Short fuses
 

hey guys i have a problem. so lately alot of my fuses have been blowing out. my HID fogs goes out and my tail lights fuse goes out. everytime i replace the tail fuse it blows instantly. my friends told me i need a capacitor, but i dont know. there is a short somewhere in the car, but i dont know where. what do you think i should do? thanks.

It doesn't sound to me like a capacitor will help. A logical approach would be to isolate sections of the electrical circuits by disconnecting connectors at key junctions and then checking for a short with an ohmmeter in the isolated sections of the elctrical circuits. You could also use a 1.5v battery and light bulb in place of the ohmmeter.

If you blow the fuses for the tail light or HID fogs when they're not switched on, that is a good clue that the problem is on the battery-side of the switch for each of these.

I'm assuming you haven't done any electrical modifications to the car that should have been mentioned, and that the light bulb brightness (system voltage) seems normal.

Couple of things ..

Fuse blowing means there is either a short or too-much load (current is high)

Celebrate if it is NOT an intermittent problem.

Any add on electronics is typically the weakest point.

The solution to the problem is finding the short.


As pointed out by bob2200 a logical approach is needed to fix.


Typically the insulation is compromised when some wire gets pinched while some work is being done.

critters love copper and have been known to chew the harnesses. Look for plastic shavings where you park and yoiur short will be directly above it.


If it is not the two items above, then you must take it to a shop. Either way the will need wiring diagram to logically isolate the offending circuit and get to the short.

Salim

thanks for the response guys.

i do have electrical mods done in my car, but this never happened until now.

HID headlamps
HID fogs
Hyper Voltage System
DVD headrests
DVD player
elemental designs sub and 2x amps
DSL front speakers
LED interior lighting
LED floor lighting
LED license plate light

well back then my LED floor lighting wire burned and smoke started coming out of the floor when i turned it on. so maybe thats a sign of overload?

maybe this will help a bit. i step on my brakes and the lights work its just when i dont step on them my tail and license plate lights dont work and my parking lights in the front and side markers as well.

Wire smoking is sure tell tale sign of short/overload.

I would start by disconnecting each add on (hopefully each has fuse of its own) .

Salim