Dumb mistake - "shorted" something out???

[Brougham owner 543]

Hello everyone,
My name is Roman, I'm a newcomer here. I am a 21 year old part-time college student and part-time audio sales rep at Fry's Electronics. The reason I decided to post this thread is because I made a very simple and very stupid mistake. And I am quite ignorant when it comes to electric diagrams, connections, etc. To make a relatively long story short, I bought some decorative brake and gas pedal covers from Auto Zone that have lights in them. They connect to a reliable 12+ volt source to operate. I tried to do this in my '87 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra Brougham that i aquired back in January this year. Ok, I got this vehicle with a missing cigarette light unit, yes, the whole piece is missing, all I have is what I assume is a 12+volt connection dangling down where the cigarete light unit ought to be. Anyway, so dumb little me, I took some wire strippers, the wire cutter part, and placed the wire cutters over BOTH wires, (red and black) and squeezed down to cut the wires so I could then join the red to the decorative pedal wire right, and what happens? I hear a little *zizzle* sound and all the courtesy lights go out!! And guess what? My power locks and radio don't work either. CRAP!!!!!!!!, I just did the equivalent of crossing those two cables if they were bare exposed copper. I "shorted" something right. Remember, I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to electricity. I know, I know, I should never have undertaken that task if I knew something like that could happen. Well, I dont have a lot a money and I need advise now. That's why I came here. So, what now?
Do I temporarily disconnect the battery terminals and re-connect them? Would that get my power locks, courtesy lights and radio back?

Did I simply blow a fuse, and my solution is as simple as replacing the right fuse?

Did I do permanent, irreversible damage to my electric system?

Should I take my car to a shop?

I don't know how to solve this. Please give me suggestions.

I greatly appreciate any generous, useful advice.

Thanks in advance to whomever helps.

[soulsurvives]

hey roman........all you did was pop a fuse.....just look in the fuse panel for the one that controls all the things that dont work......will be either a blue or yellow fuse i think.......could be red but i dont think so.......anyway just replace that fuse and you should be good to go......any other questions just ask............later

[weedahoe]

Originally Posted by soulsurvives

hey roman........all you did was pop a fuse.....just look in the fuse panel for the one that controls all the things that dont work......will be either a blue or yellow fuse i think.......could be red but i dont think so.......anyway just replace that fuse and you should be good to go......any other questions just ask............later

i agree with the fuse popping, but please get out of the audio sales jobs if you dont know how to read simple electrical schematics and/or tell your customers how to wire things........lol........BTW we all learn the hard way.

[burntclayman666]

it's the yellow 20amp fuse that you blew out and by the way I would tape off those 2 cigarette lighter wires and never use them again. I have a 1985 ciera brougham and I know another guy who has one as well and on both his and mine even a brand new lighter keeps blowing that damn fuse! Theres something wrong w/those two wires and I would assume that yours are doing the same thing. I just taped my wires up and left the lighter for looks. I sure as hell wouldn't be hooking up things that don't belong there.