tail light fuse blows when . . .
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Morehead KY
tail light fuse blows when . . .
i turn on my turn signal to the right and my tail light fuse blows. My car is a 1989 corvette 6 speed manual with zz4 crate motor and has been converted over to carburetor. Any advice or ideas would be appreciated before i tear into it.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Morehead KY
also if my headlights/tail lights are not turned on when i use the signal then the tail fuse does not blow, only when the tail headlights are switched on.
I also stuck foil in the tail fuse to see if i seen any smoke coming from the back lights when i turned on the turn signal, i had the lenses removed to where i could see the wires and the bulbs at the tail and didnt see anything. However when i turned my right signal on my running tail lights on the driver side of the car would get really dim like they were about to go out but as soon as i turned off the turn signal switch would go back to normal brightness again.
Oh yeah when i turn on my turn signal also the dash starts to flicker and get dim with each pulse of the turn signal, just something i noticed as well.
I also stuck foil in the tail fuse to see if i seen any smoke coming from the back lights when i turned on the turn signal, i had the lenses removed to where i could see the wires and the bulbs at the tail and didnt see anything. However when i turned my right signal on my running tail lights on the driver side of the car would get really dim like they were about to go out but as soon as i turned off the turn signal switch would go back to normal brightness again.
Oh yeah when i turn on my turn signal also the dash starts to flicker and get dim with each pulse of the turn signal, just something i noticed as well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
I also stuck foil in the tail fuse to see if i seen any smoke coming from the back lights when i turned on the turn signal, i had the lenses removed to where i could see the wires and the bulbs at the tail and didn't see anything. However when i turned my right signal on my running tail lights on the driver side of the car would get really dim like they were about to go out but as soon as i turned off the turn signal switch would go back to normal brightness again.
The Cornering lamp is the clear lens and shares the same housing as the amber side marker lamp.
If the wiring looks good. remove the bulb from the socket. Turn
the ignition and headlights on and then the right side turn signal on.
See if the fuse still blows.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Rindge NH
My '89 was blowing tail light fuses as soon as I'd turn the lights on.
I followed all the lighting wiring harnesses looking for shorts. Ended up having to remove the tail light panel. Found that the lighting wiring harness had vibrated against a seam on the gas tank long enough to wear a one inch long piece of insulation away on a tail light wire which would contact the gas tank and short out, blowing the fuse.
Shrink tubing, electrical tape, and securing the harness to the frame more securely with zip ties cured the problem. No money involved since I had all the materials, but it was one long summer day removing and re-installing body panels.
Just one thought for you....
I followed all the lighting wiring harnesses looking for shorts. Ended up having to remove the tail light panel. Found that the lighting wiring harness had vibrated against a seam on the gas tank long enough to wear a one inch long piece of insulation away on a tail light wire which would contact the gas tank and short out, blowing the fuse.
Shrink tubing, electrical tape, and securing the harness to the frame more securely with zip ties cured the problem. No money involved since I had all the materials, but it was one long summer day removing and re-installing body panels.
Just one thought for you....
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Morehead KY
i removed the front passenger right signal bulb and turned the right signal on, with the foil in the fuse. and it still made the rear tail lights go dim like they were going to go out, and the left signal doesnt do this. However i did notice that no matter which way i turn the signal right or left it makes the dash get dim every time the signal lights blink.
Last edited by mavidatt; May 22, 2012 at 04:23 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
If you want to eliminate the Cornering Lamp wiring you need to locate
connector C104 which is a 11 pin connector and a 3 pin
connector. Both of these connectors plug into the harness coming
down the steering column from the turn signal switch.
The wire colors for the 3 pin connector are a Black wire, Orange wire
and a Brown wire.
The 3 pin connector is for the Left and Right Cornering lamp circuit.
The connector is located in the middle right side of the steering
column and below the harness that goes to the ignition switch.
Unplug the 3 pin connector and see if the fuse still blows.
If the fuse doesn't blow the problem is in the cornering lamp wiring
for the right side.
If the fuse blows the problem is in the turn signal switch or the
wiring from the turn signal switch to the 3 pin C104 connector
that you unplugged.
Last edited by Hooked on Vettes; May 22, 2012 at 04:25 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 7
From: Morgan Hill and Marina California
Foil around the fuse is a real bad idea. If there's a dead short, you
could fry the wiring harness. A wiring harness with an unfused dead
short will destroy itself in about one second. I've seen it happen
(body shop did something stupid to get things going after an
accident. Fortunately, it was a single wire.
Chuck
could fry the wiring harness. A wiring harness with an unfused dead
short will destroy itself in about one second. I've seen it happen
(body shop did something stupid to get things going after an
accident. Fortunately, it was a single wire.
Chuck
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Morehead KY
Foil around the fuse is a real bad idea. If there's a dead short, you
could fry the wiring harness. A wiring harness with an unfused dead
short will destroy itself in about one second. I've seen it happen
(body shop did something stupid to get things going after an
accident. Fortunately, it was a single wire.
Chuck
could fry the wiring harness. A wiring harness with an unfused dead
short will destroy itself in about one second. I've seen it happen
(body shop did something stupid to get things going after an
accident. Fortunately, it was a single wire.
Chuck
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
Exactly what I was thinking as I read through the thread. This can also cause non-blinking turn signals and turn signals that blink really fast.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
