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Melissa
06-01-2009, 01:55 PM
Okay now no one better get so much as a giggle from this :D

A while back I lost my dash lights, I checked the fuses under my dash ans sure enough one was blown. So I took it out and headed down to the patrs store to get me another one, no problems and I got one. Well then me being me I forgot what spot the fuse went in, so I guessed and I still don't have dash lights

Can anyone direct me to the spot where is supposed to be??

here is my fuse box under my dash, oh and remember that I need directions for the "challenged" people :rotfl2: Try to be as detailed as possible please since I forgot within like two minutes where I got the fuses out of :D

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/melreese83/misc%20pictures/HPIM0590.jpg

Ooopps, thats not my fuses thats the trout I caught.

Let me try this again

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/melreese83/misc%20pictures/HPIM0595.jpg

Okay there we go thats better.

See the round silver thing up on the right, the blue 15 fuse next to it on the left is the one I bought and thats where I ended up sticking it

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 02:26 PM
Did you check the fuse to make sure it didn't blow again? Could be you put it back in the right place but the reason for it blowing in the first place still exists.

Melissa
06-01-2009, 02:32 PM
No I did not, had not thought about that it just might have blown again, I'll go take a look......................

Now I feel really not smart, the fuse blew again, so at least I did put the fuse in right place.

What is going to cause my fuses to blow all of a sudden........................

Thinking about it the only thing I have done to my jeep was rehook up my fog fights, could that have something to do with it??

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 02:37 PM
Well I'm not sure. It really depends on how you hooked them up. I mean if you added them to a circuit that isn't designed to handle the current (load) of those lights, it certainly would cause a problem.

It sounds to me that you have a direct short. The fuse shouldn't blow that quickly. You'll need to look around for wires melted together, or maybe something metal that is touching something in the circuit.

The easiest way to figure out where to start looking is to determine what that fuse is used for. Once you have a list then start checking them.

My assumption is you were driving down the road that your dash lights just went out? Hmmm I'm wondering if the headlight switch is bad, at least the portion that turns on your dash lights.

kryptonitexj
06-01-2009, 02:46 PM
the reason a fuse blows is due to a high amp draw. Like a short in the wire some ware. I would try unplugging the fog lights and then replace the fuse to see if that cures it. good luck let us know if you need any further assistance.
:thumbsup:

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 02:51 PM
You'll need a box of fuses doing it that way. Another way would be to disconnect everything that fuse controls and add them back one at a time until the fuse blows.

Melissa
06-01-2009, 03:09 PM
I did nothing when I put the fog lights back on, I was already set up for fog lights since my jeep came with factory fog lights. All I did was plug them in to the already existing plugs. Before I broke the original fog lights I used to run the lights and fog lights on all the time.


I did go out and play with it some and this is what happened

I replaced the fuse again and turned the key on (door open) I pulled the headlight switch and wala the buzzer went dead and I popped the fuse ( this was with the fog lights turned off), next I put a 20 fuse in and repeated the same thing with the fog lights off, the door buzzer went dead and popped that fuse as well.

Since It is still blowing fuses with the fog lights off could it be just the headlight switch?

With my fog lights turned off can it still cause the fuse to pop??

Melissa
06-01-2009, 03:17 PM
I just completely unhooked the fog lights and got the same results, it blew that fuse

The bad thing is I can't remember that last time I heard my door buzzer, I could very well have been driving around with the fuse blown well before I even hooked up my fog lights. I have not driven at night since before I blew up the original motor last thanksgiving, so I would not have noticed that I've had no dash lights.

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 03:56 PM
It may not be the switch. It could be something the switch is controlling. Have you found a list of what that fuse controls? We know it controls the dash lights, but what else? Unhook everything else and see if it still blows. Murphy's law says it will require the cluster to be removed to find the problem.

BlueXJ
06-01-2009, 05:37 PM
Just unplug the large plug that goes to the headlight switch. Put your fuse in and see if it blows. If it does then it isn't the switch. If it doesn't it is light related.
HTH

Melissa
06-01-2009, 08:20 PM
It may not be the switch. It could be something the switch is controlling. Have you found a list of what that fuse controls? We know it controls the dash lights, but what else? Unhook everything else and see if it still blows. Murphy's law says it will require the cluster to be removed to find the problem.

Do you mean unplug all the other fues?


Just unplug the large plug that goes to the headlight switch. Put your fuse in and see if it blows. If it does then it isn't the switch. If it doesn't it is light related.
HTH

Where is the large plug that goes to the headlight switch?

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 10:23 PM
No find out what that fuse, the one that blows, is meant to protect.

Then disconnect those items. I'm thinking lights. Maybe you can remove the bulbs? But I don't know what all tha fuse is protecting.

Melissa
06-01-2009, 11:24 PM
Okay I unplugged all the lights but forgot to the fog lights. Anyways I put the fuse back in and I turned the key over, the buzzer stayed on, the dash lights lit up and the fog lights turned on, fuse did not blow.

What does this mean??, other than I need two turn signal bulbs since I broke both of them unplugging them

Melissa
06-01-2009, 11:48 PM
Okay I am really getting confused now. I added the lights back one by one like Mudderoy suggested.

First I added the marker lights
so I had buzzer going marker lights on, fog lights on, and dash lights, no blown fuse.

Second I added the headlights
headlights were on, fog lights were on, buzzer was going, dash lights were on, no blown fuse.

The only thing left to add are the turn signal lights but I have to wait untill tomorrow when I can get new bulbs.

Turn signals only come on when you use them correct? How would these be the problem??

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 11:49 PM
So what all did you remove? Just the turn signal bulbs?

Melissa
06-01-2009, 11:51 PM
I removed the turn signal bulbs, marker light bulbs and the headlights (forgot the fog lights)

Mudderoy
06-01-2009, 11:53 PM
Put them back one at a time, and each thing you add stop, turn on the switch and see if the fuse blows.

Chances are good that you only have one problem.

Melissa
06-01-2009, 11:56 PM
I did and no blown fuse. Except that I have to add the turn signal bulbs tomorrow since I broke both bulbs unplugging them, can they be the problem and how could they?

Mudderoy
06-02-2009, 12:02 AM
I suspect one, or both, were the problem. There isn't any real reason why they would break unless they were corroded inside the socket. I bet one of them was shorting out inside. You'll need to take a flashlight and check it really carefully for any metal that might short again once you put the bulbs back in.

Compressed air, screwdriver with a nice bunch of cloth on it.

Make sure you have the switch off, or better yet remove the negative from the battery. Personally I'd just make sure the switch is off while I'm cleaning it.

I think you have found and nearly solved your problem. Good job! :D

Melissa
06-02-2009, 12:09 AM
Okay, okay, I did notice that they were rusted when I broke the bulbs trying to get them out, and that was also the reason I changed the whole lens's because they were cracked and getting moisture in them.

I will make sure the battery is unplugged this time, I found out when I changed the starter that it is wise to unplug the battery so you don't shock yourself like I did then

Mudderoy
06-02-2009, 12:12 AM
You are really a can do person. That is great. Speaking of "can do" did you fix your Dodge steering yet? I'm just bugging you because I want to know if what Firehawk (?) suggested is the fix.

Melissa
06-02-2009, 12:20 AM
You are really a can do person. That is great. Speaking of "can do" did you fix your Dodge steering yet? I'm just bugging you because I want to know if what Firehawk (?) suggested is the fix.

Thank you.

I have not fixed the Dodge's steering yet, everytime I think okay I'll have it looked at, something else goes wrong with my jeep :D And the Dodge is one truck that I really don't want tackle.

I WILL have it looked at right after I get my new radiator done Wednesday, keep bugging me or I might forget again :rotfl2:

BlueXJ
06-02-2009, 08:32 AM
That circular metalic thing on the fuse panel is the flasher module. It could be your problem too. The hot wire to each of the turn signal bulbs are going to be another place to look if just changing bulbs doesn't help. I use a wire brush made for cleaning copper pipe fittings to clean out the bulb sockets after removing the bulbs. I then blow the debris out with an airhose before installing the new bulbs.
Keep up your good work.

Melissa
06-02-2009, 03:56 PM
Well what started out as me thinking I had put the dash light fuse in the wrong spot turned out to be the turn signal lights shorting out and blowing the fuse. I finished it all up today and now I am back to having dash lights. I have to laugh at my self because If I were more of a mech then I could have connected the dots and figured out my problem alot faster, like the whole reason I changed the turn signal lens was because they were cracked and getting moisture into them, so the bulbs were corroding and finally shorted out and blew the fuse, looking back I'm sitting here thinking duh, but I am glad I was able (with everyones help) to figure it out and fix the problem myself.

However I did not walk away from my project without a battle scar, this is what I did to myself while trying to get the corroded bulb ends out the the socket

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/melreese83/misc%20pictures/HPIM0596.jpg

Oh well, I did it, it's done and I can cross one thing off my list of things that need to be done to my jeep

Thank you all for helping me learn a little more about how to fix my own jeep :cheerleader:

Mudderoy
06-02-2009, 05:03 PM
I think that "connect the dots" has happened, and continues to happen to all of us.

What's bad is when you fix it and you don't know what you did. :D