Fuse 11 keeps blowing?

[mrgrim333]

So my fuse 11 keeps blowing.
No radio, interior lights, keypad, clock... No luxury.

It just started happening recently out of the blue.
I was driving home one night, and POP. Radio cuts off.
Check it out, 15 amp fuse I had in there is blown.
Put another in, almost blows immediatly.
20 amp, pop.
30 amp... Well, I went into home depot for 10 minutes after I put it in, came back out and my car was kinda smokey. Think the smoke was from the fuse pin melting off.

Anyhoo, I know I have a bad ground somewhere, but any recommendations as to where to start looking? The radio isn't a new install, things been in there for 2+ years.

I did recently have my alternator replaced because it died.
One thing that is kinda quirky I noticed the other day with a flat, my etac blinks with the flashers?

Ideas oh wise sho'wners?

 

[BasedBidoof]

check the altnator connections, also battery connections. Weird things happen when those get messed up. Maybe check up under the steering wheel for anything visibly wrong, like stripped wires stuff like that.
Also do you have a custom amp with that headunit?

 

[rubydist]

you have a serious short somewhere. the only way to find it is to trace wires until you find it. look in those areas that go dark when the fuse is blown. its not fun, it often takes a lot of time, and there is no way to do it over the internet.

and NEVER put a 30 A fuse in place of a 15 A fuse!!! all you will do is create more problems in the area of the short (e.g. make more shorts...)

 

[FREAK_SHO]

Just for fun, pull the instrument panel bezel loose and check the headlamp rotory switch wire harness for and short or melted look.

 

[boat]

Agreed. Yeah, never ever put in a larger fuse than what is called for. Bad things can happen, like your car potentially to go up in smoke. Electricity will take the least path of resistance.

I was just troubleshooting my fog light circuit on my blue 94, found a 20 amp fuse in the holder for the fog lights and it was blown. 15 amp was what it called for. When I got the car 2 years ago, the headlight switch didn't work, found a burnt wire in two behind the switch. Also found someone did the fog light/parking light mod, but didn't cap off the wire they cut off. It probably burnt the wire apart at the switch and blew that fuse.

you have a serious short somewhere. the only way to find it is to trace wires until you find it. look in those areas that go dark when the fuse is blown. its not fun, it often takes a lot of time, and there is no way to do it over the internet.

and NEVER put a 30 A fuse in place of a 15 A fuse!!! all you will do is create more problems in the area of the short (e.g. make more shorts...)

 

[FREAK_SHO]

What did you discover in your electrical quest?

 

[mrgrim333]

Today I tore out my radio, put in a new fuse. Fusewas fine, lights all came ion... Until I shut my door. Instantly blew. Dafuq. Where should I start looking?

 

[Dirk37]

Pull the radio back out and check the wires going to it (The yellow and red wires are power), sounds like when you took it out that moved an exposed wire away from where it was shorting, then when you shut the door that jostled it back into a location where it's shorting.

While you're in there I'd recommend you inspect all the wires for melted/damaged insulation

 

[kevinspann]

The switch in the door jamb, and it's wiring, and the wiring loom going into the door would be the first places to check.

See if you can disconnect that door jamb switch (it's on the front of the door jamb) and see what it does then.

 

[rubydist]

yeah, I'd start in the door. I don't think you slammed the door hard enough to move wires around in the dash.

But when you closed the door, you did actuate the switch in the door jamb. And to close the door, you rotated that big connector in the door, which carries power to the windows, locks, etc. Those are places I would start looking.

 

[mrgrim333]

Stereo was left out. I never put it back in when that fuse blew.
Yeah, I'll definitely start checking at the door, but my wonder is this, what if when the lights go off, it blows because there's too much load on the line, like a bad regulation of power? *shrugs*
I'll start at the door lol

 

[artsho]

I had a similar problem, here's what I found: Remove the inner fender on the drivers side...(Plastic insert) In there you will find a plug which has a plastic cap installed it is for driving lights (Canada has day time driving lights) Remove the plastic cap, Mine was full of water. Blow out moisture and all should be fine. I cut the plug off and installed heat shrink to each wire to protect from future issues.... Hope this helps

 

[Storm-Chaser]

First, as others have stated, never put in a higher-amp fuse for any reason. Some years back I was asked to troubleshoot a Mustang that would not start, after the car had been in a front-end collision. Found a blown fuse, replaced it, and it blew almost immediately. Did it a second time. Told the guy I would be back the next day with wiring diagrams, more fuses, test light and a few other things. Show up the next day to find his uncle trying to troubleshoot it. He was trying to "smoke it out" - that is, use a higher rated fuse and look for smoke to find the location of the short. He almost torched the Mustang, and in the process FRIED the ECM and Ignition modules.

Second, from your list of affected components, the circuit you're blowing is a "lighted" circuit - that is, one that carries power to light things in and on the car. This includes the lighted keyring around the door lock cylinder as well as a switch in the door latch that activates the Keyless Entry cycle - the one that turns on the dome light, keypad light, door lock cylinder light, etc., when you lift either front door exterior door handle.

Third, the fact that you blew/melted a fuse while the car wasn't running meant you had a short-to-ground in an "Always Hot" circuit (ie. always has 12+ battery power). You're lucky it melted the fuse, versus other wires in the harness. And you may find at some point, that the Keyless Entry system prevent your car from catching on fire - not the fuse that melted. Remember, it times-out after so many seconds and turns-off power to those "lighted" items. Had that circuit not "timed-out", you might have heard, "would the owner of the red Taurus please come to the Customer Service Desk. Your car is on fire..."

So my fuse 11 keeps blowing.
No radio, interior lights, keypad, clock... No luxury.

It just started happening recently out of the blue.
I was driving home one night, and POP. Radio cuts off.
Check it out, 15 amp fuse I had in there is blown.
iPut another in, almost blows immediatly.
20 amp, pop.
30 amp... Well, I went into home depot for 10 minutes after I put it in, came back out and my car was kinda smokey. Think the smoke was from the fuse pin melting off.

Anyhoo, I know I have a bad ground somewhere, but any recommendations as to where to start looking? The radio isn't a new install, things been in there for 2+ years.

I did recently have my alternator replaced because it died.
One thing that is kinda quirky I noticed the other day with a flat, my etac blinks with the flashers?

Ideas oh wise sho'wners?

yeah, I'd start in the door. I don't think you slammed the door hard enough to move wires around in the dash.

But when you closed the door, you did actuate the switch in the door jamb. And to close the door, you rotated that big connector in the door, which carries power to the windows, locks, etc. Those are places I would start looking.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

The door jam switch is a "normally open" switch. When you open the door, the switch actually closes and completes the circuit, turning on the interior lights and lighting other items. I do not think it is that switch, unless there is a short between the positive wire going to the door jam switch and some other adjacent wire in that harness in the A-pillar.

The first thing I would do, is to separate the door harness at the large round connector in the driver's door jam. Take a razor blade or very thin-tip flat blade screwdriver and gently pry-off the black rubber cap on the top of the connector. Then back-out the screw that holds the male/female connectors together, using a 10mm mid-length socket. This will isolate the electrically powered items in the door, allowing you to quickly determine if you have an interior harness short.

With the door harness isolated from the vehicle, then see if you can replicate the problem (ie. blow the #11 fuse). If it still blows, the problem is inside the car. If it doesn't, the problem is inside the door.

If the problem cannot be replicated, pull the door panel and disconnect every connector inside the door. Then re-connect the large round connector in the door jam. Next, reconnect every connector inside the door, one at a time, retesting after every item reconnected. First, connect the single wire going to the door latch assembly, then try to replicate the fault. Try several times. Open and close the door harder than normal and lift the door handle multiple times, etc. If it does not blow the fuse, connect the next item in that harness and try to replicate the fault again. Continue to repeat that cycle, one connector at a time.

If the problem is in the door, at some point you will start blowing fuses again. But don't assume its just that last item you just connected. The problem could be a harness short between that circuit and another circuit in the door that you've already tested as "good".

That's why labor quotes for wiring problems are generally high - because it is a very time consuming process of elimination, often requiring the connecting/disconnecting of numerous connectors and harnesses, continuity testing of harnesses and components, and other techniques until the location/component is isolated.


:scared:

 

[rubydist]

which is also why one cannot do electrical troubleshooting over the internet...

 

[Storm-Chaser]

For someone that's inexperienced, looking at an electrical issue like this can easily seem overwhelming. I wonder how many vehicles end-up getting sold for scrap for this very reason - getting quoted xx hours of labor at $110 or more per hour is enough to send many older vehicle to the salvage yard. And for those that at least try fixing it themselves before surrendering to that decision, opening-up a wire loom to then see that confusing bundle of wires is likely to be the last-nail-in-the-coffin.

Every Contour SVT that I've seen in at least the last four years has *not* been wrecked. More than a few with sections of the rear engine harness partially rewired. In one case, someone had completely redone that rear harness - ALL with black wire.

The point is to provide a basic methodology that turns a "I just want to put my fist through that damn door window-glass about now..." level of frustration, into a "well, this is going to take a while..." project where there is some sense of being able to complete the task.

Even a nearly 30 year-old design such as the Taurus/Sable platform has wire harnesses that can contain 20, 30, 40 or more wires in portions of the engine and underdash harnesses. Having a metholodogy that allows isolation of portions of the suspect harness can turn a multi-month project into a few weekends or even hours of work.

Look at how many vehicle service manuals have very detailed, step-by-step trouble-shooting sections for problems such as this. They detail what to test, what order to test, how to test, and the expected outcome of each test.

Second, how often due issues that appear to be electrical-shorts, end-up being specific component issues. For example...

Many Ford vehicles have tail/turn/hazard lights issues tied to the multifunction switch. That issue has been posted here more than a few times. Many GMs have similar problems tied to the turn-signal ring in the GM multi-piece design. I've rebuilt three such columns in the last two months for this very problem.

Its all about having a plan-of-attack, a methodology in where to start and what to look at.

And for the inexperienced, getting some information on how to tackle such a problem can turn a frustrating "experience" into a manageable project.


:banghd:

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Since you're going to do this yourself, you're going to need a bunch of fuses. Go to the salvage yard a pull a bunch of the correct amperage fuses.

Also, buy a few of the EasyID fuses made by Bussmann




Bussmann 15A EasyID 10-pack - Amazon.com


These fuses have an LED embedded into the fuse that lights-up when the fuse blows. Don't start using these, as they are more expensive than standard fuses - currently $16.09 for 10 on Amazon. It makes it real easy to see the fuse is blown without pulling the fuse - especially at night.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Also, you said you're blowing Fuse #11. For the 94/95 SHO, circuit #11 shows the following:

• 20 Amp
• Hot in acc./run
• radio; premium sound amplifier; power antenna motor; redundant radio switch

The "Hot in acc./run" means there should only be power to that fuse when the ignition key is in the "Accessories" position or "Run" position. Using an EasyID fuse when there is no power (ie. key "Off"), will let you know if you have a short to another harness wire.

It would help if you posted the trim-level/options on your SHO, since there are differences in the harnesses depending on year and vehicle options. For example - 1992/MTX/base model (50/50 seats, no keyless, no moonroof, etc.)

Here's a .pdf file for the fuse panel (it also shows a 20A fuse for #11)

1992 Ford Taurus LX Fuse Panel


Also, have you/anyone done any work inside the door - change speakers, window motor, etc. ?

 

[projectSHO89]

Get a short circit detector, http://www.amazon.com/Tool-Aid-2510...357574&sr=8-1&keywords=short+circuit+detector

It will make your task much simpler by allowing you to focus on the particular branch of the circuit where the short is located.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

If it works as good as the reviews state, this will be a great tool. I'll probably order one when I place my next big tool order.

mrgrim333 - if you order this, please post back how well it works/worked.