I have a 89 maxima that is blowing the running light/instrument light fuse.
I have tried to isolate the problem, but I really need a wiring diagram. Does anyone know where I can get one without going through the dealer. I have a haynes manual, but it does not have a diagram for that particular circuit.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. My first post on this site. Thanks for the activation Jane.
Fishhead

 

You need someone with mitchell or alldata.

BTW it's probably A bad switch

 

Thanks internetautomar. You are the second person that has mentioned
the switch. How could it be the switch. I would think the switch has nothing
but positives in it, so how could it short out to ground?
Fishhead

 

It does have a ground into it. IIRC

 

Thanks again. Without a schematic I didn't know there was a ground in it.
I'll check it out. Maybe I can find a generic one. I know the dealer switch would be through the roof!

 

First Q... have you played with your stereo recently?

 

No...Matt. Why? I put a stereo in it right after we bought it about 3 years ago.

 

Did u do anything else to the car recently?

 

No. This fuse blew about six months ago. Replaced it and it has been fine until now.

 

WOW I was driving yesterday and my fuse blew too didnt mess with anyting lost insturments all interior dash lights corner lights dunno what it was, replaced the turn signal fuse and tail lamp fuse and they came back on now in the process i removed the A/C fuse which i do not use anymore and my clock is still not going on does the clock and heater controls (buttons) work off the A/C fuse?????

 

Hmm strange..

the tail lights on 3rd gens have a tendency to short out sometimes, due to heat in the sockets and cheap plastic parts... check your tail light sockets and make sure they're all in decent shape. Instead of buying the whole new assembly from nissan for $1092840198, you can buy new sockets from the parts store for about $3 each and replace them.... you have to do a bit of 'southern engineering' but they're secure and safer than the cheap ones shorting out and causing a possible fire..

 

I sell those

 

I had a very similar problem (blowing the running light/instrument light fuse), and the I took it to the dealer (stfu, i didnt have an FSM and it was blowing the fuse up to 4 times a day) and they found out my tailight harness wires were melting due to a short in the system. the day before i took it in, i could smell burnt wire in the trunk. too close for comfort. had the harnesses compltely replaced to be safe. and yes, those damn bulbs get hot. changing them right after driving is kinda "ow."

 

Why would you need to change a hot bulb? a hot bulb has obviously been working.

 

Interesteing and VERY valid point.
BUT I think his harness was the problem being replaced not the bulb

 

How much was the harness and kajillian dollars? I dont wanna have to do that, and if i take it some where thell **** up all my other **** under the hood. I found another interesting thing if i put the key in the acc. function and put the turnsignal on i here a clicking sound from behind the glovebox and all the dashlights come on i mean evey singal one and including both turnsignals blink??? I didnt do anyting to the car it just happened while i was driven the other night???

 

Hey internetautomar....I found a switch at a salvage yard. I'll give it a try and let you know what happens. Thanks for your help. I have checked about everything else, lights, harnesses, etc and the car has never been wrecked.
I even hooked a test light in series with the fuse base and shook harnesses all over the car with not even a flicker.
Fishhead

 

Did you test the switch in the car at the yard first at least?

 

Let me know, also, how your fix worked. Because I had the SAME problem that Austin mentioned in his post. Almost made me late for work tonight. As it is, I had to leave my car at home. I'll dig into the tail lights when I get off from work in the morning.

 

internetautomar....decided against the salvage yard switch. The guy wanted too much for it. I can get a new one for only 20 bucks more....but the switch has to be ordered and it will take a couple of days to get it. I'll let you all know how it goes when I get it.
Thanks again,
Fishhead

 

I'm no fan of junk yard parts in most cases (especially electrical parts) unless I can test them first.
But as you said for $20 more who gives an RA.
Buy knew and hope it's the problem.
Didja go dealer or someone else?

 

Local auto parts store. Made by Wells Mfg. corp. It is $25 cheaper than dealer. Dealer was going to have to order it also. They were out of stock.
Must be a common problem? Thanks again....

 

Ok Wells was the only manufacturer that I saw listing it any ways

 

When I did the corner light rewire mod, mine blew a couple of times.

 

internetautomar......do you know where I can buy that switch. I went by autozone on my way home to order it and they said they couldn't order it because their supplier was out of stock on it. I'm trying to avoid the dealer, but I may have to go that route. The Wells switch number is...SW2533.
Thanks, Fishhead

 

fishhead, my harnesses cost me somewhere around $120.00 at the dealership (with labor plus electrical system diagnostic charge).
nubiannupe, what are your symptoms? mine where that when I depressed the brake pedal, the instrumet cluster would light up, shifter light would come on, and the pilot light on my radio would illuminate all at once.
Matt, I didnt handle the working bulbs, when i was pulling the dead ones i accidentally bumped a hot bulb.

 

Just had my short circuit fixed at the dealership. was a short in the socket area of one of the rear bulbs. Part was 60 bucks, labor and diagnostic 90 dollars-Yeah, I know I wish I had the ability to fix it myself. Thanks to the org, at least I was pretty sure it might be in the sockets-though I didn't see anything to bad when visually looking. Symptoms were fuse blowing, dash lights out, and running lights not working.

 

My only 'symptom' was that when I pulled out of my driveway to go to work last night, everything was on and working fine. Soon as I hit the first stop sign about a block from my house, EVERYTHING except the headlights and radio went out. All the dash illumination, all the tail lights, corner lights - even my fog lights went out.

Pulled over to the side, walked around to make sure this was the case. When I checked the fuses, I found that a fuse was blown (I think it was the 5th or 6th one down on the left, but it was a 10a fuse). Replaced that fuse, turned on my lights, and *pop* went the fuse again.

After that, I parked the car at my house, thinking I'd need to dig into the wiring a bit to find what's going on. But from what everyone is saying, I should start my search at the tail light harness. Which might make sense, seeing that I just got "new" housings about a month ago.

If anyone thinks I'm overlooking something, let me know and I'll touch bases with it in the morning when I go do my diagnosis.

 

You WILL have to go that route unfortunately. Wells doesn't plan on having any until after the first of the year.
and they are the only Company that listed a part #

 

Thanks for the info.....I'll send out the search dogs!!!!
Maybe someone has one at a discount. Probably not!!

 

did you try courtesy yet?

 

Not familiar with courtesy? Is that a supplier?

 

http://www.courtesyparts.com/

 

Just to keep the thread going a tad, I went out in the darn cold-@$$, snowy weather to troubleshoot my electrical problem.

Looks like the wiring on the passenger side tail light harness has mucho corrosion on it. Cleaned it out pretty good, 'lubed' the connectors some, put everything back together and .... I'm in business once more.

Thanks, all. And good luck with your problem, Fishhead.

 

internetautomar....IT WAS THE SWITCH!!! I had a hard time locating a switch.
Most of the dealers were even out of it. Man...thanks a ton for your help. I would have probably chased my tail a while on that one. Shorts can be rough!!!
Hope this also helps someone else that may have a similar problem.
Hope you have a great holiday and God bless,
Fishhead.

 

Glad to hear you got it fixed

 

IT'S BACK!! It was too good to be true. It lasted one day. The fuse blew again last night. Trying to locate schematic now. The door open alarm is also in that circuit and I think it might have something to do with that, because the bell doesn't sound right with the door open. Oh well. Here we go again.

 

Fun! now you got find the chafed wire!
Boy do I feel sorry for you