Electrical short

[HHoover1874]

My dome lights, trunk, and door locks have gone out. my head lights have also gone out. I checked the fuses and they are all intact. I was driving, charing a phone, and they all went out. All fuses are good. Any clues as to where the short could be?

[Blue Bowtie]

Welcome Aboard!

What year Caprice?

[HHoover1874]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

Welcome Aboard!

What year Caprice?

It is a 1990

[Blue Bowtie]

It's probably not a short, but an open circuit. I'm guessing that the key warning chime is also inoperative.

Do either the tail lights or instrument lamps work? If so, the likely problem is a fusible link near the battery or starter, or the connection for that circuit at the bulkhead connector.

Is there voltage at the large red wire at the light switch? If not, non of that will work.

[HHoover1874]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

It's probably not a short, but an open circuit. I'm guessing that the key warning chime is also inoperative.

Do either the tail lights or instrument lamps work? If so, the likely problem is a fusible link near the battery or starter, or the connection for that circuit at the bulkhead connector.

Is there voltage at the large red wire at the light switch? If not, non of that will work.

I have break lights but nothing else. The dash board lights for seatbelt and starting are on, also. The key chime does not work, nor does the horn. Where would an open circut be? How could I trace it? Thanks.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by HHoover1874

I have break lights but nothing else. The dash board lights for seatbelt and starting are on, also. The key chime does not work, nor does the horn. Where would an open circut be? How could I trace it? Thanks.

He wrote "Do either the tail lights or instrument lamps work? If so, the likely problem is a fusible link near the battery or starter, or the connection for that circuit at the bulkhead connector"

That's your two main areas to look for an open. The bulkhead connector is where the main harness passes through the firewall to the fuseblock under the dash. Sometimes, the bolt in the center (that holds it on) can work loose and cause all sorts of electrical calamities. Check there. Also, there are some fusible links that attach to the starter solenoid, to the battery lug. Check those to make sure they have continuity. You may need an ohmmeter to test the links, but they usually have a burned rubber appearance if they're done. My car, an '88, has three fusible links (they pass through a tube underneath the exhaust manifold on their way to the starter). Of course, if you do have a fusible link that's bad, you need to find out why before you fix it. They don't go bad out of the blue, or from old age.

[HHoover1874]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. The problem was the fuse linkage from the starter. I had it repaired today for only $42.00

[bobss396]

Good find, a cheap fix to boot. Whenever you have an electrical problem that is wide spread like yours, look at the fusible links first. The links themselves are very inexpensive.

I've replaced the one by the starter on my '79 and the wire I was splicing it into kept deteriorating as I went along! But finally was able to get a good crimp splice on it and shrink sleeved it to ward off evil spirits.

Bob