1998 Plymouth Breeze 1998 Pymouth Breeze

1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE
15,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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JAMES TUGGLE
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  • 1 POST
Car won't start. I replaced a 20 amp fuse and it blew out. As soon as I turn the ignition on it blows the fuse out!! What should I do now?
Jun 9, 2010 at 10:40 AM
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CARADIODOC
  • CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 34,309 POSTS
Hi James Tuggle. Welcome to the forum. Rather than wasting a pile of fuses, a simple trick is to fashion something you can plug into the fuse holder that you can attach wires to and to a small light bulb. When the short is in the circuit, the bulb will just be full brightness and it will limit current to a safe level. At that point, you can disconnect various things until the bulb becomes dim or goes out. That will indicate you've unplugged the item with the short. A 12 volt brake light bulb works well. Since I do this often, I have a blown fuse with wires soldered to the top end of the terminals. It's a simple matter to plug that in in place of the fuse. My light bulb is soldered to the other ends of the wires. You can also use a pair of spade terminals that are the same size as the fuse terminals.

It is very likely the Automatic Shutdown (ASD) relay must turn on for the short to be in the circuit. That will only happen for one second after turning on the ignition switch, and again during engine cranking. That first one second isn't enough time, obviously, to do any troubleshooting. You may need to bypass the ASD relay to do the troubleshooting. I can tell you how to do that after I find the right service manual. You won't even need to turn the ignition switch on if that's the circuit with the problem. Is there a name or number of the fuse that is blowing? Otherwise, can you describe its location in the fuse box?

caradiodoc
Jun 9, 2010 at 6:56 PM
Repair Safety Notice: This information is for general instructional purposes only. Vehicle repair can be dangerous. Verify all information, follow manufacturer service procedures, use proper tools and safety equipment, and consult a qualified repair shop when needed.