Need help to figure out why my 10A fuse on passenger side fuse box that is labeled courtesy light and license light keeps blowing out on me! I've already replaced and check all bulbs in front and rear. Apparently this fuse also brings on my tail lights and instrument cluster, which dose not work either. I've tried using a circuit breaker 10A (jumper) to help to try and help me locate short, however as soon as I turn the switch for lights the breaker closes right away. Any help, thoughts, or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

You have to find everything on that circuit and start disconnecting things and looking for broken loose wires that could be touching ground.

 

Thanks for the info holmesnmanny! I've disconnected the two front parking lights and put them on my 2001 Accord Lx and they work fine. I also disconnected the rear tail lights and connected them to my 2001 Accord and they worked fine. I also disconnected the passenger side vanity mirror. Any suggestions on where I could find a diagram or a list on everything on that circuit? Also when I bought the car I had to replace the ignition switch, but everything worked fine after that. I'm just frustrated that it is probably something so simple and I can't figure it out.

 

When you had those part disconnected, did you check the wires on the car "with issues" to see if you had a ground issue on the power wire?

Is there an aftermarket radio in the car....if you pull the hazard switch and turn on the lights does it trip the breaker/blow the fuse, glove box light,

 

So I pulled the hazard switch from the dash and the my 10a breaker (jumper) POPS as soon as a flip on the light (one click). I have not tried disconnecting my glove box light.

 

What trim level is your 98 Accord (LX, EX, etc.)?

 

It is a LX

 

To try to narrow down the areas of the short, unplug the 20P light green connector (# 21 in the image) at the rear of the driver's side under-dash fuse box. First photo is front, second image is rear.

Turn on the headlights, does the fuse still blow?

 

Tecc8

I did as instructed. My "jumper" did not pop. I plugged back in and tried again. This time it did not not pop and I had tail-lights, parking lights, and instrument cluster was on. I left on for 3-5 minutes and still was working. I turned everything off for awhile, double checked all connections and finally turned switch again only to have it fail. I repeated the process again this time, it popped with 20p light green connector . Back to square 1.

 

You're not back at square one. There are many components that can blow that fuse if there is a short. That was a test to narrow down some of the components. I will get back to you later in the afternoon tomorrow to progress further.

 

1. If the fuse did not blow in the previous test (unplugging the 20P connector at location 21), and headlights are turned on, then the Red/Blk wire going to the following components and the components can be ruled out for the area of the short.

• Right Front Parking Light
• Right Front Turn Signal/Side Marker Light
• Driver’s Vanity Mirror Light
• Front Passenger’s Vanity Mirror Light
• Clock
• Hazard Warning Switch

2.With the 20P connector (location 21) plugged back in for the following tests, do these individually and then turn on the headlights afterward in each test. If no change, plug connector back in and move on to next test. You can do the following unplugging of connectors in any order you wish.

Unplug the 22P connector at location 17, and then turn on the headlights. If the fuse doesn’t blow, the short may be at the Red/Blk wire to the heater control unit or the optional security unit; or there is a short in the component.

Unplug the 18P connector at location 14… If the fuse doesn’t blow, Red/Blk wire or the Radio, or A/T Gear Position Console Light may have the short.

Unplug the 20P connector at location 4 (front of fuse box)… If the fuse doesn’t blow, Red/Blk wire or the Left Front Parking Light, or Left Front Turn Signal/Side Marker Light may have the short.

Unplug the 18P connector at location 13… If the fuse doesn’t blow, Red/Blk wire or the Gauge Assembly, or Cruise Control Main Switch, or Moonroof Switch (EX models) may have the short.

Unplug the 10P connector at location 11 (front of fuse box)… If the fuse doesn’t blow, Red/Blk wire or any of the following may have the short.

• License Plate Light
• Trailer Lighting Connector (inside trunk area)
• Left Inner Taillight
• Right Inner Taillight
• Left Brake Light/Outer Taillight
• Right Brake Light/Outer Taillight

Glove Box Light

 

Tech8

I did as instructed starting from the top of list. Here are my results:
22P connector at location 17 - fuse did not blow at one or two clicks. I had chime, front parking lights, tail lights, license light, but no instrument cluster lights. Plugged back in.

18P connector at location 14 - fuse did not blow at one or two clicks. I had chime, front parking lights, tail lights, license light and instrument cluster lights. Plugged back in.

20P connector at location 4 - fuse did not blow at one or two clicks. I had chime, only front passenger parking lamp, license light, tail lights, and instrument cluster lights. Plugged back in.

18P connector at location 13 - fuse did not blow at one or two clicks. I had chime, front parking lights, tail lights, license light, but no instrument cluster. Plugged back in.

10P connector at location 11 - fuse did not blow at one or two clicks. NO chime, front parking lights, tail lights, license light, instrument cluster lights. Plugged back in.

Tried one and two clicks immediately after all were plugged back in and everything worked. I went back out three hours later and tried one click, it worked ...I had instrument cluster, front parking lights, tail lights, I gave it a minute, then turned another click for full lights and everything worked, gave it a minute. Turned everything off, waited for a minute and started the car up. Turned one click and fuse blew.
Being that the fuse did not blow on any of the connectors disconnected it could be any of the listed components? I examined every connector I pulled on the back and on the front of fuse box and they looked fine to me.
I am determined to get this fixed, so any more suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

It sounds like the short can be intermittent and occurs with the car running.

It can be a component causing the short or there is a a short between the Red/Blk illumination wire and another wire when the car is running or ignition turned to ON. This time, individually unplug the connectors mentioned in no. 2 of my previous post, then the ignition to ON (car not running) and turn on the head light and see if the fuse blows. The car may not fully operate with the connector unplugged; but, see if the fuse blows.

If no difference, trying it with the car running.

 

This is single handedly the most useful forum page I've ever found. I'm currently in the process of manual swapping a 99 Accord and ended up grounding one of the parking light wires by accident. This page helped me diagnose the short. I've never seen a diagnostic like this, even the service manual for this car left me short handed.