The fuse in my bird is blowing immediately (as soon as I put in new one). It controls my dash lights, rear driving lights, and headlight motors. Does anyone have a wiring diagram (clear one) or know how I can go about fixing this problem? Do I have to buy a bulk pack of fuses and keep putting them in very time I think I have fixed the problem or can I hook up a meter or something across the gap, etc.

 

You got a short in there somewhere. No point in wasting $$$ on fuses that wil constantly blow. The holy book haynes has some pretty good chassis diagrams. Break out your DVM & hnt that sucker down.

 

One thing to try is to remove the cigarette lighter. They are known to short out and blow the fuse. IIRC is is the same that has the dash lights on it.

If that doesn't fix it take a blown fuse and a small interior or dash light bulb. Wire the bulb across the fuse terminals and plug it into place.

As long as the short exists the bulb will illuminate. Now it is a matter of moving the harness around while observing the bulb. Can disconnect the headlight motors and see if that makes the bulb go out. Just a matter of tracking it down.

RBob.

 

Something else I have heard of people doing is wire a turn signal unit just like RBob described. That way, you aren't constantly running power through something that can potentially start a fire, but still know if there is a short by listening to the clicking sound.

 

i would quickly assume it was the headlight motors. It is the first thing that is likely go and cause a problem. Stuck in a load position. My rear hatch release did that. It ran forever.

Unplugs the headlight motors. I bet the fuse wont blow.
Fix or get new motors / just leave them up all the time / do one of the many headlight mods with them closed to 1/4 of the way open.

 

I had a problem with my hatch motor such that the armature was compressed so hard by the casing that it couldn't move... it just blew the fuse. So definitely give those headlight motors a check.

 

I unhooked the headlight motors and it made no difference. The wire that is grounding out has to be on the circuit for that one fuse only correct? I looked at the haynes wiring diagram but it's not too clear on what wires are hooked onto this circuit. The fuse is labelled "tail lt" yet my headlight motors and Dash display lights are not working as well. Does anyone know where on the car these wires are routed so that I can start tracing them? Thanks

 

Go here and check out the wiring schematics, they should help you.

http://92b4crs.tripod.com/86wiring/86wiringindex.html


The Trickster!!!!!!!!!

 

I need a little help here. Looking at the schematic labelled "front marker" in the exterior lights section, it says the 20A Tail Fuse is hot at all times. Does this mean that if I take my meter and measure the voltage across the fuse block it will always measure 12V if the car is turned on or not? Or should it measure 0V?

 

That is correct, there is power to that fuse at all times. There is also power available to all of your lights all the time, examples are: open door; dome light and light under dash, underhood light. open hatch and cargo light, push brake pedal and brake lights and all with the engine off and no key in the ignition.

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Had/Have the same issue on my 91 RS. Here's what I have found over the past month trying to track the issue down atleast on mine.

I've replaced every bulb on the car (except the Headlights). I've replaced the headlight switch (be careful on this one...if the switch isnt lined up perfectly again...the arm will not catch back into the switch. 3 hours of real frustration here). It seems that the short comes and goes (such as a wire grounding out when i hit a bump).

Heres one interesting thing i found however, and Im not sure how it relates. When the lights are on, and the fuse doesn't blow, if Im listening to AM radio, I get a ton of static. As soon as the fuse blows...no static.

To answer your question though about what is on the circuit, the tail lights, parking lights, dash lights, lights behind the radio and heat/AC panel, ashtray light, and the convience panel (or so Im told...lights on buzzer/horn relay/hazard flasher).

Havent tried the cig lighter yet, however I think that is on the same circuit too.

If I find the short this coming weekend, ill let you know.

Sorry not sure if this helped, however I feel your pain.

 

ha my brother had the same problem with his ta. i turned out to be something with the aftermarket radio. but check all of the wires on that circiut to! it will be a pain but in the long run youall be glad ya did it.