One for the Electrical Whizzes...

[speediva]

My G has major issues. I blew 4 10amp blade fuses last night. The following are the symptoms and any commonalities I've drawn. Thanks in advance.

My 93 (manual not that it matters) was having problems with the tail light fuse being blown-out. The tail lights are tied onto the same fuse as the lights that light your dash and center console at night (i.e. gauges) as well as the parking lights in the front. I figured out that all of these are tied into one another when my dash lights went out. I then noticed that my tail lights didn't illuminate, but my brake lights did. I pulled the fuse inside the car, and magically my dash gauges (speedo, temp, fuel and tach) re-lit as well. I was going through a fuse about every other week. I also noticed that when the dash lights went out, they would dimly relight when I pressed the brakes. I didn't think too much about it at the time. Then all of a sudden the problem stopped for about a month. I figured that the problem had worked itself out.

Last night I had my dash go out, so I pulled into the first gas station, already knowing how to remedy the problem. I put in the new fuse, and it almost immediately blew. I turned the lights on for about a second before it went. I then pulled another fuse from another ACC (mirror) location. That one blew the second I turned the light switch at all. Now it is at the point that even when the engine is off, and the key is entirely removed from the ignition my dash and tail and parking lights illuminate when I press the brake pedal. I know it has to be a short tying the brake light wires and the parking lights together, but can anyone come up with another idea, though??? Are there any other people who found a quick remedy for something like this? I am absolutely dead-broke, so taking it to a shop only to pay out my ass (and even more so for being a girl) is entirely out of the question.

Thanks if you can help at all!

~tangie

[boingo82]

I will forward this to my dad and see what he thinks, and if you ever need any FSM pages scanned I've got 'em.

edit: talked to him on the phone, he says it sounds like you have a pinched or cut wiring harness, likely in the dash (esp. if the dash has been taken apart before). From personal experience, here's where I suggest you look: Know how where you put your handbrake down? There's that little plastic piece underneath it? When I bought my car someone had been messing and had gotten the wires running back to my taillights pinched underneath one of the screw brackets under that plastic piece, so it kept popping up. The wires are supposed to run on the side of the console. I didn't experience any negative effects electrically, though my dad says it may take time for the wires to wear down and make contact.

Hope this helps you out. BTW have fun taking off the center console. It's like the first thing Infiniti put on the car so you have to take off EVERYTHING to get to it.

[speediva]

Hey, thanks boingo!!!

I'll get to looking at that next time I am at my car. I'm at school w/o it b/c I can't drive at night w/o any tails, ya know... :o

I have taken the center console apart plenty of times to get at the radio harness. I'll bet ya my dad put it back in the last time w/o the grace that I have gained from the number of times I've been in there, so your idea makes plenty of sense.

[speediva]

Well, update: My dad basically traced the wires from the front of my car all the way through the back and nothing seems to be awry. I now have to find someone to look it over and run some diagnostics, so I'll post back when that's all said and done.

[boingo82]

Let us know what happens, I'm curious.

[speediva]

Well, I guess in looking over every inch of my car they managed to find a pinched wire somewhere near the rear of the vehicle. My personal guess is in the trunk b/c of all the work I've done with the car audio back there. They also replaced my front passenger headlight wire harness b/c it had melted. (I had problems keeping the harness attached to the new bulbs I was putting in there, so this is a huge relief.)

Granted, it cost me $300 to have them find a wire and replace a harness, but heck, it saved my dad and I a TON more stress, and I have a car again.

Also, for anyone who has been following my "emissions failure" saga, the shop looked everything over and has basically decided that it must be the CAT. Kinda hoping it wouldn't be but we can't get everything in life, eh? Maybe time to buy someone's aftermarket exhaust???

[LADDSTUFF]

Check All Tailight And Brakelight Bulbs. The Dual Filaments In These Can Short Together And Cause This Sort Of Problems.