Hey guys, got a 88 trans am gta thats giving me hell. I was driving in some pretty heavy rain, dont know if that has something to do with it or if it was a concidence but I went to put my headlights down when I arrived at work and they stuck up. I did some looking and my "tail" 20 amp fuse was blown. I replaced the fuse and the headlights gone ahead and went down, and I thought problem solved but its not. When I go to turn on my running lights, it blows the fuse in less than a second. I unplugged the headlightmotors and it continues to do this. It takes out my dash lights and everything. Just as long as the headlights are up when it pops, the headlights will work but not the motors. I also have no dash lights or running lights when this happens. The only lights I have are brake lights and headlights. What is wrong? I do alot of night driving and need this fixed asap so I dont get a ticket or rearended.

 

Do you have Fog Lights? And do they work at all? I am looking at the electrical diagram and the 20 amp tail fuse is inline of a short if one of the fog light wires short out. Also one feed goes from the 20 amp tail fuse to the Headlight switch, and the other to your "PARKING LIGHT SWITCH". Might be a short in one of your parking light bulb holders. It's a Stretch, however it happened in my 89 bird...Can also be you got water in your underhood electrical center...WATER is nasty when it comes to Shorts and Grounds.... I would check the fog lights, if you have them working, your parking lights and the UEC for water.

 

My fog lights dont work and never had for me, the lenses are gone and the bulbs broken out so I just leave the switch off. Where is that underhood electrical center? Is there any way I could start doing diagnostics on it?

 

Well I put a new fuse in it today and it worked fine for a couple hours, I would pop the headlights every now and then to see if it was working, but tonite when I actually needed them, I hit the button and pop everything went out except the damned reliable headlights. All my bulbs are good, my turn signals, hazards, brake and hazard lights all still work when the fuse is blown too. I have one of the rear side marker lights out but it has been ever since I got the car. On my driver information center, it beeps and says "f lamp" and then "r lamp", what does that mean? Is there a common place that these short out?

 

Is your fog light switch turned on?Since the lens are gone water could have gotten in there causing your problem.The headlights work because the circuit for them separates from the rest of the dash/marker/tailights.

 

No the fog lights dont work and never have, I unhooked them underneath the car just to make sure they arent the problem. Any other suggestions?