Really Angry Car!?

[Mike_O]

My car is very, very angry it seems.

It managed to blow a fuse sometime yesterday, and I replaced it this morning. Within 20 minutes of driving the vehicle, the same fuse blew again.

It's the fuse that controls the fuel lamp, engine lamp and "fasten belts" lamp.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what's causing the fuse to blow repeatedly like this?

Thanks for your time.

[86VickyLX]

My car is very, very angry it seems.

It managed to blow a fuse sometime yesterday, and I replaced it this morning. Within 20 minutes of driving the vehicle, the same fuse blew again.

It's the fuse that controls the fuel lamp, engine lamp and "fasten belts" lamp.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what's causing the fuse to blow repeatedly like this?

Thanks for your time.

There's a wire for the low oil light BS, that is with the 2G alternator wiring. If it got grounded, it will blow the fuse.

[Mike_O]

There's a wire for the low oil light BS, that is with the 2G alternator wiring. If it got grounded, it will blow the fuse.

Does this wire change depending on the car?

[86VickyLX]

Does this wire change depending on the car?

First off what car are we talking? It would be nice to know what we're dealing with.

[Mike_O]

It is a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis LS, 5.8L.

It's also silver.

[gadget73]

well, silver cars have different electrical requirements you know.

j/k.

does it have the check oil lamp? if so, you may want to make sure that the wires for it haven't rubbed through. its down on the driver's side of the oil pan and runs up the side of the motor near the oil filter. They often get damaged around the motor mount, though usually if they short out the check oil lamp will come on at odd times. That wire switches to ground in order to make the light come on, so a short shouldn't cause any particular problems. I'd actually be more inclined to suspect theres a problem in the seatbelt switch wiring since that runs under the carpet. Not 100% sure if thats a hot wire or another switched ground setup though.

[Mike_O]

No, the oil lamp is....blank?

This is the idiot light setup on the dash:


WIPERS.......FUEL
ENGINE........FASTEN BELTS
[BLANK].......AMP


Normally, the Fuel, Engine, Fasten Belts and Amp lamp light up for a few seconds when turning the engine over. But with this fuse dead, just the AMP light comes on.

I'm told that the low oil pressure thinger is wired to the Engine lamp.

[Mike_O]

I suspect this is going to be difficult to diagnose/fix.

[86VickyLX]

It is a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis LS, 5.8L.

It's also silver.

5.8? The hell? You in Canada or something?

[sly]

ok... I had that fuse popping on me too. Do you use the parking brake and NOT have cornering lights (yes, this is relevant - it's the same circuit). If this is the case (I don't have cornering lights... aka ditch lights) the connections are hanging with that POS electrical tape above the e-brake pedal. If the tape gets loose, you'll pop that fuse when you use the e-brake because the lever will crush one of the connectors. I put the connectors up closer to the fuse box in mine after taping up the busted one.

Check those things and see if they're f'd up like mine was.

[Mike_O]

5.8? The hell? You in Canada or something?

Amazing, isn't it, that a non-American would own one of these cars.

[Mike_O]

ok... I had that fuse popping on me too. Do you use the parking brake and NOT have cornering lights (yes, this is relevant - it's the same circuit). If this is the case (I don't have cornering lights... aka ditch lights) the connections are hanging with that POS electrical tape above the e-brake pedal. If the tape gets loose, you'll pop that fuse when you use the e-brake because the lever will crush one of the connectors. I put the connectors up closer to the fuse box in mine after taping up the busted one.

Check those things and see if they're f'd up like mine was.

I'm not sure what cornering lights are.

I never use the E-brake.

[gadget73]

cornering lights are the small lights on the lower parts of the front fender between the bumper and the front wheel. They come on when you turn the turn signal on.

[sly]

and there's a "hot in run" wire in that bloody harness. I think it's the same circuit that powers the fuel gauge and idiot lights.

[86VickyLX]

Amazing, isn't it, that a non-American would own one of these cars.

Don't be an ass lol. The cornering lights are not on the same fuse as the warning indicators. If they are then my cars wired wrong or something. Because in accessory, the cornering lights will work with the hazards. If they were on the same circuit, the indicators would also come on.