2000 Kia Sportage keeps blowing Meter Fuse

[masterpoe]

Hello,
My wife's Kia keeps blowing the 10 amp meter fuse.
What could cause this?
When it happenes the dash panel goes out and she has no rear lights. Also,
the engine is severly lacking in power. If you replace the fuse, everything returns to normal until the fuse blows again. I have noticed that the fuse tends to blow more often when the car is put into reverse.
Any information that you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[LMP]

These 2 diagrams
www.geocities.com/lmp4203/kiasport/ind_gauge.gif
http://www.geocities.com/lmp4203/kia..._up_lights.gif
show the fuse feeds the back-up lights and also the instrument panel and the speed sensor hence the loss of key operational information

My best guess,to begin with, would be a short in the back-up light circuit: I suggest you check the BU lights and sockets first ...in fact, when the car backs-up, do you have the back-up lights ON ? THe short can be at the transmission BU switch.

[masterpoe]

Originally Posted by LMP

These 2 diagrams
www.geocities.com/lmp4203/kiasport/ind_gauge.gif
www.geocities.com/lmp4203/kiasport/back_up_lights.gif
show the fuse feeds the back-up lights and also the speed sensor hence the loss of key operational information

My best guess,to begin with, would be a short in the back-up light circuit: I suggest you pull out the BU lights first...in fact, when the car backs-up, do you have the back-up lights ON ? THe short can be at the transmission BU switch.

Yes she has backup lights untill the fuse blows.
Thank you for the diagrams!!!

[LMP]

Well..when my son's car began to blow fuses almost in the same way, we ...finally....dismantled the complete dashboard to find a wire had been improperly routed at some time in the past..and it had chaffed and shorted to ground....so...it can be anything...