Update:

Hey guys I have a pretty bad problem. I have an electrical short somewhere in my car, I noticed while coming home yesterday a burning electrical smell, I pulled over quick and popped the hood. I noticed the white fusible link that runs to my battery (screws in on both sides) was getting very hot. I checked my rear tail lights and one bulb and wiring on each side was fried , I replaced each one. I hear this clicking from this relay under my dash can anyone tell me what this is > http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...t=DSCF1271.jpg

I believe it runs to the fusible link on the battery. The car will crank and run but no power locks and can't roll down the any windows. My tailights lights stay on all the time and keeps getting bright until they blow. The shift interlock fuse blow as soon as I plug it in.

 

why don't you follow the wiring diagrams and see what is on the circuits that are causing the problems?

 

I would determine by looking at the wiring schematic which circuit are connected to that fusible link.
It's not blowing any other fuses? By the way that fusible link is really gray and it's connected to the fuse block and the altenator! Possible bad altenator/altenator wiring with a short. Check you all your fuses first, if they aren't burned, I would start with the altenator. I would run the engine and check the altenator output or disconnect the wiring and check it for a short then check the altenator for a short... gl

 

You got to find out where it's coming from i may have the same problem let me know how yours turns out!!

 

Update: I found out my shift lock box is fried, I also had to replace almost all my blinker, tail light and side marker bulbs. My tail lights stay on so I know there's still a ground somewhere. I'm still getting a constant click every 5-6 seconds from a grey/black circuit breaker near the rear of my fuse boz and my selt belts, door locks and windows are not working. Everytime I hear the click every 5-6 seconds my tail lights and head lights blink.

 

not blowing any fuses?

 

I was blowing a shift interlock fuse, I found it today behind the passenger side panel by sniffing for any burnt electrical scent and sure enough it's cooked.

 

How do you guys test for shorts if it's extremely intermittent though? Even if you had the schematics, the instant you do your testing with your multi-meter or whatever, the short would have to reproduce that instant in time?

 

shorts aren't intermittent....pull all the fuses and test each circuit at the fuse block! Using an amplifier and tone generator can also locate shorts and opens!

 

Someone was telling me though Cmax, that if the insulation on a wire were to wear down from movement, when the wire touches the chassis, it can cause the short - but he says I can't test for it, because when the car jolts or whatever may cause it to touch the metal, you would have to be reading the multi-meter at that instant in time.

Any truth to his statement?

His says in this scenario, the only way to diagnose is to trace the entire wire, and visually inspect the shielding on the wire if it's worn. Sounds like a nightmare to me.

 

Ok using the technique of pulling my negative terminal off the battery and attaching one end of the test light to one end and touching the other to the (-) battery, I started pulling fuses one by one and the whole time the test light stayed lit, this tells me that something else is not in the fuse box is grounding. The clicking from the circuit breaker stopped the moment I pulled the passenger side window switch.

 

I also pulled the two big junction box connectors behind the fuse box and I still get light on my test light. Using the same technique above.

 

Pray you dont have to go through what I did... http://forums.maxima.org/3rd-generat...up-11-1-a.html

 

It wasn't jolted(moving) when it blew your fusible links was it? If it's shorted then you should be able to find the source. Undo battery terminal and check that wire with the fusible link which burnt up for a ground in reference to the chassis!

 

WHAT THE HELL!!!! Thats insane columbia. I think I would go crazy if I had to deal with that rats nest. If it came to that for me, I'm probably going to throw the car away and just take my engine and tranny out.

I don't get how those wires wore out. I'll have to read the entire thread in detail. Thanks for posting.

 

Yea, we've been through many rough times together as you can see and no way in hell was a rusted strut tower gonna end it for me

Driving 2 years without wipers sure scared the hell out of all my passengers when it rained. I had no need for wipers no rainex, 45+ mph took care of water for me.

 

wipers are a nice thing to have but often times they are just as annoying as they are useful. on my mom's 99 camry i would leave the wipers off the majority of the time, esp if on the interstate. they just smeared the windshield, even after being replaced. i guess the windshield had some sort of buildup on it that prevented the wipers from working properly.

 

What can I say? its a camry.... ugh

 

I noticed that everytime I plug my stop light switch up , the rear top 2 tailights come on without the light switch being on. The stop light switch is new.

 

I traced out the two wires from the stop light switch going into the fuse block, so with the switch plugged in the lights would come on without the lights turned on, next I pulled the fuse for that slot and the lights went out. Tonight or tomorrow I plan on checking this further and hopefully I can find the short.

 

I need to know what polarity is the red/white wire and the red/yellow (going to my tail lights)

 

Both are positive. Red/White is for the brake light and red/yellow is for illumination.

 

The problem with my brake lights being on was solved the minute I bought the new stop light switch last week but I didn't know it. The reason I didnt know it was because I ran test without it being mounted...LOL (Idiot right?) I bought a self power test light yesterday and ran the alligator clip to one prong in the stop light switch while touching the other prong with the test light, it was then while playing with the plunger I realized why my brake lights were staying on.....lol. The stop light switch is mounted right before the brake pedal, the brake pedal rest up against the plunger which breaks the circuit. When you brake...moving the away from the plunger the circuit completes and the brake lights get bright. Oh well on to the the seat belts, windows/locks.

 

Can anyone tell me what the relay labeled NILES IF311 25731 7990 is and what it's for.

 

Well seems all my troubles started from the stop lamp switch, I found no burnt wiring but I did have to have replace light bulbs, shift lock box, 2 windows motors and I'm still working on the locks. The alternator was gone as well putting out 18vdc....alternator<culprit I believe.