Within just a few minutes of turning on the lights I blow a tailight fuse. I seen a post on here from a year ago with someone having the exact same problem, but it was never noted what they found. Any advice where to start with stripping my car down looking for wires. Thanks

 

Put a multimeter on the fuse block (the fuse's blade hole) feed; check the readout. Should be at least 12; maybe as high as 14.x, or more. Yes? Go to next paragraph. No? There's a more serious problem - difficult to find without a wiring diagram in front of me.

Pull all the bulbs. Put in a fuse, turn on the lights, see what happens. Fuse should stay intact. If it blows, you got a line to the lights with insulation stripped, and it's grounding out between the fuse block and the lights connector.

If it doesn't blow, pull the fuse, put in one bulb, replace the fuse, and test. Good? Pull the first bulb, repeat for all four bulbs individually.

 

From your name I presume you have a 87. I have a 86 and I had the problem you were experienceing. Finially found out it was the headlight switch. Every time I pulled on my headlights my rear taillights blew out and the fuse went out. Kept changing the fuse and changing it. Even went up a little higher and it still blew out. Where the **** pulls out. Take off the dash and you will see it. Its a little box. Mine was the issue. Might be yours. Maybe not. Hope it all works out for you....

 

Well, I took all the bulbs (on that circuit) out today and visually checked all connections I could get to and seen nothing strange. Then I attempted to find what action was blowing the fuse because the lights would always work for a while and then blow. Well, I found it was when I used my Right Blinker while the tail lights are on, so at least I have it narrowed down. I wasn't thinking, but the blinker switch fails into that circuit also and maybe it's bad. I might attemp what "CWB" suggested tomorrow.

FOR NOW.......I ran out of 10amp fuse and put a 15amp fuse in it's spot and it stopped blowing. Am I truely risking any damage by using a fuse 5amp higher than what is suggested????????????????

Thanks a ton for all the input, I keep everyone posted.

 

YOU MEAN FUSE AMPERAGE???[sm=signs006.gif][sm=signs006.gif][sm=signs006.gif][sm=noooo.gif][sm=noooo.gif][sm=noooo.gif][sm=badidea.gif][sm=badidea.gif][sm=badidea.gif]

DON'T EVER DO THAT!!! If the fuse don't blow, and you think you fixed the problem (but it's still there), guess what's gonna get hot and melt NOW??? Not the fuse filament, but the wire. That's the second-fastest way to a toasted vette that I can think of.

The blinker isn't necessarily related to the problem. You're just changing the flow of electricity, and the ground, by playing with other stuff in the process.

Electricity flow is just like water flow. A failed ground is like a plug, and no flow. You make a 'fake' ground somewhere else downstream of the bulb, you get flow; the water is just goin' out somewhere else.

You put an extrahole in the pipe upstream, with a 'draw' to suck the water through the source feed (fuse), and the 'draw' (the negative charge) pulls too much water through the source feed (fuse), and blows it.

AGAIN: DO NOT INCREASE FUSE AMPERAGE!!!

 

ha-ha........I thought I would get some good opinions on this. Yeah, I ddin't plan on leaving it like that, was just curious what everyone thought. Maybe I'll comprimise and put a 12.5amp fuse in place of the 15amp.........just kidding. Thanks "CWB" for smacking me in the head though, I need it now and then.

Even though I narrowed it down, I've still have a lot of wire chasing left. wish me luck

 

Opps, forgot to ask.Is the blinker/cruise switch on the steering column "firm" when the car was new. My blinker switch is really loose/worn feeling. I can lift it up & down with my pinky about 2-3 inchs before it makes a click sound. Note my cruise control doesn't work either, these are the reasons I started think the switch might have something to do with it. Anywho just more info for inquiring minds.

 

We all need a smack on the noggin' sometimes. Some of us more than others.

Get a multimeter, and a wiring diagram. You can diagnose ANY electrical problem with those two items. Fixin' a few of 'em is another thing, but knowin' what the problem is is 99% solution. Try lettin' the dealer put the snow job on someone who knows what the problem is.