Electrical short found but need help please

[sdsniper]

I'm having trouble trying to find a short in my car. I narrowed it down to the fuse that controls the lights and horn and power locks. I took that fuse out and now my car battery doesn't die. Thank God. but now i want to be able to use that so I've been looking for the short.

I checked everything that this fuse is hooked up to and I've found nothing wrong.


well i noticed that my car has a power antenna that does not work anymore. I took off a panel on the passenger side down by the floors front seat and found that a wire going into the right side of the car(Im guessing this goes to the antenna)is cut. i have some picture for you to see. Can anyone tell me if this is where my short is and how do i fix this? Thank you

Ps. The wire is cut and i cant find the other end of it.

[Earlsfat]

I wouldn't think that's your problem... I would cover it though, tape or something just incase that when you put the panel back on the wire is touching sheetmetal.

You have a parasitic drain someplace in that system, which I would think would be a power wire that is grounding out... that COULD be it, but I'd tape it and look a little more. Maybe you'll get lucky.

You could throw a test light on it... put the fuse back... hook the light to a ground, touch the wire with the probe... if it lights, you know you've got power.... cover it.

Where's the other end of that green wire... and what the hell is the blue one hooked up to?

[Morley]

Put the fuse in ans go listen at the fender where the antenna is, see if you can hear it running. When the power antennas break it is only the plastic drive "wire" that breaks, the motor still turns, or tries to. If they cut just the green wire the antenna motor is still getting juice. The green wire is just the control wire from the radio head that tells the antenna weather it is supposed to be up or down. It won't stop trying to run until it gets fully up or down.

BTW, the part to repair the antenna is only $20 from your locak GM dealer. Tell em you need the power antenna mast repair piece.

[sdsniper]

Originally Posted by Jimsfat

I wouldn't think that's your problem... I would cover it though, tape or something just incase that when you put the panel back on the wire is touching sheetmetal.

You have a parasitic drain someplace in that system, which I would think would be a power wire that is grounding out... that COULD be it, but I'd tape it and look a little more. Maybe you'll get lucky.

You could throw a test light on it... put the fuse back... hook the light to a ground, touch the wire with the probe... if it lights, you know you've got power.... cover it.

Where's the other end of that green wire... and what the hell is the blue one hooked up to?

I'll definitly tape it up and check it for a pulse! thanks!

[sdsniper]

Originally Posted by Morley

Put the fuse in ans go listen at the fender where the antenna is, see if you can hear it running. When the power antennas break it is only the plastic drive "wire" that breaks, the motor still turns, or tries to. If they cut just the green wire the antenna motor is still getting juice. The green wire is just the control wire from the radio head that tells the antenna weather it is supposed to be up or down. It won't stop trying to run until it gets fully up or down.

BTW, the part to repair the antenna is only $20 from your locak GM dealer. Tell em you need the power antenna mast repair piece.

thats the best news ive heard in a while. $20!! thank you im going to check everything tommorow ill let you guys know how it goes

[sdsniper]

Originally Posted by Morley

Put the fuse in ans go listen at the fender where the antenna is, see if you can hear it running. When the power antennas break it is only the plastic drive "wire" that breaks, the motor still turns, or tries to. If they cut just the green wire the antenna motor is still getting juice. The green wire is just the control wire from the radio head that tells the antenna weather it is supposed to be up or down. It won't stop trying to run until it gets fully up or down.

BTW, the part to repair the antenna is only $20 from your locak GM dealer. Tell em you need the power antenna mast repair piece.

The green wire definitly goes to the antenna. I spliced them back together and the motor just kept running like you said. I have a question? If i leave the green wire cut and tape up the wire so its not touching any metal, <b>will there still be a drain to my battery?</b> I can live with out the power antenna going up or down for now but if thats not the problem then something else is but i am pretty confident it is the problem. Thank for all your help its honestly great.

[Earlsfat]

IF that was the culprit, and you insulate it from touching anything else, that should correct the drain issue. you might want to just cut it all the way back at the connector and put a new connection in - just remove that green wire from the equation....

[Morley]

The green wire is only the signal wire, there are 3 other wires going to the antenna for power and ground. If you tape it up (cut) and still have a drain, pull the inner fender liner and look back in there at the antenna and you'll see the wires. Cut all of them (except the coax cable) and see if the drain is still there.

[cardboardpimp420]

i had this happen to me with both of my camaros, and both of them ended up being simply a bad cigarette lighter. well one was the lighter itself and the other was a bad assembly i just simply unplugged, problem solved

[sdsniper]

Well thank you guys for helping me out. It turns out that where the short was...the damn antenna has been slowly drain my battery for about 4 years. Ive been through 3 batteries because of it and counting a big pain the a#!.

I guess when the antenna wouldn't go down and it kept winding.. The previous owner thought it would be cool to cut that green wire and leave the other ones alone. I cut the other two wires and now my short is gone!


Thanks again everyone who helped and hopefully this thread will help someone else one day. Peace