Serious electronic problems

[4GZChatch]

Hey Guys and Girlz, I have some issues that I need help with. See, my lowbeams really suck, so I got a pair of cheap driving lights to try to supplement them. Only thing is I don't want to have to worry about the switch, so i tapped into my dash lights to have them switch on with my lights. So I installed them and they worked fine, then one day, pop! My interior lights fuse blew. I decided that the driving lights were the problem and disconnected them. Now, my car runs like it has a short in it. It will drive along, and then my lights will go dim, my stereo shuts off, and the car runs really ragged, like it's missing on a cylinder or two. It even got me pulled over because I changed lanes and my blinker didn't come on! Does anyone have any idea what could be going on with my car??? I know that my battery is pretty weak, but that shouldn't cause it, could it? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Oh, and by the way, if anyone out there needs any stock parts off a 4G civic, I may be able to help out, since I have two whole cars that I can strip from!! Including Lights, seats, doors, bumpers, fenders, glass, whatever! Just email me at [email protected], or at [email protected]

[travis_118]

do you have an intake? cuase my car did that once and it was my intake arcing off my posative battery terminal. other than that... i would say try to follow the wires of the driving lights and see if there is a short somewhere.

[4GZChatch]

I hadn't even thought of my intake causing the problem. I know it can't be the driving lights, because they are totally unhooked right now. There is no power going to them, and no bare connectors at all...
Thanks for the insight, though!!

[turbosmith]

Yes first check that bastard POS. terminal. It can short out on the intake and cause a fire.

Second, the foglights usually take a lot of current. My question is can the wire you tapped into handle that current?? Maybe it has started to melt adjacent wires?? Try a dedicated line for the fogs and see if the prob. goes away.

[4GZChatch]

Hey, I checked the pos. terminal, and I don't think it is hitting. However, the neg. terminal is hitting the hood. Would this cause problems?

Also, I have completely disconnected the fogs, so they shouldn't be a problem anymore, right? I intend to reconnect them with a direct battery line. Is there a chance that I have smoked some switch or something?

[amy@af]

well, there is a test procedure. hit me up when you get back next sat. and i'll explain it to ya

[email protected]

[turbosmith]

Originally posted by 4GZChatch
Hey, I checked the pos. terminal, and I don't think it is hitting. However, the neg. terminal is hitting the hood. Would this cause problems?

Also, I have completely disconnected the fogs, so they shouldn't be a problem anymore, right? I intend to reconnect them with a direct battery line. Is there a chance that I have smoked some switch or something?

Yes the hood is still a ground. If the hood becomes a good enough ground you will likely melt a hole through it. (Given enough time)

There should not be a problem with the fogs disconnected unless the damage has already been done and wires have be melted and consequently shorting eachother out.