Acc Fuse blown new father/son project - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

oldmoparbuff · 08-13-2009, 04:48 PM

New to F-bodies and new to forum, lurking for a couple of weeks now.
This forum contains a huge amount of information.
It was this forum that allowed me and my son to purchase a 1991 Formula.
This car will be a much better starting point for my son's first car because of the info here.

Car was in unknown condition when we purchased it. Interior very nice. Car is unmolested for the most part. for $450 I expected some issues.
I did get the engine running and a bunch of other pidly repairs done.

Todays issue is that the Acc 20 amp fuse blows.
I measured a dead short on the load side of the fuse terminal.
I pulled the covering off of the harness and the solid orange wire shows sign of getting hot-insulation damage. I have traced this wire as far as the column where my access is limited. I have disconnected all lamps in this circuit. I'm sure the orange wire needs to be replaced. my Haynes manual shows the following lamps are in this circuit: Map lights, Right and Left Courtesy lights, Glove box light, Right and Left dr jam switches and a light switch. I am assuming the light switch is part of the dash dimmer switch. I did find a valid schematic online.

I have 2 choices:
- Pull dash out and find the short.
- run a new wire to door locks, courtesy lamps.

Any help would be appreciated.
Anything else on this circuit?
Best place to find junctions where this wire comes together in the harness?
A better schematic?
I hate to blindly cut the wire and sub another in.

Thanks All.

Update: found that the passenger side door lock switch is stuck in the contact position. I believe this to be the original problm that caused the wire to get hot. Unfortunatly with the switch removed there is still a short.

84ws689bird · 08-13-2009, 05:38 PM

I believe tha cigarette lighter is also on this circuit and thay are known to go bad. remove the two screws that hold in the lighter assembly and disconnect the wire from the back. then try replaceing the fuse. hopefully this works for you like it did for me. I replaced mine with one from the parts store. P.S. the door lock circuits are on a different fuse and wire.