#8 fuse in the interior fuse block keeps popping. This is the parking lights/instrument lights/lisence plate light fuse. I've unplugged most of the things that this fuse supplies, but I'm still pulling 40A of current! I found a 30A fuse in there when it is supposed to take a 10A fuse... So its obviously been there before, and it has been ok since I bought it about 6 months ago...

I've unplugged all of the tail lights and front marker lights (all of which were corroded, cleaned up now, no help), lisence plate light bulbs, instrument panel, clock, heater control, radio, hazard light switch, rear defog switch, dimmer control, and I'm still popping fuses.

The only thing I have left to check as far as parts go, are "light on warning unit" (have no idea where that is), the "DIM DIP relay" (have no idea where that is), and the lighting relay (have no idea where that is).

Anyone have any suggestions? TIA

 

My guess (just got out of the electricity class for my automotive major) is that somewhere within that circuit, its grounding out and drawing way too much current. When the circuit got overloaded the first time and a larger fuse was used, too much current was allowed to flow through and there may be damage to the units, lights and such, running off of this circuit. Grab a wiring diagram, and a beer, maybe like 6, cus you're gonna have to go through the circuit till you find the problem. Just noticed you did a lot of that, but check the wires themselves as some of them may have managed to fuse together. Hope this helps. Good luck

 

Yeah, I got a couple wiring diagrams off of CRXSi.com, but I'm used to using a service manual where I can go to find out where most of the parts are. All I have from CRXSi.com is the diagrams themselves...

The biggest problem for me is, that fuse supplies quite a bit of stuff, literally from the front of the car to the rear, and I have no clue where to even start to look for a short... Thats why I've been lazy and tried to disconnect everything that should use the current from that fuse, but I guess it is somewhere in the wiring.

 

go and take out all of your bulbs. check to see if the fuse still pops. If it does, one of the wires leading back to the fuse box is shorted. If not, add bulbs, one at a time till the fuse blows. which ever light caused the fuse to blow, is the circuit that needs to be checked. then remove all of the bulbs. and use a hand held meter to check the SOCKET for the bulb. One side should be at 0 v and one side should be 12 v. if they both read 0, then that is the problem. PM if you need more help. good luck. electrical problems are a bitch. PS stock up on 10A fuses to test with. With a short it will blow the fuse quickly and protect the rest of the system.

 

Yeah, I pulled everything that the fuse was powering, so its obviously in a connector or a wire. I've been using 20A fuses because the 30A fuses take a little bit, then pop.

Electrical is FUN!!! I don't know what you're talking about man

 

mine was doin that a long time ago, ended up being the "illumination" wire coming off the stock harness for the head unit. who woulda guessed! took me forever to find it though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1boostedhybrid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">go and take out all of your bulbs. check to see if the fuse still pops. If it does, one of the wires leading back to the fuse box is shorted. If not, add bulbs, one at a time till the fuse blows. which ever light caused the fuse to blow, is the circuit that needs to be checked. then remove all of the bulbs. and use a hand held meter to check the SOCKET for the bulb. One side should be at 0 v and one side should be 12 v. if they both read 0, then that is the problem. PM if you need more help. good luck. electrical problems are a bitch. PS stock up on 10A fuses to test with. With a short it will blow the fuse quickly and protect the rest of the system.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ha, I just got done taking that course last semester!!! Also IF you still can't find it by increasing the load on the circuit, then pick up a "short finder". Basically it looks like a little meter, and to run it over top of wires, one there is a break in the wire or short, the needle will stop moving, and you found the short. Best of luck!!!!

 

That sounds like a pretty handy device lol. Know a place off hand where I can get one? Thanks.

 

It maybe something as simple as a bad ground, quick check , clean all terminals that supply either ground or voltage .

 

i agrre with this..... used to install car stereo.... common problem!

 

Yep. Its the illumination wire. Orange wire from the stereo harness. Common problem, easy fix.

 

There is no GUARANTEE that its the illumination wire. Any wire that carries current before the load can short out. The CD player has been in there since before I bought it 6 months ago, and never had a problem.

I don't know what I did, but everything is working fine now. If I ever find out what it was, I'll post it for the archives. They helped me quite a bit.

 

I have the same exact problem. Dont know here to start. Guess ill try that illumination wire then check all the wires. Is this a common problem?

 

I've been told by quite a few people to check the illumination wire, but wasn't my problem. I took out the brake lights first and put in another fuse. I kept pulling things that were on that circuit and kept blowing fuses, so it was obviously something to do with the wiring. I went through about 20 fuses... But I would do it again if I had the problem again. Just pull what you think would cause it, put in another fuse, if it blows, go to something else...

 

My problem ended up being the illumination wire grounding out. Thanks for the help!

 

Hehe. Glad you found it!

 

I also have the same problem with my std civic, the kid who had it before wired it up for a SI engine, the fuse that blows actucally has a wire tapped into it and runs somewhere up to the dash. Everything works except for lights behind air/heater controls and license plate light. It will do for now but will be a good project in my advanced electrical class this spring. I hate electrical ****. Hope I don't get pulled over for no license plate light until i get it fixed in class since it will count towards my grade. Sohc ZC power now, turbo in time.....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civicflow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hope I don't get pulled over for no license plate light until i get it fixed in class since it will count towards my grade. Sohc ZC power now, turbo in time.....</TD></TR></TABLE>
good luck

 

Why thank you, I've driven the car for over a year with no plate light and had no problems, yet.

 

Whenever I blew my fuse, my running lights went out too... I'm lucky I didn't get pulled over on the way home

 

holy hell, I just went through my electrical system at school. The kid that had the car before me did a crap job. There was about 5 splices coming from grounds and power wires under my dash hood. Before, my heater control lights and license plate lights didn't work. I went and hooked all the wires back up how they should have been. now i don't have any dash lights at all. Me and my teacher tried to find out why i had no dash lights but couldn't find it. Everything seems to have power and all the grounds seem good. I dont know what is wrong. my license plate lights still don't work but they could just be burnt out, i didn't have time to test them. Who knows. Next week my teacher said we will look at it again. Maybe i need a new instrument panel. not sure. If we can't fix it next week then i might just try a used one. Any suggestions. i'm stumped.

 

Thank the archives! i had the exact same problem, installed the stereo myself and found that there was a wire that i should have shielded. just so happened that it found itself a nice resting spot somewhere, blowing out my fuses.