Ok I own a 86 GN an have had lots of problems, but this is the 1st electrical problem. when ever I turn on my running lights it blows the fuse. i have tried looking for the problem but I am not very good with electric's. Any solutions?
i guess i will go else where to get my answers
I guess you can go wherever you feel like you need to go to get answers.....but I'd bet you get the same response. Before you get an attitude...think about what you're asking. There could be a couple mozillion reasons why you're blowing a fuse....the good folks I've corresponded with on this board have been awesome providing support when I give them enough info to work with. Backup and provide some details and I'll bet someone will be able to help you solve the problem. Do you have voltage at the light socket? Do you have a good ground at the light socket? Do you have good voltage at the fuse panel? Check the voltage on the input side of the fuse and see if it's okay....then turn the key off and see if the other side of the fuse panel is grounded or not. Throwing voltage straight to ground is what blows the fuse...max current. I'm not psychic...but I'd bet you have a wire burnt or pinched to ground somewhere in the circuit. Hard to say where until you get some more info to us. Take some readings and give us something to work with. Dave
well i was having a bad day an apologize for the attitude, but the only thing i was woundering is that I really have no clue where to start an was just askin if anyone would happened to have the same problem or would know some faulty areas to check b4 i go tearin the car apart to find this problem.
I understand...I had a bad "power steering" day with my 86 GN today. Start with the basics and pull the lamp to see if you're getting voltage to the socket. If not, then check to see if the hot wire to the socket has somehow been grounded...just check the resistance from the center contact to ground...it should be open. If you read a short between the hot connector and ground then you'll have to start tracing the wire back to see where it's grounded out at. That's where I'd start. None of the electrical problems with lights and such are "difficult" from an electronic standpoint, but they can be a sincere pain in the ass trying to trace and get to the wires. You may have to disassemble some stuff to get to the wires. Best bet is to draw it out as you go so you don't get confused and trust your meter readings...if you can disconnect any plugs to isolate the sections of the harness then do it so you can narrow down exactly where the problem is. Get some readings and get back to us...I have some schematics if you need them.
ok i unhooked what i belive to be all the lights from right beside the fuse box. an well it still blew so i am thinkin i need to replace the switch? right.
ok i unhooked what i belive to be all the lights from right beside the fuse box. an well it still blew so i am thinkin i need to replace the switch? right.
Something has a short to ground (frame or body). With the lamps out of the sockets, do as Dave said above and check the resistance from the center contacts to ground with an OHM meter. It should be open. If you find one that is not open and you get a reading, trace the wires from that socket.
Dean
Hey Jeremy,
I'm trying to figure out what you've disconnected. If you disconnected everything from that fuse...then it shouldn't have a path to ground and therefore it shouldn't blow the fuse anymore. If you disconnected the running lights only....and it stills blows fuses...then one of the other wires on that fuse is grounded somewhere. It's more difficult to start at the fuse block and sort out what color wire is what etc....find the center connector that's grounded and chase it down. Start with the running lights and check to see if the center connector is grounded or not. If it is...then you'll have to chase it backwards and find the short. If not, then move on to the other lamps that are on that circuit and do the same thing. Get back to us....
Is it the interior lights that you are loosing or is it the headlights? If you are loosing the dash/interior lights when you turn on the running lights and blowing the corrosponding fuse, then your problem is probably under the console at the wire for your shift indicator light. It is broken from the socket and shorting out. If it is your headlights that you are loosing, then sorry and good luck. Keep us informed.
Steve
Steve Gully
GullsGN@aol.com
NEBRA
"Old cars never die...they just go so fast that you can't see them any more."
steve u hit it dead on the money its the running lights. have u had this problem? how do i fix it? just trace the wires under the dash?
Hi Jeremy. You do not have to trace any wires under the dash. The wire you are looking for is under the floor shifter console. You have to remove the console to get at the wire. Under the console you will see a single grey wire that is supposed to have a light socket on the end of it, clipped to the shifter bracket. I am sure you will find this wire broken off at the socket and lying down on the floor in contact with metal. This is where you are shorting out. Repair the break and replace the fuse and you are good to go. This is a common break caused by the constant flexing of the wire when you shift. I have repaired this twice so far in 17 years. Glad I could help ya.
Steve
Steve Gully
GullsGN@aol.com
NEBRA
"Old cars never die...they just go so fast that you can't see them any more."
Just a side note, Jeremy. You may have led some of us in the wrong direction in your original post which caused a little delay in answering you. Running lights usually refer to the lights outside your car (parking lights) and initially I thought you were loosing these lights. If you had said dash lights or interior lights I would have answered you sooner. Sorry for the delay. Easy fixes are nice :-). Have a great day!
Steve
Steve Gully
GullsGN@aol.com
NEBRA
"Old cars never die...they just go so fast that you can't see them any more."
it is the dash lights and the running lights. do the same thing?