for the input, I really do appreciate it. I believe I have found something interesting.It appears one of the wiring harnesses running into the positive terminal of the battery caught the wrath of the arc as well. It is the cluster of wires where one wire has a ground bolted in right next to the horn. If you kind and knowledgeable people would point out the actual name of it I may be able to find it online, all though I am heading to the wrecking yard tomorrow to see if a 99 Pathfinder there has the harness I need. Thanks for your help.

[Chuck Tribolet]

The various harnesses are covered starting at page EL-248 of the FSM.

Chuck

[neros1916]

Sorry I suppose I sounded lazy. Let me restate my question:

I have viewed all the harnesses in the FSM and cannot point to what mine are called because it is not labeled on the page that shows the various harnesses on EL-248. Attached is a picture that I have circled what I believe to be the harness I need.

[asnorton44]

That looks like the negative and positive battery cables. The negative is easy but the positive is wired into another harness I believe.

[neros1916]

I was able to find the entire harness I needed on a 96 Pathfinder at Pick N Pull today. My weird high beam short is now fixed but my tach is not working. I am buying an OBDII reader tonight because I have wanted one for a while anyway. I am going to see if I am getting any RPM reading from the ECM before I go run and buy a new crankshaft position sensor.

Thank you to all for your input.