60 amp ign 2 fuze blowing
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
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Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
60 amp ign 2 fuze blowing
While returning from a drive I had both the ABS and the traction control lights illuminate. When I returned home I shut the car off When I went to start the car back up the gauges would go through their checks as normal. When I turned the key to start....nothing, no click, nothing with battery gauge goes to 8 volts. found the 60 amp ign 2 fuze blown. replaced the fuze. When i turn the ign to acc the fuze blows. Pulled the battery and battery shelf to check the starter cable for possible ground. All wires look intact. Need some help from the electrical gurus on here to get back on the road. Thanks in advance for any assist. 2002 convertible,
Last edited by rclinton; Mar 13, 2014 at 06:44 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
I looked at my 2001 FSM which should be identical. I would like to first focus on what last happened when the fuse blew with the key turned to Accessory.
In the power distribution section this key position feeds three circuits. These fuses are in the I/P fuse box:
Windshield Wipers Fuse #10 25 Amp (power gets there via the engine fuse box)
BCM Fuse #9 10 Amp
Accessory Power Fuse #11 20 Amp
Check to see if any of these blew also the last time. If not, what I would do is disconnect the negative side of the battery. I would then use an ohmmeter and measure resistance to ground from the fuse that blew and also the 3 above fuses. Do this with the key turned to the Accessory position. Let us know what you find out. We should be able to figure out what is going with this apparent hard short to ground.
It could also be some kind of internal short in the ignition switch. We'll figure it out.
If you don't know how to use an ohmmeter let us know.
In the power distribution section this key position feeds three circuits. These fuses are in the I/P fuse box:
Windshield Wipers Fuse #10 25 Amp (power gets there via the engine fuse box)
BCM Fuse #9 10 Amp
Accessory Power Fuse #11 20 Amp
Check to see if any of these blew also the last time. If not, what I would do is disconnect the negative side of the battery. I would then use an ohmmeter and measure resistance to ground from the fuse that blew and also the 3 above fuses. Do this with the key turned to the Accessory position. Let us know what you find out. We should be able to figure out what is going with this apparent hard short to ground.
It could also be some kind of internal short in the ignition switch. We'll figure it out.
If you don't know how to use an ohmmeter let us know.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
I looked at my 2001 FSM which should be identical. I would like to first focus on what last happened when the fuse blew with the key turned to Accessory.
In the power distribution section this key position feeds three circuits. These fuses are in the I/P fuse box:
Windshield Wipers Fuse #10 25 Amp (power gets there via the engine fuse box)
BCM Fuse #9 10 Amp
Accessory Power Fuse #11 20 Amp
Check to see if any of these blew also the last time. If not, what I would do is disconnect the negative side of the battery. I would then use an ohmmeter and measure resistance to ground from the fuse that blew and also the 3 above fuses. Do this with the key turned to the Accessory position. Let us know what you find out. We should be able to figure out what is going with this apparent hard short to ground.
It could also be some kind of internal short in the ignition switch. We'll figure it out.
If you don't know how to use an ohmmeter let us know.
In the power distribution section this key position feeds three circuits. These fuses are in the I/P fuse box:
Windshield Wipers Fuse #10 25 Amp (power gets there via the engine fuse box)
BCM Fuse #9 10 Amp
Accessory Power Fuse #11 20 Amp
Check to see if any of these blew also the last time. If not, what I would do is disconnect the negative side of the battery. I would then use an ohmmeter and measure resistance to ground from the fuse that blew and also the 3 above fuses. Do this with the key turned to the Accessory position. Let us know what you find out. We should be able to figure out what is going with this apparent hard short to ground.
It could also be some kind of internal short in the ignition switch. We'll figure it out.
If you don't know how to use an ohmmeter let us know.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
Thanks for the quick response! I will check the three fuses when I get off work today. I have a basic knowledge of electrical issues and can use a multimeter but would appreciate a quick step by step to check for the short at the fuse. Again thanks for the quick response.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,015
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
There are two large red wires going to the ignition switch and each one is fused for 60 amps. Each red wire feeds two circuits in the ignition switch. I would suggest unplugging the ignition switch then replace the blown 60 amp fuse, if the new fuse doesn't blow then the wiring is ok to the switch. Wiggle the wiring cable / ignition switch plug to make sure. If there is no short to the ignition switch then check the four main supply wires from the switch for a short to ground; leave the switch unplugged for this. The large yellow wire is the starter relay feed. The large orange wire is the ignition run feed. The large purple wire is the ignition start feed. The large brown wire is the accessory feed. I'm not sure which of the two red wires is ign 2 but if you have the switch out it's easy to check them all. There are three small wires going to the ignition switch that tell the computer if the key is in or out of the switch, white, green/black and tan; these are connected to the small pins on the ignition switch plug and aren't connected to any of the six large wires.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
There are two large red wires going to the ignition switch and each one is fused for 60 amps. Each red wire feeds two circuits in the ignition switch. I would suggest unplugging the ignition switch then replace the blown 60 amp fuse, if the new fuse doesn't blow then the wiring is ok to the switch. Wiggle the wiring cable / ignition switch plug to make sure. If there is no short to the ignition switch then check the four main supply wires from the switch for a short to ground; leave the switch unplugged for this. The large yellow wire is the starter relay feed. The large orange wire is the ignition run feed. The large purple wire is the ignition start feed. The large brown wire is the accessory feed. I'm not sure which of the two red wires is ign 2 but if you have the switch out it's easy to check them all. There are three small wires going to the ignition switch that tell the computer if the key is in or out of the switch, white, green/black and tan; these are connected to the small pins on the ignition switch plug and aren't connected to any of the six large wires.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 4
From: cinnaminson n.j.
St. Jude Donor '14
I just looked at the schematics for ignition2 fuse and the ignition switch. With the key in the accessory position there should be zero draw on ig2 fuse. If the fuse does not blow with the switch in the off position, but does blow when turned to acc, the switch itself would have to be shorted to ground.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
I just looked at the schematics for ignition2 fuse and the ignition switch. With the key in the accessory position there should be zero draw on ig2 fuse. If the fuse does not blow with the switch in the off position, but does blow when turned to acc, the switch itself would have to be shorted to ground.
However, I really do expect a problem in the switch. Once he pulls it he can test the old switch circuits to confirm. I can give him the info to do that.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
Maybe, and most likely. It could still be explained by having a short in one or more of the other loads that is not energized until the key is rotated to Accessory. I would expect though that if that were the case one of those fuses should have blown first. That is why I wanted to do a ground check on those circuits. I wanted to try and find the problem without bowing any more fuses or causing a new and different problem.
However, I really do expect a problem in the switch. Once he pulls it he can test the old switch circuits to confirm. I can give him the info to do that.
However, I really do expect a problem in the switch. Once he pulls it he can test the old switch circuits to confirm. I can give him the info to do that.
I think I checked the resistance on the 60 amp and fuse 9,10 and eleven correctly, but you guys can correct me if I did it incorrectly.
With the neg battery cable disconnected and the ignition switch in the acc, multimeter on the 200 ohm position, put the probs on each side of the fuse. 9,10,and 11 had .1~0. The ign 2 was 3.4 ohms. Is that too much? I have a new ignition switch being delivered today.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
Bob, I think you did the test wrong. You should have put one probe on the fuse and the other on a known good ground point on the car. I think you just measured the resistance "of the fuse". We would have been looking at infinite (high) resistance if the circuit did not have a short/path to ground. A resistance of almost 0 means a direct path to ground. I can also swing by my warehouse and do the same test on my car. Give me a call so we can discuss. Going to an all night poker game so will not be back until tomorrow. You can call me anytime, just make sure to leave your number if I am not home.
Redo the test as I described above with the ignition OFF and then in ON and we can talk tomorrow. If you get a low resistance in any of the 2 cases we will then pull fuses to see where we eliminate the low resistance and ID the problem.
We'll figure it out shortly. Mr. Sam
Redo the test as I described above with the ignition OFF and then in ON and we can talk tomorrow. If you get a low resistance in any of the 2 cases we will then pull fuses to see where we eliminate the low resistance and ID the problem.
We'll figure it out shortly. Mr. Sam
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 718
Likes: 7
From: Jacksonville , NC
Bob, I think you did the test wrong. You should have put one probe on the fuse and the other on a known good ground point on the car. I think you just measured the resistance "of the fuse". We would have been looking at infinite (high) resistance if the circuit did not have a short/path to ground. A resistance of almost 0 means a direct path to ground. I can also swing by my warehouse and do the same test on my car. Give me a call so we can discuss. Going to an all night poker game so will not be back until tomorrow. You can call me anytime, just make sure to leave your number if I am not home.
Redo the test as I described above with the ignition OFF and then in ON and we can talk tomorrow. If you get a low resistance in any of the 2 cases we will then pull fuses to see where we eliminate the low resistance and ID the problem.
We'll figure it out shortly. Mr. Sam
Redo the test as I described above with the ignition OFF and then in ON and we can talk tomorrow. If you get a low resistance in any of the 2 cases we will then pull fuses to see where we eliminate the low resistance and ID the problem.
We'll figure it out shortly. Mr. Sam
After I put in the new ignition switch, didn't change anything. Well either by luck or accident I started to do a physical inspection of the wires of the two ignition plugs. There was some suspect splices that weren't factory. Seems when I had the A pillar gages installed they taped into three wires (two red and a brown or purple wire) for the power to run a relay. I cut and taped up these wires and put in a new fuse. Car all good in ACC and starts up fine. So now I just have to rewire the gages, and put all the dash and console panels back together.
Thanks all for the quick and outstanding responses, without your help I would still be looking for where to start. Dadaroo I will call you tomorrow afternoon and pick your brain on basic electrical troubleshooting.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Bob, I think you did the test wrong. You should have put one probe on the fuse and the other on a known good ground point on the car. I think you just measured the resistance "of the fuse". We would have been looking at infinite (high) resistance if the circuit did not have a short/path to ground. A resistance of almost 0 means a direct path to ground. I can also swing by my warehouse and do the same test on my car. Give me a call so we can discuss. Going to an all night poker game so will not be back until tomorrow. You can call me anytime, just make sure to leave your number if I am not home.
Redo the test as I described above with the ignition OFF and then in ON and we can talk tomorrow. If you get a low resistance in any of the 2 cases we will then pull fuses to see where we eliminate the low resistance and ID the problem.
We'll figure it out shortly. Mr. Sam
Redo the test as I described above with the ignition OFF and then in ON and we can talk tomorrow. If you get a low resistance in any of the 2 cases we will then pull fuses to see where we eliminate the low resistance and ID the problem.
We'll figure it out shortly. Mr. Sam
P.S. Let us know how you made out in the poker game!
Last edited by LoneStarFRC; Mar 15, 2014 at 07:18 PM. Reason: typo....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
Very happy you identified and "isolated" the problem. Will be glad to help you rewire the gauges in the best way. That is AFTER we test the gauge setup and figure out what is wrong. We need to do that before we rewire it into your cars systems.
Yes, I did win at the poker game. We've been playing once a month for about 25 years. We don't play for high stakes which is probably good since one of my friends there owns one of the biggest chain of car dealerships in the state. Real laid back nice guy and great to his people. You would never know how much money he has since he doesn't show it. More people should be like him. I've tried to have him adopt me. I told him I could be the son the never had. He says yeah, the one I never wanted.
Yes, I did win at the poker game. We've been playing once a month for about 25 years. We don't play for high stakes which is probably good since one of my friends there owns one of the biggest chain of car dealerships in the state. Real laid back nice guy and great to his people. You would never know how much money he has since he doesn't show it. More people should be like him. I've tried to have him adopt me. I told him I could be the son the never had. He says yeah, the one I never wanted.