Fuse blowing

I have a 2000 Explorer Limited that has started blowing fuse #27 15amp that controls the rear window defroster, switch for turning on/off the backup warning alarm, overdrive on/off switch on the shift stick, and the DRL (according to the manual). My friend said the problem is probably in the overdrive circuit that runs through the steering wheel, the turning may be shorting out the circuit. He said it's $300 in parts & $300 in labor. If I disconnect the overdrive switch, will that stop the fuse from blowing and can I disconnect it without it doing any damage to the powertrain? If I can disconnect it, where's the wire, what color is it?

Any help is appreciated,

Jim

Unfortunately this one's gonna be tough to troubleshoot because there's a lot on that circuit. It powers the rear window defrost relay, Trans Control Switch, Reverse Lamp Switch, DRL module (if so-equipped), DTRS, and Parking Aid Module. All of them are fed via the VT/OG wire. Unfortunately the TCS appears to be fed via a single continuous feed, but I've got to dig a little deeper first... (There's got to be a plug there somewhere!!)

Soooo... the first thing I'd ask is do you have DRLs or the rear parking aid? Basically, what I'm thinkin' is we start unplugging connectors until we stop blowing fuses and go from there. There are a couple of strategic connectors that we could unplug, but I need to know exactly when the fuse blows: When you turn the ignition on? Start it? As soon as you replace it? (Should be as soon as you turn the key to RUN, right?)

Let me know and we'll see what we can figger out!

As for the od wire, Atleast on my 97 it is here:

Mine severed in half. You can see where the top half of the wire is near the odometer and the lower half near the hazard switch. I read other threads where peoples od wire broke like mine did. I dont know if a broken od wire could be causing your problem or not, But it could'nt hurt to take the 5 min. to take the cover off and have a look at it.
Good luck
JIGA

I don't think I have DRL if that's daytime running lamp. If so, it's turned off. I have the alarm if I back up too close to something, I don't know if that's the parking aid you mentioned. The fuse does not blow right away, I can turn it on and drive it around for a while. I don't know what causes it to blow, it appears to be a short that is triggered by motion, not by turning on a component. I checked the fuse was good by turning on the rear defroster, turning off the overdrive and the backup alarm, all the lights for those came on but when the fuse blows none of them come on. Now I'm tempted to look into the steering cowl. Thanks for your fast reply. I hope we can narrow this done.

I would look under the steering column cover to identify the wires. On my 98, the connector is located behind the headlight switch, near where the headlight switch wires come out of the main wire harness.


Dean

27 clears?

sounds to me it might be in your reverse. put a new fuse in, start the truck, shift the truck quickly into drive and drive around. if it doesnt clear and the overdrive switch works while driving, stop the truck put it into reverse if it does clear its in your revese light system\Aid system. if not, then its not in the drive train. next check the rear defroster circuit, try turning it on and wait for it to turn off. Primarly check for the Overdrive function before anything this is known to fail and cause issues. Even if it did fail by fixing the wire it still may not fix your problem, the transmission range sensor switch could have failed due to the short. a similar thing happened to me, it was every time i put it in reverse it blew the fuse. eventually i traced the harness, down and found a point worn away in the harness on the passenger side of the truck allowing it to short to the ground. Hopefully this helps out!

I know this post was old but I'm new here and thought I'd reply. I had this same exact problem on a 96 XLT and just found it today. There is a guy on this board Singleton who I'm trying to figure out how to send an email to, to thank. I found his info and this site through google.

ANYWAY, at least on the 96 XLT, fuse 26 controls backup lights, O/D lockout, rear window defogger, some part of 4wd (mine has none of this since I have 2wd. After TONS of testing over 3 days I found it, and it is apparently a pretty common problem.

Inside the steering column, there is a twisted pair of tiny wires running over the top of the column by the shifter, then into the shift lever. This is for the o/d lockout switch that is on the end of the shift lever. Over years of shifting and wearing on the insulation on the wire it wears off. Hard to see at first, but you could actually see bare wire exposed. That shorts to the steering column and blows the fuse. The short has nothing to do with the reverse lights, it is just on the same circuit.

Google Ford Explorer Fuse #26 and you will find Singleton's writeup, but you just take the screws off the bottom of the steering column cover, and the top and bottom halfs come off, sort of. It helps to tilt the wheel up and down when trying to move these by the way. Inside you will see a metal piece with the rubber part that covers the shifter where it comes in to the steering column. You lift that metal piece up and bend the rubber a little and you will see the little black wire under there.

I rigged a tester to find this problem. I removed the backup light bulbs completely, and I put a 12V test light across the fuse terminals where I had removed the fuse. When it shorts the light comes on. By shifting from P to R, I noticed when I didn't lift the shift knob hard but just let it drag along the notch between P and R I had a short. Taking it apart and finding the wire I could not for the life of me make it short. But wiggling the wire and touching it to the metal I finally saw a light flicker and that helped me find the short.

Tape the wire well and reassemble everything and everything is fixed, fuse 26 no longer blows.

Seems to be a common problem, and I know the dealer would have charged me a fortune to find it. Thank you Singleton.

Keywords
fuse 26
backup lights
reverse lights
fuse 26 short

The other thread about this said that it's a 10 amp fuse while this thread says that it's a 15 amp fuse. Which one is correct? Are they different for different year vehicles (96 & 2000)?

My fuse 26 for 1996 XLT is 10A, and that is the correct one from the manual for this circuit. On 1996 XLT it has reverse lamps, O/D lockout, rear defogger, some 4wd circuitry (not app to me since I have 2wd), and DLR (daylight running, Canada only, not applicable to me, apparently a circuit which turns on headlamps on low when driving in daylight).