short???

[william1]

OK so the other night I noticed that I had no dash lights or tail/running lights when I was moving my truck.

So i thought it was just a fuse the next day I went to replace the fuse and as soon as I did it blew as soon as I turned my lights on. I tried looking for a short some were but had no luck.

I had the bright idea to turn down the dimmer switch in case I was a dash light it might not blow the fuse. when I tried this it worked so I thought It must be in the dash light so I unplugged all the dash light 4x4 ad all but is still did it, so I got a new switch from the junk yard and it fix my problem for about 30 seconds then it blew again I don't know what to do any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[william1]

OK this is dumb but I just went out there and every thing works ... guess this is an intermittent short ???? probably never find it lol

 

[infantry grunt]

Just a guess but do you have a pig tail(traler light hook ups)if so maybe a short.look for naked wires as well as inside frme rail that are vesible.good luck,wiring problems are very aggrevating,I know

 

[bilzy7]

Omg ya... I especially hate that the explorer I bought had a static noise if I touch volume knob while music is playing... Probably had an aftermarket radio in it. I haven't had any tools to take it apart and check since I haven't been home in awhile.
Good luck man!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Aftermarket radio?

There is a power wire hooked to your light switch to make the factory radio dim with the rest of the dash lighting. It is not used on an aftermarket radio, if it happens to come into contact with steel behind the dash it will cause a short when power is put to it.

So will mistakingly using it for a ground during a radio install... that is how I found out about it.

 

[william1]

Thanks guys and yes I do have an aftermarket radio I bought the plug kit but their was no place to hook up the dimmer wires so I just taped them... and that makes sense because I had to pull the radio to put the new switch in so may be when I put it back in the wires were not touching and then they were. I’ll have to take a look tonight.