the wire harness that plugs into my gauge cluster went up in smoke I found that the pink wire with a orange stripe was completely burnt

i have replaced the end of the wire harness hook battery's back up turn on the key and the wire heats up

any ideas? I have not been able to find what that wire connects to.

 

If I remember right a while back there was an isssue with the connections to the main harness hookups in the firewall due to moisture. Can't remember what year trucks they were, might want to do a search. If the wire is heating up you have a dead short, not good. a fuse should pop before anything "goes up in smoke".