the fuse keeps blowing

[JDMLegacy]

i have a 1995 legacy lsi automagic (automatic) and it wont shift down to drive without me having to hit the safety release button and when i hit the breaks before hand to put it on drive the horn/break lights fuse pops. ive been reading the haynes book but i still dont know what i could do to fix it i feel like im stealing my own car when i get in

[jg09]

Sounds like your transmission-shift brake interlock circuit. My brother in law's car had problems with this when the wiring from his sound system shorted the sensor wire for the brake pedal switch.

[dplacencia]

Try getting a brake pedal switch.

[JDMLegacy]

awesome thanks guys ill try that and ill let you guys know if its still blowing :razz:

[JDMLegacy]

it worked. it was so hard to put in i had to use one arm to try and squeze in the bottom of the seat but it was worth it now i dont have to worry about getting pulled over. thanks

[Perdue]

ANOTHER WV person??? Where the hell were you all when we did our first annual meet in August??

[jg09]

Woot! I called it! I know how annoying that switch can be when it's not working so I'm aware of how good it must feel to have it fixed!

[JDMLegacy]

yeah, hahah i had no idea they were having it i sorta "just joined" the site, i LOVE my car, this is my first car ever, im actually from Los Angeles but my family is here and my grandpa was sick its a long story but ive been in wv, for about a year, i cant wait for the next one though, il deff. be there



ok i still have a problem, we replaced the break switch, and the fuse, all was well for about 2 weeks i totaly thought it was ok till yesterday i was at work and about to go home (or so i thought) when, THERE I WAS STUCK IN PARK the fuse is blown again and im sad, the switch is the problem im guessin, but there must be some thing causing it to break it was brand new from like auto zone or advanced i cant remember, but that means theres a bigger problem right?


i really thing im going to have to take it to an electrical specilist, which i know will cost me ALOT

can any one help???

i dont know what to do.......

[Grafton]

dunno mate, sounds like a short somewhere, does the horn/break light fuse blow after you've got the car in drive and press the break?
what about other gears?

[AussieDan]

If you're blowing fuse 12 when you step on the brake then you most likely have a short in the white/black wire from the brake switch. This wire runs to the TCU and to the taillights.

Basically you'll need to track down the short. Start by visually inspecting the wire where it comes out of the brake switch, where it goes into the TCU and ABS modules (passenger footwell) and at the taillights. One possible candidate would be at the trunk/hatch where the harness bends when you open/close it.

If you can't find it you'll have to disconnect the circuit and find where it's shorting to ground by testing with a multimeter.

If you need a wiring diagram send me a PM ;)

[JDMLegacy]

the fuse always blows when i either honk the horn or step on the break (which its usually this one) ill look at the wires and see if i can see anything, thankx for you guys's help

[jg09]

Well like I said, somehow my brother-in-law's car had a short caused by the aftermarket CD player. It's rare to have that kind of external influence on the circuit, I'd guess, but it could be something like that on your ride.

[JDMLegacy]

sorry its taken me 20 years to reply, as far as i know every thing in the car is stock, and now my alarm is going all crazy, i need and electrician :( but cant afford one, you know how when ur alarm sounds the lights flash? well, my "alarm" (lights flashing) started going off randomly, i dont have the button to turn my alram off and on, i WAS IN THE CAR and had to get out and unlock the door from the outside, to make it stop, im really bumed there may be more problems than i though, ah! i may need to save a few pay checks and get a few days off (in a row) and take the car up to the ONLY place i can afford its called like "mars" its in morgantown and they do electrical work but i know its gonna be alot of money, i need like 1000 bux :/ any advice? im affraid to mess up the wires so i really dont want to do it myself.

[Zedhead]

Dman, I'm in the wrong business, $1K to troubleshoot an electrical problem?

Try the KISS method first. Go back and double check all the wiring around the brake pedal switch. Make sure everything is making good connex, and no damaged/frayed wires. Then, go to the rear and check the brake light wiring, and bulbs/sockets. Make sure the sockets for the bulbs are clean. Not all rusted/crusty.

Do You have an after market stereo installed?

[Grafton]

MARS?

ever heard of the subie shop in morgantown? is hidden behind the tireshop on the mileground
they might have a good insight onto the problem

[JDMLegacy]

Dman, I'm in the wrong business, $1K to troubleshoot an electrical problem?

Try the KISS method first. Go back and double check all the wiring around the brake pedal switch. Make sure everything is making good connex, and no damaged/frayed wires. Then, go to the rear and check the brake light wiring, and bulbs/sockets. Make sure the sockets for the bulbs are clean. Not all rusted/crusty.

Do You have an after market stereo installed?

every thing is stock and ive looked at the wires nothing visibly wrong and i mean that much becasue the freakin subaru dealer charges 130 bux an hour to fix shit and it could take a few days, that sooo much money and i dunno i know there gonna try and rip me off because im a girl, or there gonna break some thing so i have to come back, because my car is a bit older there gonna think that i would just think it was normal or some thing like "oh some thing else is wrong-fix it" i dunno i wish i had some one i could trust that knew what they were doing,

[JDMLegacy]

MARS?

ever heard of the subie shop in morgantown? is hidden behind the tireshop on the mileground
they might have a good insight onto the problem


yeah ive been there a few times with my dad (hes always had subarus) but there so expensive, (over a 100 bux an hour)

[Zedhead]

Get out the owners manual and go thru the procedure for replacing the brake lights. Just inspect every thing.

[JDMLegacy]

eh so sad, ive read the manuel, and looked at the wires, the manuel says "possible electircal problems take the car to the dealer" :( thanx though.... sounds like that what il have to do... ah

[Zedhead]

If You don't mind getting Your hands dirty, We could prolly figure it out.

Didja go thru the bulbs, inspect for broken/frayed wires, bad bulb bases?

[JDMLegacy]

im going to have to go back through it, its to late to do it today its already getting dark out, im gonna do it on thrusday early because im off, thanx for your help il just have to look again, maybe take some pics so you can see if things look bad, i mean to me it looked ok but i dont really know what to look for :( thanx dude

[Huffer]

Hey Liz, if it's not too cold when you come up, and if I have space in the garage we can potentially check the wiring issue out a bit further.
But try to get it sorted soon, not having brake lights is a potential civil lawsuit situation in an accident.

[JDMLegacy]

Hey Liz, if it's not too cold when you come up, and if I have space in the garage we can potentially check the wiring issue out a bit further.
But try to get it sorted soon, not having brake lights is a potential civil lawsuit situation in an accident.




you are seriously like the nicest guy ever! im not just saying that, you've helped me out so much, its really cool that you even offer, is the 6th of for me to come up? i get paid on the 5th, and i usualy have saturdays off (ive actually arlready told my boss i need the 6th off) i hope its cool with you, im gonna remove the back seats here befor we head up so that there wont be to much hassel when i get to ur place, im looking forward to it!!!


and yeah i know i can get in tons of trouble, ive been so careful im constantly starin in my mirrors to make sure theres no one behinde me, so they dont get to close,

thanx dude

i owe you

[Grafton]

its a long drive trust me...

also tempting to tag along and try to get more parts off of huffer... but alas i am broke and not that good with wiring just computers

[Huffer]

It is def. a long drive... maybe you could rig up a light from the ciggie lighter that just shines RED all the time out the back window. Or have Izik flash a red flashlight over his shoulder!

The 6th should be fine - there's no rush.

[JDMLegacy]

It is def. a long drive... maybe you could rig up a light from the ciggie lighter that just shines RED all the time out the back window. Or have Izik flash a red flashlight over his shoulder!

The 6th should be fine - there's no rush.



HAHA that would be cute wouldnt it?? hah

dude i LOVE the drive to your place, its perfect and 3-4 lanes the whole way, one of the best drives ive taken since moving here, (i love the drive to ny as well) i drove all the way there with no break really, i was having a great time! im glad the 6th is ok, i think my boss is kinda mad about it, were having "pictures with santa" that day (people bring in there dogs to sit with santa!! hah so cute) but if he scheduals me any way IM CALLING OFF hah, seriously though thanx for every thing,


:)

[JDMLegacy]

its a long drive trust me...

also tempting to tag along and try to get more parts off of huffer... but alas i am broke and not that good with wiring just computers



any time you wanna chill its fine with me, i wouldnt mind if you wanted to go, id just leave the back seat in and toss it out a rodgers place (assuming that would be ok ) its fine, just leme know if you'd really like to go

[Grafton]

is huffer going to have an install day? lol

i need to get my swaybar on and those 2pots :D

didn't get to bring the wife last time i went up

there is a part on the way to huffers where the road is closed and you have to get off the 4-lane

the wife and I will come and lend a hand if thats not too much trouble ( i'll bring my beast back up i enjoyed the drive immensely) and it'll get me and the little women some "us" time on the way up and back, i could bring drinks or chips or something and really make a day of it

[Huffer]

:lol:
We could potentially do that, but it's a single car garage that isn't actually mine, I live in an apartment about 10mins away.

Grafton - I have a feeling that you'd be way more capable than myself at installing various items... BTW thanks for your help with the crank pulley. I still haven't put it on! :lol:

I just recently swapped out my 22mm RSB for the stocker. Should really do a comparo with the Cusco RSB and the 04 WRX wagon bar.

[JDMLegacy]

aww i totaly thought that was your house!! haha i had no idea but its a nice house either way! what ever any of you wanna do is fine with me, i dont mind the company but if there isnt room then its cool to, and yeah your town is so nice and clean and so movie like, even more so than some of the places iv seen in LA, kinda creepy how EVERY ONE piles there leaves EXACTLY THE SAME on like the same day and every thing, haha, i was like "uhhh do you see that??"


:) do you guys like plan it?? (i bet you have a town meeting!) lol im kidding though,

[Grafton]

huffer: i would mainly be coming up to bring tools/help diagnose/help fix jdm's fuse problem, only if we got that fixed would i consider working on my own car :D hell we could get your lightweight pulley on while i'm up there as well

[JDMLegacy]

sounds convencing :D (still up to rodger tough)

[Huffer]

huffer: i would mainly be coming up to bring tools/help diagnose/help fix jdm's fuse problem, only if we got that fixed would i consider working on my own car :D hell we could get your lightweight pulley on while i'm up there as well

Shoot, you guys should just meet up in WV, driving all the way up to Ohio just to troubleshoot an electrical bug doesn't sound efficient! But whatever guys... it's going to be hella cold.

[Grafton]

cold garage > really cold outside anyday

[JDMLegacy]

huffer: i would mainly be coming up to bring tools/help diagnose/help fix jdm's fuse problem, only if we got that fixed would i consider working on my own car :D hell we could get your lightweight pulley on while i'm up there as well

Shoot, you guys should just meet up in WV, driving all the way up to Ohio just to troubleshoot an electrical bug doesn't sound efficient! But whatever guys... it's going to be hella cold.



i dont mind if he wants so come, but you know im coming to get your seats, and the exhaust if you still have it... dude i saw on the weather channel there was snow around ur area, did you get much? the guy on the news was like all shivery and pink, hahahaha,

we dont even have to do any thing to my car if you dont want to, id never force you to stay out in the cold just for me, thats so lame, id feel really bad

[Plays_with_Toys]

I'm sure this will get done with huffer, but a multimeter is priceless in a situation like this, I would be using one of those on the different wires and then I'd try it different ways, like trunk open/closed and see if the circuit breaks out. Since the chassis is grounded, it's real easy to take any positive wire and see if it's making a connection to ground. Things of that nature. I hope you can get it sorted as that is definitely dangerous and I'm sure a huge headache.

[JDMLegacy]

multimeter?? i think my dad has one, umm i can ask him, hah its like a yellow box, umm with 2 wires (one on each side) with like clamps on the ends? umm i dont know if this is the same thing, but he used it once to test my battery, is that it?? or am i totally wrong (lol)


:)

[Huffer]

At the very least, I have a spare set of taillights that we can look at to compare wiring... also Grafton basically has the same car as you.

Yes, that little yellow box is a multi-meter. I'm crap with them though, my skillset is not with electrics. I have done a little bit of rewiring in terms of fixing a worn wire but that's about it.

[JDMLegacy]

aw, its ok dude, i mean its not that big of a deal, your really sweet for offering though, but i mean no pressure im not expecing any thing and yeah i googled the mulitmeter and your right its the thing my dad has, i can see if hel let me use it, but i have NO IDEA how it works lol, maybe he has the instructions (doubt it lol)

im still just really happy to have the seats and stuff

[Zedhead]

Hey, I thought I read in another post, that You got a new spoiler?

If so, does it have a high mount brake light? Didja hook it up? Did the problem start right after that?

[JDMLegacy]

i did get one from rodger, but the prob started like 2 months ago (i have no idea how to fix it thats why its still broken) im thinking my brother had something to do with it, one day my tail light was out, so i got a new bulb, the old one didnt come out, and it broke, my bro had to pull it out with plyers, the old one fit in and every thing and worked and looked fine then about 2 days later the fuse was blown, the horn doesnt work, the break lights (both) are out and the car wont move from park (on its own) i asked here what people thought it was, and i changed the break petal switch, that worked, i replaced the fuse and it was ok for 2 weeks, then back to what it is now, nothing works

i looked at the wires, and theres nothing wrong that i can see, even by the bulb so i dont know if that had any thing to do with it, maybe it did, i just realize that now, but it looks good, i also checked the wires by the switch in the front, nothing wrong, that i can see, its all normal,

in installed the spoiler like last week, just drilled it in and pulled the cabled for it throught a large hole that i made, but there not hooked up yet, it deosnt look like there gonna plug in easily they dont seem to fit, il deal with that once i fix the fact that the lights dont work at all

:(


this is a huge headache!

[Zedhead]

I'd suspect that that bulb base is either bad, or the bulb is not inserted properly. Pull that bulb out and inspect the inside of the base.

[JDMLegacy]

will do first thing in the morning, i just got off work and its already dark out...sadly i have no garage or light to use...eh
thanx though, um im gonna take some pics of it, tell me what you think,

[JDMLegacy]

ok so it was raining but i went out there and looked at it any way, it looks fine from what i can see im not even sure what im looking for here are the pics i took,

when we took the bulb out it was all scratched up and we couldnt tell what kind it took so this is what the guy at auto zone gave us to put in



https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/IMG_0294-1.jpg


i took the bulb out to look at the socket thing







https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/wre-1.jpg



https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/IMG_0289-1.jpg




https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/IMG_02911-1.jpg




https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/lighter-1.jpg

[Zedhead]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/lighter-1.jpg


If You look at the socket. There seems to be something on the contact (the litttle round dots, inside the socket) that is grounding to the inside wall of the socket.

That's Your problem right there.

[Grafton]

where are you in fairmont i can swing by with some tools and see if i can get that chunk of metal out of the socket between my classes ~3:15-3:45

[Huffer]

And, as I mentioned, I have a spare set of tailights if the socket cannot be repaired.

[JDMLegacy]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/lighter-1.jpg


If You look at the socket. There seems to be something on the contact (the litttle round dots, inside the socket) that is grounding to the inside wall of the socket.

That's Your problem right there.


thats crazy i didnt even see that when i took the pic. but when i loaded it to my dads computer, i was like "whats that?" and he was like "i have no idea" lol you think thats the reason behinde all this trouble? thats crazy your all awesome for helping me

[JDMLegacy]

where are you in fairmont i can swing by with some tools and see if i can get that chunk of metal out of the socket between my classes ~3:15-3:45


aw i was at work dude, im really sorry, i didnt get off till 4, well i was supose to be off at 4 i didnt really get to leave untill 4:40.... lol

if you wanna help thoug its cool i live in bellview (in fiarmont) on the hill by the fairhills plaza, umm where aegis is?, its called sabraton ave, its off of russel street,

youd totally see my car, its a small street

[JDMLegacy]

And, as I mentioned, I have a spare set of tailights if the socket cannot be repaired.


hey how much would you want for the tial light? just incase, :)

[Grafton]

hows 5:30-6 tuesday sound? i bring the wifey if shes feeling up to it and see if we cant just fix your bulb socket

[JDMLegacy]

lol it would be fine but tuesday is the ONLY day i work late, i work till 9 tonight, and i prolly wont make it home till 10, they always make me stay late, i work monday, wednesday, thursday, and friday, till 4-which means i wont make it home till 4:30 or 5, and tuesday (today) i work 1-9, saturday im gonna be gone all day (going to rodgers) any other day sound ok?

[Huffer]

Grafton just swing by her work. Disconnect the battery and take the socket out of the housing... looks like you could just use a screwdriver to "grind" out the socket.

Liz - alternatively leave the bulb out of the socket, and see if the fuse still blows.

[JDMLegacy]

i think it might, because i think the short prolly fryed the break petal switch, so i think its still gonna blow untill i replace the switch again, so im gonna have to order a new one AGAIN lol and wiat a few days till it can come in, there like 50 bux a peice at advanced auto, i mean il try it for sure, il do it today (im about to leave for work) i can pop in a new fuse real quick and see what happens, (after i take the bulb out) im gonna kill my bro for this lol (not really, but im soooo gonna tell him) hahahaha

hey rodger, is saturday still ok? same time? (like around 2)

:)

[Huffer]

Saturday is fine by me. I will dig out the replacement taillights just in case.

[JDMLegacy]

awesome!! thanx dude

[Huffer]

Well, Liz now has my old interior (front and rear seats) and now has the sockets from my old BD.

Looks like the socket was definitely the culprit, after replacing the light housing with mine, the fuse didn't blow and the HORN now works. We also replaced a blown brake light bulb on the drivers side later on.

So Liz and Izik are on their way back to WV now, in the snow, HOPEFULLY with working taillights.

And in case anyone ever needs this - the metal crap inside the socket was the broken contact from the previous bulb, it was wedged down inside the socket and was causing a short. I pried it out with a screwdriver.

[Grafton]

sorry i didn't make it up to help, the snow here in fairmont is slick as snot on a greased doorknob
btw thats what i figured was jammed down in there, how did it break off the old bulb though?

[Huffer]

No idea. Cheap bulb? Liz did mention her brother had to use a pair of pliers to get the old bulb out. But it was great to see the lights light up. If it was warmer I would have totally hooked up the spoiler light. Should be able to splice two wires and be good to go.

[Zedhead]

Good to hear it was something simple. It sux to diagnose wiring problems.

It also sounds like someone out east needa build a heated garage??? Is dang cold up North,too.

[Huffer]

Yep, when we move into a house (hopefully next year) I will have a two car garage that I will insulate the HECK out of. :smt005

[JDMLegacy]

No idea. Cheap bulb? Liz did mention her brother had to use a pair of pliers to get the old bulb out. But it was great to see the lights light up. If it was warmer I would have totally hooked up the spoiler light. Should be able to splice two wires and be good to go.



thank you dude, FOR EVERY THING!!! you totally saved my car! and you froze your butt off, lol im so sorry! but yea every thing works perfectly now