View Full Version : HELP! Blowing Stop Light Fuses
Ok...so I take the car in to have the wiper switch looked at. They say it's bad, and order the part. That night I have no brake lights at all. So I check the fuses and it's blown. I of course don't have any and I live 20 miles from the nearest store that will have them. So I stole one from the slot identified as "rear fog lamp" hmph whatever that is.
Then my friend tells me I have no reverse lights. oh yeah, I need to replace that fuse, wonder if that's what "rear fog lamp" was I'm thinking...
Just now I replace the one I stole and my brake lights were not working again. Sure enough, the fuse is blown AGAIN! What's going on? I still have no reverse lights.
I can't figure this one out. HELP?!!! BTW, I have NO mods of any kind...so there aren't any aftermarket accessories screwing anything up.
Hemi31
11-07-2006, 05:30 PM
Sounds like they pinched the wire when they put everything back together.
But could they have possibly done anything that would affect my rear lights and fuses??
Hemi31
11-07-2006, 06:26 PM
The wireing is all under the dash.It's probably all tied together with the switch wiring.The fact that they were playing with that tonight and now you are blowing fuses tells me it needs to go back cause the dealer screwed up.
The fuse I replaced just blew AGAIN. I guess I have no brake lights now. I just called the dealer, I'm taking it back to them tomorrow AM. :( Let's just hope I don't get rear ended between now and then!
Hemi31
11-07-2006, 06:45 PM
Do your flashers work?
UnderTaker
11-07-2006, 06:53 PM
just get it towed - if you live over 2 miles i would not risk it. the dealer should cover it 100%
I live 45 miles from work. Situation is f'ed up! I will be going home late though, I work my 2nd job tonight, so traffic won't be bad. I don't have any other choice. I HATE MY DEALER!!!!
Do your flashers work?
hmmmm...the relay is..not sure about the lights...I'll have to check.
David6ft6
11-07-2006, 10:45 PM
I had that happen to me. I had to replace tons of fuses before I can make it to the dealership. They from a wire that was pinch and replaced it. Been working every since.
David
yeah my signals work, tail lights work...just no brake lights and no reverse lights. My wipers work now too! lol
I dropped it off this morning, haven't heard anything yet.
PHANTZM
11-08-2006, 03:25 PM
Gl !
The dealer just called to tell me it has nothing to do with the work they did with the wiper switch, he says it's completely different circuits.
Now I'm paying $90/hr for electrical diagnosis. This sucks!
PHANTZM
11-08-2006, 05:14 PM
o.O ??? huh?
Looks like my finger slipped off the shift key.
GL , good luck.
Hemi31
11-08-2006, 05:14 PM
The dealer just called to tell me it has nothing to do with the work they did with the wiper switch, he says it's completely different circuits.
Now I'm paying $90/hr for electrical diagnosis. This sucks!I call:bsflag:on the dealer.There's just to much coincedence there.Someone is feeling that they can get away with some funny business at the dealer.I would get one of the guys to go down there with you and give a little moral support.I really think they are trying to get over.
I call:bsflag:on the dealer.There's just to much coincedence there.Someone is feeling that they can get away with some funny business at the dealer.I would get one of the guys to go down there with you and give a little moral support.I really think they are trying to get over.
I would be surprised if they are pulling something on me. I get very loud and upset at the counter, EVERYONE knows how dissatisfied I am when I feel I am being treated unfairly. He's experienced this from me twice before. I still gotta wonder, but no one here can say it is possibly related so it might just be a string of really bad luck I'm having.
Besides, there's no "guys" in my life to go down there with me.
Hemi31
11-08-2006, 05:21 PM
What about someone from the forum?
oh yeah...
I forgot to add...he did say there was some code about the reverse lights circuit or switch or something??? But that they didn't look into what it meant yet (he wanted me to agree to the diagnostic labor first).
Hemi31
11-08-2006, 05:24 PM
That was probably from when you "borrowed"the fuse.
That was probably from when you "borrowed"the fuse.
That's what I was wondering, but when I replaced it, they didn't work. THAT one didn't blow again either.
Funny you're the only one helping me, thank you so much BTW!!!
Hemi31
11-08-2006, 06:06 PM
No problem,but unfortunately I'm out of ideas.
Service Advisor just called...they found a wiring harness up behind the bumper that is grounding out, causing both the brake lights and the reverse lights to not function. Looks like it will cost me a total of $180 to fix. He said he won't charge me anymore than that to fix it. We'll see if he holds to that. I just wish I had the time, energy and physical ability to have dug around and found that myself, would have saved me a bunch of $$$$!
Soooo...I'm kinda thinking this is unrelated to the wiper switch. I did have the bumper painted just 6 months ago after it was hit, so it's possible the wiring harness was moved or dislodged back then and just took this long to become damaged.
Hemi31
11-08-2006, 06:31 PM
Glad to hear they found something.....ask them to show you when you pick it up.
GoldNnasty
11-08-2006, 06:31 PM
My thoughts, if you have not done ANY modification, and you are still under warranty the dealer should be responsible for the rear brake light failure.
Be nice and calmly explain the whole story to him as it presented itself to you. .........left dealership after wipers were looked at, when I got home my "......." said your brake lights aren't working. Needed to drive car so I used what I thought was a spare fuse............
If the person still doesnot want to help, go over his head to the next "monkey-in-charge".
Try and remain calm, you may have to talk at a lot of "monkeys" before you get their attention.
You can also mention to them that you belong to a car forum and people are concerned not only how you are treated, but wonder how they will be treated by "YOU".
I know you are upset and the rest of us would be too, you still need to keep calm and SMILE at them. Remind them that you are the customer and what happens now WILL be remembered when the next vehicle purchase comes along.
From what you have stated, I feel the stealership should be held responsible for correcting your brake lights.
Another thought, might be to work out a "bet" with the "monkey-in-charge".
That would be, ask him if you can take your car to an independent electrical shop and have them repair it. Then when the shop says "it was when someone was working under the dashboard" have the "monkey-in-charge" PAY FOR THE TOTAL REPAIR.
Or this could result in you paying for repairs, because you already stated you have bad luck. (but if car is under warranty IT SHOULD BE FIXED!
Best of luck to ya!
Hemi31
11-08-2006, 06:38 PM
(but if car is under warranty IT SHOULD BE FIXED!
Best of luck to ya!You missed the part about out of warranty
fnkychkn
11-08-2006, 11:25 PM
dang, missed another juicy diag thread. :doh: i must be getting slow. :sad:
i would guess the harness was damaged when you were hit six months ago. they may have missed it when they repaired your bumper and it just took this long to short out.
i'd be checking with my insurance. this may have been hidden damage from the accident and you may be able to re-open the claim.
sorry i took so long to reply.
I hadn't thought of trying to get insurance to pay for it, although, when I was hit it was a scrape while parked in a parking lot, so not much impact, just a dumb guy who couldn't manage to get his honda into a parking space. He scraped me on the left side of the bumper, the dealer tells me the harness was damaged on the right side above the exhaust. So I don't know if insurance would cover it.
It's likelly it was dislodged by the body shop when they pulled the bumper to paint it. I'm so totally broke...yet have no time or energy to deal with this, so I'm not sure if I will try to get money out of the body shop. I'm not feeling up to a fight. :(
dang, missed another juicy diag thread. :doh: i must be getting slow. :sad:
i would guess the harness was damaged when you were hit six months ago. they may have missed it when they repaired your bumper and it just took this long to short out.
i'd be checking with my insurance. this may have been hidden damage from the accident and you may be able to re-open the claim.
sorry i took so long to reply.
LowGo
11-09-2006, 01:46 PM
Sorry to hear of your problem, Fawn. But, I'm glad to hear they got it fixed. It does sound like a strange situation.
hawkxp
11-09-2006, 02:00 PM
I would first go to the shop that did the bumper work. Bring the old harness in, and get a letter from dodge stating that it was bad, maybe even saying that the bumber being taken off and on did the damage.
Scott
I would first go to the shop that did the bumper work. Bring the old harness in, and get a letter from dodge stating that it was bad, maybe even saying that the bumber being taken off and on did the damage.
Scott
Thanks a VERY good idea, of course silly me, I forgot to request the old part. :doh:
The service advisor did say he can talk to the body shop for me though. There's a bit of a sticky situation there...this shop has repaired my car 4 times (was supposed to be only 2). 1 time was damage THEY did to the FRONT bumper when they were painting the REAR bumper, another time was rework of the 2nd repair I brought the car in for. They have been very accomodating, and I am forgiving of mistakes if they make it right (I have employees that screw stuff up too). So since then I developed a good relationship with the Manager and he has brought me some business. I'd hate to jeopardize our new business relationship by bringing up this issue. I'll think on it.
BTW, thanks for checking out my thread though!!!!:mrgreen:
dang, missed another juicy diag thread. :doh: i must be getting slow. :sad:
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