Tail light fuse blowing

[edfiero]

Hi All,

Just discovered last night that my tail light fuse is blown. Replaced it. Immediately blows.
For giggles, I up'd it to a 25amp fuse to see if it would hold, but it still blows.

Turns signals, and Headlights are working fine.

Any obvious places to start checking??

I've recently been fooling with the stereo and power antenna wiring, but its unclear how long the fuse has been blown. I rarely ever drive the car after dusk.

 

[TurboTGuy]

There's a ground wire from the rear lights harness that attaches to the left side wheel well in the trunk, gets corroded easily. Could be your issue, but nothing is ever easy with these cars............

 

[mikestertwo]

That fuse feeds a lot of things. All your front and rear marker and tail lamps. Also feeds the radio and instrument panel lamps. You have a dead short somewhere. Could be a short in a lamp socket, short in the radio or associated wiring, or instrument panel. Good luck!

 

[jgonzales]

3rd brake light was causing mine to blow too. I believe it unplugs at the connector in the trunk on the left side. Might want to check that too...

 

[edfiero]

Mines an 84 so no 3rd brake light.

Yes all park lights are out but the radio and clock are fine. I'm also still seeing lights like the voltage light on the dash when I start the car so not quite sure how this fuse is linked to those other circuits.

 

[captndave737]

Be careful replacing fuses with a larger size. They are there to protect the wiring and prevent fires.

 

[edfiero]

I've removed all bulbs operated by the park light switch. Also pulled out and disconnected the radio since that was the last thing I was messing with, and the fuse still blows immediately upon flipping the switch. (ground in the trunk looks fine)

 

[salvageV6]

Console shift light or ash tray light wire?

 

[edfiero]

Console shift light or ash tray light wire?

Car is an 84 T-type w/o console. Interesting about the ash tray light. It doesn't work. I replaced the bulb with a known good one. Still doesn't work. However I measured the connector with my Volt/Ohm meter and I get between 3 volts and 8 volts at the connector depending on the dimmer position. So that seems like a different, unrelated problem. There are no frayed wires on this light. Looks like new.

 

[salvageV6]

Is there a link to a factory service manual for that year car?

On the 1987's the Tail Lamp 20A fuse feeds the 5A INST LPS fuse and the dash lights etc.

I'd look at all the gray colored lamp wires there should be one for the radio as well that may have gotten squished.