1998 Ford Contour blown fuses

Tiny
TXMAIN19
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 FORD CONTOUR
  • 171,000 MILES
My brake lights, blinkers, hazards, horn & ac all blew out while I was driving. We went to autozone they said we needed to change the relay because we changed the fuses and they blew out right away. We couldn't find any relays that looked the same. We looked for exposed wires, most were taped by previous owners. We retaped them better and changed the fuses. Everything worked fine for a week, once again they all blew out while I was driving. What else can be an issue?
Friday, September 27th, 2013 AT 12:33 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
What relay were they talking about? If all those fuses are in the same fuse box, I'd look at the back of the fuse box to see if any wires or anything are burned or melted. If you try that take the negative battery cable loose. Can you give us the fuse number and amp rating? Some of those components may have more than one fuse? Most of those fuses are hot all the time. The turn fuse goes hot with key on.

Besides the fuse box, four of those components have something else in common, the steering column.

Intermittent issues can be a pain, you have to test when problem is ongoing.
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Friday, September 27th, 2013 AT 1:57 PM
Tiny
TXMAIN19
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
They said it was a flasher warning relay. The fuse that blew out were horn and hazard flasher warning system amp 15 fuse 12, brake lamp amp 15 fuse 24, backup lamps amp 15 fuse 23.
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Friday, September 27th, 2013 AT 5:48 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
As far as electrical connections, you should use the proper connectors, not just electrical tape. This diagram is the wiring for turn signal. It could be the road vibration working a short, somewhere? I'd pick one component circuit and track it, maybe you can find a wire that is melted or a place where the insulation is rubbed through?

That fuse for the turn signal and horn is also for the antitheft module.
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Saturday, September 28th, 2013 AT 7:50 AM

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