HELP!! parking lights keep going out (fuse popped)

[apbrian112]

hey guys, here's the problem. a couple of weeks after doing my front end swap (mag front end on 300) i started popping my fuses to my parking lamps. therefore, no taillights at night time http://www.300cforums.com/forums/images/smilies/new/pat.gif . the weird thing is that after i replace the fuse, the lights will work for roughly 100 miles of driving and then the fuse will blow again. checked all the connections and wires (to see if they had rubbed through) and they seem fine. is the ground the same ground as all the other circuits in the front power distribution block. because if that was the problem, other fuses/circuits should be popping (or am i totally off). i'm not sure but i'm thinking that this may be a faulty relay since i've checked everything else. which relay should i be looking at to check/replace? any help would be awesome... and i'm open to any suggestions on how to remedy this problem w/o having to go to the dealer (since the swap probably voided the warranty). thanks in advance.
-brian-

[apbrian112]

oh, here are some pics after the swap.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa6/apbrian112/P1000134.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa6/apbrian112/P1000138.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa6/apbrian112/P1000128.jpg

[fnkychkn]

since the parklamp relay feeds both front and rear lamps, it is possible the short is in the rear area, but i'd be rechecking the front first.

sweet looking car, btw. :thumbs_u:

[apbrian112]

which relay would that be? (number on the fuse box cover, and front or rear) thanks!

[fnkychkn]

relay locations in post #8 of this thread:
http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=19755

[apbrian112]

would a faulty relay be causing the problems that i'm describing, especially the fact that the park lamps work for awhile and then the fuse blows, or am i looking in the wrong area? thanks so much for your help.
-brian-

[fnkychkn]

although it is possible for a relay to short out inside, it is very unlikely. if you want to be sure, swap it with another relay and see if the fuse still pops. since the front is where the modifications were done, that's where i'd be concentrating my efforts. my guess is that a harness is chaffing against a sharp edge somewhere and sometimes, when you hit a bump, it shorts out. another possibility, however remote, is a faulty bulb or socket.

good luck

[steven1m]

Any update on this? I am having a very similar problem. I replace the fuse and it will work fine but after about a day or so of driving I see the fuse has blow again.

Apbrian, were you able to find where the problem was located?

PS - Love the mods, the mag front end looks great on a 300 and love the lambo doors too!

[magman26]

I'm having the same problem with the fuse blowing. Any other hints or maybe the OP found the problem and could share? :beerchug:

[steven1m]

I'm not sure what caused mine but it was something with the wiring in the rear around the bumper. I moved the wiring arround, I'm guessing it might have been pinched up against something that was causing it to short....