'97 Electrical Failure, gunpowder smell, help!

[Ultrastick]

Wife and I stopped at the grocery the other night. When I came out, the key fob button would not unlock the car. Used key to get in. Immediately smelled like gunpowder or fireworks inside car.

Transmission was locked--had to use screwdriver on unlock tab to be able to shift. Car cranked and ran normally. Headlights worked, no taillights, no dash lights. Both electrical seats would not work.

Next morning at home I found two 10A fuses blown in the under the hood box, but it was just too cold to keep at it, so I drove it to my NAPA mechanic.

Since then he's been tearing his hair out, and tearing my 4Runner apart trying to find out what's wrong. I told him that the smell seemed limited to the interior of the car, and I did not find the gunpowder smell outside anywhere or under the hood, nor while driving.

He now has the driver's seat out and both seats are disconnected. I'm beginning to think a circuit board somewhere is fried.

Anyway, if any of you guys have any information or experience on this, or ideas about what to investigate, please advise.

 

[BucknutBob]

My first suspicion would be a dead short (burned through or arced wire) in something that's been added over the years, especially near exhaust or fuse boxes. Any additional stereo equipment, or other reasons for wiretaps at fuse box? Any wires in engine compartment that are longer than stock, allowing them to droop near exhaust? Do you park on pavement or grass? Sometimes mice will get inside and chew through insulation, shorting out wiring. Since stock wiring doesn't usually go bad on its own, there must be something that's been changed, and either routed or connected in such a manner as to cause a failure. That would be my approach, anyway. Best of luck!