Battery volt gauge fuse blowing

[shmelmafinga]

My 93 Aero started blowing the 15A fuse that controls the voltage gauge, and the seatbelt and ABS warning lights don't glow when the ignition is turned on. A new fuse fixes all of this for a few minutes before it blows again.

It seems to charge fine, and the accessories work - everything works. The fuse just blows for no apparent reason, then the ABS light stops coming on when I first start it, and the battery gauge stays dead.

What should I be looking for?

 

[BrooklynBay]

This sounds like an intermittent short. They are hard to trace. You will need a schematic of the things on this circuit. What is the fuse number?

 

[shmelmafinga]

It's fuse 18. Operates warning bells and flashers according to my owner's manual.
Darn Hayes manual is no better... it tells you the simple stuff, but when you really need some good info they say "take it to a mechanic". There's no decent schematic that I've found so far.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Does the fuse blow when the brakes are hit hard?

 

[shmelmafinga]

I didn't notice until now, but the fuel and temp gauge don't work with the fuse gone either. (Oil press gauge never has worked)
Hard braking doesn't seem to make a difference. The first time it blew was on the highway at an easy cruise, and from there its blown in all kinds of random situations.
Schematics from my Hayes manual show nothing about the fuse panel, or how the gauges are related by circuitry.
I've been trying to trace wires from the alternator to the fuse block, to the instrument panel but its really tricky.
Should I pull the instrument panel out?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the rear ground wiring for the tail lights, and unplug the ABS solenoid block or the ABS module. It's possible that somewhere along the brake system there is an intermittent short to ground causing the fuse to blow.

 

[shmelmafinga]

Got it! Hot wire to the rear window wiper motor grounding out. Thanks for the help, Brooklyn.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update! How did you figure out where the short was coming from? The hatch is made out of fiberglass. Where was the ground connection that it was touching? Is the rear wiper on the same circuit as that fuse?

 

[shmelmafinga]

I was trying to trace wires on everything that I could find on fuse 18. The rear washer pump and wiper motor are on that one too. Pulled the hatch panel off and found the black(ground) and hot(red) had the insulation rubbed through against the motor bracket. One of the nylon plugs that keep these wires in place was snapped off and was allowing the wires to move around.

Easy to fix but took days and days to find.

 

[roadsmart]

fuse layout 1992 ford areostar plz. or at least knowing where the "runnning lights" fuse is located on the fuse box thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! It should be listed in the owner's manual or on the fuse block cover.