Remote Switch for Fuse #17

[No Sweat]

Let me begin by saying that this is in no way a substitute for the GSM Mod.
They are two different things.

This is the Fuse#17 Remote Switch Mod !

This mod will give you back Self-Handling Control of your car, like it was in the Good Ol' Days when you could spin your car around in an empty parking lot, do a doughnut or a figure eight to teach yourself how your car will handle when you lose control due to bad road conditions. Remember when you did your first Drifting around a tight corner, FUN and exciting wasn't it. I know, for me,
it got that adrenaline pumping and I liked it !

By reading the LXForums I've learned from all of you that if you pull Fuse #17 you can burn more rubber, something essential for doing the trick maneuvers on wet or dry roads. With some experimenting I have found that you can have your cake and eat it too.

Fuse #17 is always hot. Meaning, you don't have to do an Ing.Key Cycle (off again/on again) to activate it. If you can open and close Fuse #17 while you drive you can have all the benefits of ABS, ESP/BAS (Torque Control) when you need them and all the fun of controlling the car yourself when you open the Fuse #17 circuit.

I've taken some photos of installing an ON/OFF switch for Fuse #17. It's really not too complicated to install. Remember, this is the way I did it. You can do it any way you want, just don't use substandard materials. You don't want to induce a lot of resistance into this circuit. It's a 30 AMP Fused Circuit.

I started with two 8ft. coils of 10ga stranded (for flexibility) wire.
Eight feet wire length will only allow you to reach the area where I mounted
the On/Off switch. If you want to come across to the center console area
you will need to enter the firewall from the motor area on the Passenger side or use longer wires.

One 30amp.DC (automobile type) switch from Radio Shack, they have several you can choose from.

Some 1/4in Heat Shrink Tubing (1 ft will cover all you need).

Four female spade lugs to fit the fusebox fuse#17 socket (2) and your new 30amp switch (2).

Two male spade lugs to fit into the bottom of the Fuse #17 itself.

A few Black Nylon ties to keep the loom away from bad areas.

A 10ft piece of 3/8inID Black Wire Loom (auto parts store).
(about 7ft in engine compartment and about 2ft under dash)



How the fuse box should look after the installation (TOP VIEW)
Notice the two nylon ties keeping the wire between the two relays
as it exits the fusebox.

(Side View) Notice how the Male and Female connectors are positioned.
You can also see here which lug is the hot one (RED).

Fuse with wires connected unplugged from the fusebox.
Notice how easy it would be to unplug the fuse and plug it
back into the fusebox restoring it back to normal if you need
factory service.

Don't make too big a notch in the fusebox cover,
remember you want it to remain waterproof.

How the fusebox looks closed. Black electrical tape around the
loom at the fusebox notch will make a nice tight seal.

I ran the wires toward the back of the motor area to the firewall
on the passenger side, then across the firewall to the driver's
side and went through the firewall using the same rubber grommet
that the Hood Release cable comes through. Use some nylon ties to
keep the wire loom from resting on the motor or anything that
could melt it. I ran the wires first then installed the
Black Wire Loom last.

[No Sweat]

Under the dash you can see the wires comming in at the Hood Release Grommet.

Wires first loom last.

If you use a Toggle Switch, be sure to leave space between
the connectors (no short circuits).
Notice the shrink wrap makes a good seal.

Notice I chose not to use the LED feature on the switch
(third Lug not connected)
Where I mounted the switch, you wouldn't see the LED.

The hole size depends on your switch type.

Switch mounted.

I actually used this rocker switch instead of the toggle switch
on my car.
I thought it had more class. IMO !

Different view of the mounted toggle switch.

Different view of the rocker switch.

Notice the switch does not interfere with your knee or leg
for entering or exiting the vehicle.

Neither the Toggle nor the Rocker Switch will stop you from
using the Parking Brake Release Handle.

I've run this mod for awhile and I'm able to switch the system on and off
at random while at any speed.

No MIL's to contend with, only the ABS BRAKE & ESP/BAS
idiot lights when you disengage the #17 Fuse.
When engaging the #17 fuse, the idiot lights will go out like the normal dash.

This works on my car, 2006 Dodge Charger R/T Build Date June 10, 2005.
It's the early type Brake Unit not the later type.

I don't know if this will work on the late style ABS System.
My Guess would be, if the #17 Fuse is HOT with the IGN. Switch Off it will most likely work for you too.

The Hot lug is the rear one looking from the front of the car (the one closest to the firewall). It would read about 12.75 volts
with the Ign.Sw. off and Battery connected.

Please remember to either disconnect the battery or not plug the hot wire of Fuse #17 into it's socket untill the job is complete.

THIS MOD IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART !

MrGPD (No Sweat)

[VIDEOBOB]

Can you explain what this MOD does as compared to turning the "ESP" off?
I thought that was the point of turning it off, does this turn off other things too?
I am confused.

[XCITsNU]

Great mod No Sweat! Thanks for sharing.


Turning ESP off from the stock dash mounted button, does not completely disable ESP. Pulling Fuse #17 does. It also disables some other things too, so make sure to only use this Mod when it is absolutely safe for you and other drivers when you do use it.

[createdbyone]

esp off button on our dash is more like a......retard the esp button...

if you turn esp off and try and do a doughnut it will still kick in, to keep us safe.

take out fuse 17/or switch it....and u can do doughnuts and figure eights all day. Just be careful, u loose ur abs also

[xWCDx]

No Sweat, I would like to thank you with everything that I have...I have wanted someone to do a detailed HOW TO on this since I bought the car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You deserve a medal or something of the sort. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!! If you searched the forums, you'd probably find one of my posts a long time ago saying that someone should install a switch exactly how you did...I just did not have the craftsmanship or the patience (or knowledge) to be putzin around attempting this. Thanks again!!

[No Sweat]

Hey Gals & Guys, thanks for all your support, but, from everything I have learned by reading the "LXFORUMS" my small article on the Fuse #17 Switch amounts to nothing at all. All the members are the ones that deserve the thanks and support. Please, Give yourself a Big round of applause, for I'm in your debt.

WELL,
winter (with snow) has finally arrived here in Northern Ohio. I was able to finally do some ice testing.

Big surprise !

I took the car onto an ice/snow covered deserted road, got it up to 60 MPH, the Fuse #17 switch was in the off (open circuit) position (ESP/ABS circuit was inactive).
I slammed on the brakes to put the car into a slide then flipped the switch to let the Computer take Control. Guess what, the computer didn't kick in to do it's job !

I quickly removed my foot from the brake pedal (leaving the switch in the same position it was) and again slammed on the brakes. The ESP/ABS kicked in and brought the car to a nice even stop with brakes pulsing and all.

So even though you don't need to cycle the IGN. SW. OFF and back ON again to reactivate the circuit, you do have to remove your foot from the Brake Pedal then Reapply it to get the Computer to see it's back in control again.

I've decided to call my switch the "Summer/Winter" switch. It's best if it's left on during the winter here in snow country. That way you'll have no unpleasant surprises unless you want them.
Hope this helps,
MrGPD (No Sweat)

[XCITsNU]

This needs to go into the KnowledgeBase. Can an Admin please add it?

[No Sweat]

This needs to go into the KnowledgeBase. Can an Admin please add it?

OK, it's now in the Knowledge base (Misc. Mod's section) !

I thought I was losing it, now I'm sure, thanks !

No Sweat

[hemi777]

will this mod help with the slow soft shifts???? stock when our trans shifts gears at full throttle it kills power and shifts soft and slow will this mod help with that???? i have a 06 Daytona r/t Charger

[RobAGD]

Hemi777 - No, thats with in the transmission controler and ECM. This just keeps the computer from dragging the brakes to help keep SLIP from running away and inducing yaw control.

[XCITsNU]

Pulling fuse #17 does improve the shift points, but I heard doing this on the newer models that have the 3 way ESP switch does NOT disable like it does on the earlier models. You will need to verify that you have the older version. I think cars that were built in or after August started to get the newer version.

[JBS11]

What / where along the firewall did you attach the zip ties to for a secure install? I just completed this mod and was unable to locate anything that is 'firm' along the firewall.

Thanks again!

[Jaak]

Good mod!

[No Sweat]

What / where along the firewall did you attach the zip ties to for a secure install? I just completed this mod and was unable to locate anything that is 'firm' along the firewall.

Thanks again!

Well......on my firewall is a 1/8th inch thick sheet of insulation. It had some small factory holes in it, in various places. Since the Loom/w Wires didn't weigh too much, I used some nylon ties (through the holes) to hold the Loom/w Wires up off the engine. It sort of just hangs there against the insulation.
Hope this helps, (MrGPD)