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Burned Fuse Connector Test

Your car has many fuses, some protect a small system like a rear windshield wiper while others protect major system circuits, like the engine management system. The primary purpose of an electrical fuse is to help protect a circuit from damage in the event of a short. A fuse is designed to break stopping the voltage flow in the event of a power overload or short circuit. Each vehicle has several fuses that are necessary to safe guard electrical circuits. An electrical circuit will always fail at the point of highest resistance. Most of the time that point is the fuse holder. If an electrical circuit fails, an electric window system (for example) the first thing you should check is the fuse.

Repair Guide

Step 1 - Remove the fuse and inspect, does it have signs of extreme heat, possibly even melted? If so you have a burned fuse holder. This condition occurs because fuses are subject to vibration and moisture. Once the fuse is replaced the situation will occur again because the fuse holder receptacles are burned and will create high resistance.

To check for this condition remove the fuse of the circuit involved and using a flash light inspect the fuse holder receptacles with the plastic around them, if they are melted and discolored they need to be replaced. There are two ways to go at this point, you can replace the fuse panel or locate the wires involve using a wiring schematic and create a new fuse component outside of the fuse panel. I have done this many times and it works very well.


Step 2 - Sometimes a burned fuse holder is not always easy to detect, in this case remove the fuse of the circuit in question and replace it with a new one. Next with the key in the "on" position move the fuse in and out of the fuse holder and note the effected device such as electric windows. If the device starts working while moving the fuse in and out, you have a burned fuse holder and a repair is needed.

If further assistance is needed, our certified car repair technicians are ready to answer your car questions.

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