1996 APV Fuse/Electrical Question

[Jayadalla]

For the last 12 years or so, our APV has been a solid transportation machine. At just over 100,000 miles, we've definitely gotten good usage from this vehicle, and we're not quite ready to say goodbye. Here's the problem: last summer, we noticed on hot days in particular, the fuses for braking, headlights, turn signals would blow. Not all of them at the same time, but sometimes all would go, sometimes just one or two. We took the van into the dealership, they ran a diagnostic, and replaced the fuses, billed us $90 for our trouble and sent us on our way.

Is there anyone who has a suggestion as to where we should look for a problem? Today we replaced a fuse three times in fifteen minutes worth of driving. It's obvious something is making these fuses blow, but we don't know where to start looking.

[LMP]

A real problem with the tail light clusters is known specially from 1997, but some have reported problems in the former "plastic" model too . A real havoc with corrorion after 1997. So I would inspect that: clusters are easy to remove with two screws from the rear hatch opening, then open the rear side windows and two clips need be released from there.

www.avigex.ca/xport/taillightRH.jpg

[Jayadalla]

Thanks for the response with the suggestion. We ended up taking it back into the dealer and after the process of elmination they ended up finding the problem. This is what we were told: The wiring harness was cut by a sharp edge in the "B" pillar. It caused a short which kept blowing out the fuses.

It was wonderful to drive it today, without having to replace a single fuse.

[LMP]

Thank you for your input. YOur finding will be a great suggestion for others who might come with similar symptoms. Probably LH B-pillar, this is the pillar aft of the driver door.; do you know if any work was previously done at the rear a/c or heater? I'm just curious to know of the mechanism by which the chaffing was caused...or is it something just waiting to happen...I had a similar problem with my son's Intrepid...a badly routed wire in the instrument panel.

[Jayadalla]

To my knowledge, we haven't had any work on the rear a/c or heater. But, I can check. We keep a small notebook in every car we own, methodically tracking gas consumption and any maintenance work done (date, mileage, what exactly was repaired, etc). It'd tell me if we had.