2000 EXPLORER KEEPS BLOWING #9 FUSE

[Vanilla73]

Hi
Any help with this is really appreciated. I have very limited funds and I am able to do small fixes with help from videos. The other day I was at the atm and put it in park. When I got ready to leave it wouldn't shift out of park. I did some quick research and changed fuse 9 and was able to shift and get home. I parked and tried shifting and had same problem. Fuse blown again. I now have to carry fuses everywhere I go. Brake lights work but a few weeks back they went out. The one on top of gate worked though. Had a passerby that asked if he could help look at it. He did something with the wire by the brake switch and I haven't had a problem with them since then. First question is there a shift override button on my 2000 xlt?I can't find anything about my year specifically. Second does anyone have any idea what's wrong or will I have to go buy a case of fuses?

 

[poker4me007]

A shot in the dark., but you could try changing out the brake light bulbs and see if that helps.
Also if you have a plug in trailer harness remove it and see if that helps.

 

[Vanilla73]

Thanks I will check and see

 

[koda2000]

The fuse blows because you have a wiring short somewhere in the brake circuit. In order to get your vehicle out of PARK you need to step on the brake pedal, that's when the fuse blows. It's very possible that your brake lights are not working (other than the high mounted stop light) even after you manage to get the vehicle out of PARK. There's nothing special about the '00 model year.

Wiring problems can be difficult, time consuming (and expensive) to diagnosis, though typically easy to fix once located. If wiggling the wires at the brake pedal switch worked, I'd start looking there. As vehicles age they tend to develop more wiring problems. Look for any wires that have had the insulation worn or chewed off. When one of these wires touches a metal surface the fuse blows.

 

[410Fortune]

In a 2000 Explorer there are two fuse #9, one in the interior fuse panel and one under the hood. Which one is blowing?]
Under the hood 9 is anti theft and fuel system
in the dash fuse 9 is BPP switch output
Do you have a owners manual? Fuses and their circuits are listed in there

I assume fuse 9 in the dash keep blowing since you are having issue with the brake circuit.
The BPP is the brake pedal position switch
This switch is mounted at the top of your brake pedal, I suggest you have a look at it.
Usually they just need to be removed and cleaned.
However yours is having a dead short since the fuse keeps popping, so you need to inspect the wire(s) and the switch.
Also you need to remove both tail lights and have a look at the bulbs and bulb sockets.
I bet your issue is in the tail light wiring, the socket the brake light bulb plugs into, just a hunch after spending years around these trucks

It makes sense that you cannot shift out of park when the fuse is blown because the truck does not see you pressing on the brake pedal (BPP switch input)