Here's a fun one (electrical issue)

[HungarianHunter]

Hey guys

So I have a fuse that keeps blowing, more specifically this one: (Ima try to describe it)

There are four 10amp fuses right next to eachother in the fuse box under the hood. They are related to lighting. Well, the "top right" one (if your looking at it from the side of the car) blows everytime I go to turn my lights on.

What this does, is makes my right tail light, and right "running" light not turn on, as well as my gauge illumination to go out. Turn signals still work in front and back, and gauges work, just do not light up. Every other fuse in both boxes are the correct amps, and are all fine.

I thought it was a short from when I installed my switchbacks, but I went back and redid it all, soldering it all real neatly, still there.

Any ideas fellas?

Thanks

[qnz]

do you have 50w hids?

[cleazy123]

not gonna believe this but i just bought my wife a 99 v6 and right tail is out as well as interior lights, and most annoyingly no gauge lights

[cleazy123]

I checked all of the fuses and they were fine, then i cracked open the hood and the prior owner had h.i.d.s hooked up (ebay shit) so i took them out . Havent done anything since , only thing i can think of is relay. Anyone?

[HungarianHunter]

To be honest idk what W my hid's are. Could it be a relay?

[Corey2kG]

sounds like a bad connection or short to me... electrical issues are not fun to diagnose and repair... im a mechanic and i have someone else do my electrical work if i ever had any... but good luck keep us posted on what it could be...

[HungarianHunter]

A buddy of mine said it sounds like a short too, which is what I thought, but I made 100% sure that no wires near the switchbacks were shorting, and I haven't touch the wiring for the tails. So he tells me to see if there is a short in the guages, disconnect the dimmer switch see where that takes me. I'll keep you guys posted, and feel free to chime in with ideas.

Thanks

[Joshua42007]

I had this exact same problem. It happened after i installed my first set of HID headlights about a year ago. My auto mechanic actually told me that the problem was related to the aftermarket CD player that i installed myself. He said that a wire or two was showing behind my CD player causing everything to short out and blow that fuse. I made sure no wires were naked, and made sure everything was connected properly. I haven't had the problem come back, but it was a pain in the ass to fix it. I hope this helps out a little

[Corey2kG]

i have a jvc head unit and 4 ballist for my hids never had that problem it could be a bad connect. or a wire somewhere is touching metal

[03-Galant-ES]

A buddy of mine said it sounds like a short too, which is what I thought, but I made 100% sure that no wires near the switchbacks were shorting, and I haven't touch the wiring for the tails. So he tells me to see if there is a short in the guages, disconnect the dimmer switch see where that takes me. I'll keep you guys posted, and feel free to chime in with ideas.

Thanks

i love how you call me a buddy acting like no one on this forum knows me haha im still l at school this sucks let me know how this goes.

[HungarianHunter]

i love how you call me a buddy acting like no one on this forum knows me haha im still l at school this sucks let me know how this goes.

I always forget your username XD

[cleazy123]

Did you have any luck with that? currently have the same problem.

[Reelax]

wait why did you have to do any wiring for the switchbacks? they should plug in to the 1157 sockets like stock.

[greddy]

He's talk about the resistors reelax

[Reelax]

He's talk about the resistors reelax

o yeah forgot about those. maybe he installed the resistors wrong? i have ALL LED (or HID) lighting on the exterior of my car except for my reverse lights which are high power halogen (bright 50W). i don't have problems.

[4g63lover]

there is a short to ground somewhere. Do you have a DVM? I would measure voltage drop at all the loads (gauge light, right brake/running lamp). if the gauge lights get voltage, and the running lamps dont, then you have a short to ground in between that circuit. That means somewhere in the radio and HVAC controls area.

I did this once to my galant back in my ricer days when I was installing an L.E.D. strip in the "cubby" hole. I forgot to turn the lights and key off when I tested the light to the HVAC illumination connector and blew that same fuse. If one of the wires is touching a wire it's not supposed to be touching, especially ground, it will blow the fuse. I know that circuit has the left headlight or parking light (not sure), I think, the gauge illumination, and the rear taillamp on the same circuit. I would go to either the parking lights or the radio/HVAC connections to see if there are any naked wires tocuhing ground (body) or rubbing against another naked wire. Also make sure the resistors are the right ohms. If you have to low of a resistor for the switchbacks, it will cause an amperage spike that will cause the fuse to blow. You HAVE TO fix the cause because replacing the fuse will just damage the circuit further and melt the wires.

[HungarianHunter]

I checked behind the HVAC and radio, saw no naked wires at all. Resoldered the switchback connections, those are fine. Kinda lost lol. I may just take it to an electrician this summer.