Okay...so every time i turn my key to "run", i blow my guages fuse....even with the guages unplugged. Hooked up the multimeter, and it says it's running anywhere from 20-30 amps, which it should be less than 10. The guages have been going funky every time i step on the brakes...not all the time...just sometimes. I got under my dash, and took everything apart, but i can't find anything that might be a problem. I've got an aftermarket pioneer deck, and a python alarm, that i didn't hook up, so i'm not sure if they are hooked up right or not. Just wondering if anyone has any ideas(and i mean any) on where to keep looking....i'm stuck. I'll post up some pics later, so you can see the mess i look at every time i look under there....

Any help is appreciated
Thanks

 

do a continuity test to ground? or find the wire and follow it to see if its been spliced?

 

The GAUGES circuit powers a lot more than just the instrument cluster:

 

if this problem started when the stereo was installed make sure someone did not use the brown dashlite wire at the stereo for a ground i have seen that before with the same problem you described

 

Alright, well, i'm still having a problem with it. I put everything back together, cause i thought i had it fixed, but i obviously don't. I checked all the radio wires, and they are all hooked up right. For some reason...it doesn't happen all the time. I've noticed that it does happen when i'm running high RPM, or sometimes...not all the time...when i step on the brakes. It usually happens more when the engine is warm too...

Any solutions, or ways to figure out the solution would be of help.

Thanks

 

Here is how you check whats up.

First, make sure all of your buttons and switches are in off position. Turn the radio off or take the face plate off.
Than turn to ON position with the key.

If you blow a fuse than you know that something is grounding itself.

If not go through one button/switch at the time and once it pops you know what it is!

If u do blow the fuse with everything off than its gotta be a simple wire mistake.

There are things that turn on with when you put the key in.
Gauges, lights, radio.

So, I would have to assume that your radio might be the problem.
If not that check and see that wiring diagram. Follow the wire. It can either be stripped at the firewall, at the connection. See if there are any unusual bends on the wires (the whole loom).
If everything is OK than check if something was badly wired, such as your stereo, or any other equipment that u installed.

Hope this helps.

Laters.

 

See, it doesn't usually blow right away anymore...now it's after driving for about 10 minutes...and the engine is warmed up. It blows right away if I get on it at all....but if i'm just driving around town and driving like a "good driver"....then it doesn't usually blow...except sometimes when i step on the brakes...

I'm lost...i donno what it is.

I took the fuse out, hooked the multi-meter up in it's place...i'm gonna start driving around, and watching for it to spike....hopefully that might help me narrow it down...

 

Ok, this is pretty simple than,

Its most likely a stripped wire that grounds itself when its moved around.

Just go around and look for a loose wire.

Since you are blowing the gauge fuse than u know that its something on that circuit.

Take the picture posted here and follow all the wirest that are in the circuit.

Still make sure none of the switches are turned on though.

 

If you are saying it happens sometimes when you hit the brakes I would look in that area for a bare wire that could be shorting out