Do I have a short circuit on my car? how can I fix it? - Maintenance & Repairs Forums

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Forums / Public / Maintenance & Repairs / Do I have a short circuit on my car? how can I fix it?

Author	Message
FrostFlake Members 612 posts Location: Sierra Leone Occupation: Conductor Age:	#200781 2008-02-20 18:42 GMT
	I have a 2003 Toyota Corolla. Yesterday when I plugged a AC adapter to the lighter, the radio/CD player suddenly shut down and the AC went out of power as well(i.e. cell phone charger, dvd player...none of them got power from the plug). However, my car is running fine... front/rear lights, engine, brakes....everything runs just fine except for the radio and the AC plugs./lighters. Did I have a short circuit? If so, how can I repair it? Is there anything similar to the short-circuit protector in my house so that I can just switch it on?? Thanks. by the way, besides the radio and lighters, the clock stopped working as well...


StrangerHere Members 641 posts Location: Malta Occupation: Artist Age:	#200782 2008-02-20 18:48 GMT
	you blew a fuse, apparently your a/c adapter takes more amps than your fuse can handle, put a 30 amp fuse in.

JunkFoodAddict Members 631 posts Location: Central African Republic Occupation: Geographer Age:	#200783 2008-02-20 18:50 GMT
	You probably overloaded the circuit and blew a fuse. Check the fuses. The radio, clock and lighter outlet may all be on one fuse. Don't put in a bigger fuse like the previous fellow said. The fuse is there to protect the wiring. Put in a bigger fuse and you're liable to have a fire when you damage the wiring by pulling too much current.

IntoTheTrees Members 653 posts Location: Tanzania Occupation: Dispatcher Age:	#200784 2008-02-20 18:53 GMT
	you have blown fuse red 10,blue15 or yellow20 amp fuse which controll those things thats nothing what ever you tried to run blew fuse it drawn way to much power also check make sure nothing fell in cig adapter like coins etc.

StormBringer Members 615 posts Location: Haiti Occupation: Obstetrician Age:	#200785 2008-02-20 18:54 GMT
	Sounds like a blown fuse. REPLACE FUSE WITH A FUSE WITH THE SAME RATING. Putting in a higher rated fuse is a really, really bad idea. Auto fuses are one shot deals. There a some breakers in cars these days, don't know if there is one on that circuit. Read manual!!!!!!

Cat Members 629 posts Location: Brazil Occupation: Basketmaker Age:	#200786 2008-02-20 18:54 GMT
	Uh, you mean a DC-to-AC inverter? Those things tend to pull some serious current depending upon what kinda load you got on the AC end. (It's not really Alternating current-just "choppy DC" but most AC appliances have a hard time telling the difference.) Sounds like you just overloaded an accessory fuse. Many cars have an "accessory/A/C" fuse. Look for that one to be blown and just replace it. Everything should be OK. That's what fuses are for. Most inverters are made to hook up directly to the battery or to a dedicated 12V power outlet designed to carry more current than the standard receptacles. I'd either have a heavy duty power outlet installed with heavy gauge wire or just substitute big alligator clips (like for jumper cables) for the DC barrel plug instead so you can clamp the wires directly to the battery. Have an outlet installed (or install it yourself) if you need to run an AC only powered device IN the car. Most DC-AC voltage inverters are pretty heavy devices with goodly heat sinks on them and are made for powering thigs like lights and TV for campsites and such. Hooking one of those up to a DC circuit that has other loads on it will blow the acc- A/C fuse every time. The air cond. clutch draws a fair amount of current already. Even when it's cold out-it engages when you turn on the defroster.

GuitarsRock Members 636 posts Location: Singapore Occupation: Car designer Age:	#200787 2008-02-20 18:55 GMT
	If you put too high of a fuse in, and it shorts again. You could blow something besides the fuse, which could be really bad. I had this same problem once. Find which fuse is blown, and put one in that is 5 amps stronger than the previous fuse. If that blows again, increase it 5 amps more. Soon you will find a fuse that will not blow too easily, but you are stilll protected if something spikes really hard. It is possible that a wire to your lighter is loose. It should be fairly simple to take off and check. Should just be a +12 and ground.

sunworshipper Members 607 posts Location: Martinique Occupation: Lifeguard Age:	#200788 2008-02-20 18:58 GMT
	Hopefully you can find the fuse box. It works like the one in your home. There will be one or more fuses burned out. Replace them with the exact amperage. DO NOT put a larger amperage fuse in. Doing so would invite a fire, which would surely spoil your whole day.

TigerHen Members 586 posts Location: Zaire Occupation: Beadle Age:	#200789 2008-02-20 19:00 GMT
	find your fuse panel and it should be a red number ten amp fuse and replace it and then check for any other blown fuses. you owners manual should tell you what each fuse is for...

Cashsplash Members 626 posts Location: Cook Islands Occupation: Author Age:	#200790 2008-02-20 19:52 GMT
	check fuse for lighter or acc center but is most likely fuse yuor owners manual will show you were fuse box is