Blinkers and hazard lights still blowing fuses.

[Motorhead350]

I am about to give up on this. As soon as I put in a new fuse for the hazards/signals/brake lights, it blows up or will shortly after. Here is what I have done.

1. Installed 4 Cadillac horns. I have removed them and went back to the stock horn.

2. Removed kill switch and have straight wires going though. My kill switch would kill my brake lights. When I had this, it never caused a problem with the turning signals.

3. Linked up butt connectors to all wiring I have messed with in relation to where the kill switch used to me.

4. Taped up all wiring to make sure it's not touching any metal. Wiring that was for the brake switch.

My only guess is the take apart the steering column and see if anything is wrong with the clock spring wiring. The only reason I see that it's not is because everything connected to the steering wheel is working. yjmud did mention to check out the wiring for pinched wiring last week when I had a different problem, but this is a new one.

I know it's a far fetched question, but where to look next? I have been following Eric's advice on "What did you F with last time?" approach, but I cannot seem to find it. I have no time for this. I am about to take it to a shop and fall behind on a few things. The car is needed for a roadtrip starting next week.

Anything let me know.

Thanks.

BTW I hate asking for advice what seems like twice a week now. Wish I was better at this stuff. :depress:

ALSO, brake lights not working either.

[IwantmyMMnow!]

It seems you have a short occurring in the circuit path that the fuse you keep blowing uses. I had a similar issue a while back with my brake lights not working, and when I popped in a new fuse for that circuit, it blew immediately. Thinking I had somehow put the fuse in wrong, I tried again and the same thing happened.

At this point I had to take it to the dealership. There was a wire bundle somewhere in the dash that had begun to chafe which exposed some wire. They put electrical tape around that part of the bundle and moved it away from the area as best they could. I paid the $95 diagnostic fee, but was not charged for anything else.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Shorted brake light switch.

Unplug switch, insert new fuse, if it doesn't blow install new switch & all good. If still blows, keep looking.

Pinched wiring n dash or column, rotted/corroded/fried bulb &/or socket, etc.

Only 22 miles of wiring to check... ;)

[Motorhead350]

Thanks guys!

I will be on this in the morning.

[Spectragod]

Brake light circuit runs through the multi function switch in the column, your probably looking for a pinched wire or a rubbed through wire, you need to start at one end and work your way back.

Personally, I would check everything in the column first, pull the lower knee bolster cover off and the covers off the column, if nothing there, start checking sockets and wiring, I'd start with the side that had the quarter panel replaced last time.

[Motorhead350]

Ok... hazard lights and turing signals will work when brake switch is disconnected. The flashers will not blow a fuse no matter how much I screw with them. Hook the brake light back up, brake lights do not work and fuse for hazard/turning signals blow.

I have another turning signal switch I installed and still had the same problem. I have never had this before. The only difference between it working and not working with the setup... is I put in butt connectors to wire things up "properly". My only other option is to take off all of those connectors and see what happens.

The problem has been found though. It's brake switch related.

Thanks guys!!!

[fastblackmerc]

Ok... hazard lights and turing signals will work when brake switch is disconnected. The flashers will not blow a fuse no matter how much I screw with them. Hook the brake light back up, brake lights do not work and fuse for hazard/turning signals blow.

I have another turning signal switch I installed and still had the same problem. I have never had this before. The only difference between it working and not working with the setup... is I put in butt connectors to wire things up "properly". My only other option is to take off all of those connectors and see what happens.

The problem has been found though. It's brake switch related.

Thanks guys!!!

Check the wires and connector at the brake switch.

[Spectragod]

Brake switch is less than $20 from Ford. I would certainly check the wiring, back in the late 90's early 2000's Ford used wire on the circuit that was not to be cut into as it was resistance sensitive, i.e. Don't hook up a brake light kill to police cars because the wires will not be very receptive of the butt connectors, the only way we worked around it was to use silver solder.

Since your brake wires have been cut.............. Maybe look under the dash before there's a fire.

[Motorhead350]

Brake switch is less than $20 from Ford. I would certainly check the wiring, back in the late 90's early 2000's Ford used wire on the circuit that was not to be cut into as it was resistance sensitive, i.e. Don't hook up a brake light kill to police cars because the wires will not be very receptive of the butt connectors, the only way we worked around it was to use silver solder.

Since your brake wires have been cut.............. Maybe look under the dash before there's a fire.

The solid metal part you can buy, I am not sure about the plastic that actually connects to the wires. The problem seems to be the connection.

Time to get on my back again.

Thank you all.

[Spectragod]

If you need that connector with a pigtail, I think I have one.

[Motorhead350]

I am going to look at this in a few hours.

Thanks Darren!

[RF Overlord]

Dom, exactly which fuse keeps blowing? Is it in the Central Junction Box (the one in the cabin) or the Battery Junction Box (next to the battery)? If you can give me the fuse # and the amp rating that will help. I'm betting it's in the CJB...Fuse F2.19 15 amp...

[Motorhead350]

The fuse that keeps blowing is a 20 amp. It controls the brake lights, hazards and flashers.

I am about to throw in the towel. It blows as soon as I put in a new one and turn on the hazard lights. I even pulled both wires that were connected to the brake switch... it blows up even faster.

The last resort is to check all wires that run down the steering colum in relation to the clock spring. I spent my time by the petals because it was easier. Clock spring wires tomorrow. If nothing, I am going to a shop and going to be charged hundreds of dollars for the errors of my attempted repairs... I bet nothing has to be replaced.

We will see what tomorrow brings.

[justbob]

I've seen your trunk and everything in it.. Is there any pinched wires by the tail lights or busted bulb sockets?


Self proclaimed Builder Of Badassery.

Buy it, Break it, Build it BETTER.
"Since 2004"

[Motorhead350]

I have cleaned out the trunk since you have seen it
.It's worth looking into though. Thank you.

[RF Overlord]

The flashers will not blow a fuse no matter how much I screw with them. Hook the brake light back up, brake lights do not work and fuse for hazard/turning signals blow.


The fuse that keeps blowing is a 20 amp. It controls the brake lights, hazards and flashers.

I am about to throw in the towel. It blows as soon as I put in a new one and turn on the hazard lights. I even pulled both wires that were connected to the brake switch... it blows up even faster.OK, now I'm confused. First you say the hazard flashers WON'T blow the fuse no matter what, then you say the fuse blows as soon as you turn on the hazards.

If it's the former, then the issue is in the wiring to the brake pedal switch.

If it's the latter, then it could be a short anywhere in the wiring to the front or rear stop/turn lights.

[Motorhead350]

I guess the next thing to do is to tear apart what is clock spring related... As suggested days ago. Time to make the time.

[EMAS]

It has nothing to do with the clock spring as the brake/turn circuit does not go through there.

Does the turn signal cause it's fuse to blow? If it doesn't then the problem is before the TS switch. If it blows which side makes it blow? On my car I found that the wire to the brake/turn filament had been pinched between the stud that mounts the taillight and it eventually wore through.

[Motorhead350]

It blows the fuse soon as I turn the hazard lights on. Even with the brake switch disconnected.

[vegasmarauder]

That 20A fuse (F2.22) runs from the under dash junction box straight to the multifunction switch and a seperate feed to the brake switch (by way of a multi connector in the left kick panel). It sends power to the LCM only when the hazard switch is turned on. But if you are not blowing fuse F2.12 the wiring from the fuse panel to the LCM should be good since that is the fuse that powers the multifunction switch when the hazard lights are switched off.

There are 2 multi connectors in the left kick panel. They are square and have 16 wires in each. One is all black and the other is half grey and half black. Unplug those connectors and then replace the fuse. These connectors will feed the back half of the car and tell you if there is a shorted wire in the harness rear of the left kick panel. They also feed the brake light circuit down to the connector and back up to the multifunction switch (it makes sense on the wiring diagram and has to do with only 2 bulbs in the tail lights instead of 4 on some Corwn Vics.

If the fuse blows still with those conectors unplugged, its a strong indication of a bad multifunction switch or in the harness feeding it. Since this runs up the side of the steering column its a good place for the wires to get damaged. especially if there was work on the column.

Hopes this narrows it down a bit for you..

[Motorhead350]

I will try this before I throw in the towel.

Sounds like nothing to do with the clock spring.

Thank you.

[Motorhead350]

It's still broken. I checked the trunk for any bad wiring and nothing appeared out of order.

I took off the left kick panel, disconnected the black and gray clips, replaced the fuse... and it still blew as soon as I put the hazard lights on.

Finally, I went though the wiring under the steering column, put it in order, replaced the fuse and it blew again as soon as I turned the hazard lights on.

I think this is the end of the road. I have done everything everyone has advised me to do.

Thank for all for your advice on where to look.

[RF Overlord]

Dom, forgive me if I'm asking questions you already tried to answer, but:

Does the fuse blow ONLY when you attempt to use the hazards?
Do all 4 turn signals and all 3 brake lights work correctly while the fuse is holding?

[Spectragod]

It's still broken. I checked the trunk for any bad wiring and nothing appeared out of order.

I took off the left kick panel, disconnected the black and gray clips, replaced the fuse... and it still blew as soon as I put the hazard lights on.

Finally, I went though the wiring under the steering column, put it in order, replaced the fuse and it blew again as soon as I turned the hazard lights on.

I think this is the end of the road. I have done everything everyone has advised me to do.

Thank for all for your advice on where to look.

It's in the switch or the wiring up front somewhere then, I'd start with a known good switch.

[Motorhead350]

My brake switch is disconnected when doing the testing.

The hazard lights blow the fuse the second I use them. Flashers too.

[RF Overlord]

My brake switch is disconnected when doing the testing. OK, that'll help me trace the wiring through the schematic.
The hazard lights blow the fuse the second I use them. Flashers too.Um...I thought the hazards and the flashers were the same thing?

[Motorhead350]

I guess they are the same. I am just mentioning what is causing it to blow up.

[EMAS]

I guess they are the same. I am just mentioning what is causing it to blow up.

Did you remove the tail lights? That is where the wire can get pinched between the mounting stud and the body? However if the problem is out back then hitting the brakes (with the switch hooked up) will cause the fuse to blow. If hitting the brakes doesn't cause the fuse to blow then the problem is in the front part.

What about the turn signals. The wiring from the fuses and the TS switch is separate but it is the shared after the TS switch. So if you operate the TS one side should cause it to blow while the other doesn't.

The TS switch is unlikely because there really isn't a ground inside of it for it to short to.

[Motorhead350]

I only messed with the left TS. I will try the right. Hazards blow the fuse no matter what and the brake lights do not work at all no matter what switch I hook up to it.

I Suck at this.

[RF Overlord]

I Suck at this.No, you don't...electrical issues suck to deal with. They're especially bad if you don't have a multimeter and a wiring diagram.

Hint: get yourself both...a cheap meter from Radio Shack or Harbor Fright will do fine and factory wiring diagrams can be had for short money on eBay.

[fastblackmerc]

No, you don't...electrical issues suck to deal with. They're especially bad if you don't have a multimeter and a wiring diagram.

Hint: get yourself both...a cheap meter from Radio Shack or Harbor Fright will do fine and factory wiring diagrams can be had for short money on eBay.

I agree... but then you need to learn how to read the schematics.

[RF Overlord]

Been looking at the wiring diagrams..

You say the brake lights don't work at all, and the hazards blow the fuse as soon as you engage the switch.

Do the turn signals work? Please check all four corners...

[Joe Walsh]

Dom,
I've said this before...and I'll say it again:

Sell it, junk it, give it away....... and buy a Toyota Camry!

[ctrlraven]

Dom, PM me your email address and I will send you all lighting diagrams I have.

[RF Overlord]

buy a Toyota Camry!With his luck it'll need a timing belt...

[J-MAN]

With his luck it'll need a timing belt...

That would be a different forum. :party:

[Motorhead350]

Been looking at the wiring diagrams..

You say the brake lights don't work at all, and the hazards blow the fuse as soon as you engage the switch.

Do the turn signals work? Please check all four corners...

The turning signal will blow the fuse as easily as the hazard lights.

No brake lights at all.

The dealer did not work on it. I might try again this weekend, but I wasted many hours on this. I have lots to do and this must be a simple issue... that's the worst feeling.

[clintons4]

I kinda glanced at all the stuff that was mentioned. The first thing I would check would be the bulb sockets to make sure they are not all funky and crusty in the tail lights. But, I had an older crown vic that did this same crap. Now I don't know if our setup on the Marauder compressor is the same as the model year CV I had but I checked continuity on the 2 pins of the AC field coil and replaced the compressor and it fixed the problem. Why, who the hell knows....but it worked.

Isn't the ABS connected to the same circuit? That wiring might be something worth looking into. :twocents:

[vegasmarauder]

When you unplugged the connectors in the left kick panel you effectively eliminated all the wiring/bulbs from the front doors back so the problem is in your FRONT turn signals or multifunction switch.

Pull the side lights. Remove the bulbs from the sockets. Look at them. I have had a bulb go bad and the piece of wire ended up across the filliments inside the bulb and made a short to ground. Unplug the left kick panel connectors again and leave unplugged. Try a new fuse and turn on the switch with the bulbs out and connectors unplugged. If the fuse blows you definately have a wiring or multifuntion switch issue.

If the fuse does not blow, plug back in the left kick panel connectors only (no bulbs in front) and try it again. If you get flashing rear lights, the problem is in the front bulbs or their sockets.

I have a strong suspicion the multifunction switch you have/got is shorted inside. That is the most common cause. Also take a quick look at the wires around the LCM plugs. The are above the gas pedal and can get damaged easily.

Good luck..

[Motorhead350]

This helps too.

Thank you!

[Motorhead350]

About to do this.

BTW where is the multifunction switch?

EDIT: I hope I do not have to deal with that...

[Roadwarrior]

Dom, the multi-function switch is your turn signal/ high beam-low beam switch-flash to pass for the headlights & I think the 4 way hazard switch all in one unit on the steering column.

[Motorhead350]

X5sGqSRJHPc

WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO I FINALLY GOT IT!!!

EVERYTHING IS FIXED!!!!!

Ok so what happened? Thanks to yjmud's (Eric) way of thinking (what did you F with last time) this is what did the trick. Remember a few weeks back when I thought I needed a clock spring, but it was just a bad wire? I took the steering council plastic off to see what's with the multifunction switch. Turns of my dumbass had a lower screw going right into the wiring for the turning signal! That explains the bad ground. I took the screw out, taped it up and was good to go.

The brake light was tricky. I kept using butt connectors and nothing worked. A few times the wires touched the brake petal while I was trying to hook it up, causing a spark due to my aftermarket steel petals. I kept rewiring them and nothing was working.... the turning signals went out too.

After a little more trial and error I wired everything the best I could, checked for a flown fuse (probably from the wires touching the petal) changed 2 fuses and everything works fine again.

I might hook up the kill switch again sometime and the Caddy horns, but right now I just wanna drive. I am tired of looking at wiring.

:banana:

Special thanks to you guys.

Thank you all.

BTW I work best on 2-3 hours of sleep. I am not sure why. The productive side comes out and the "poor me" goes out with the garbage.

[RF Overlord]

WTG, Dom...glad it's solved.

[J-MAN]

Glad to help.