Troubleshooting blowing fuse 10

[johnwartjr]

96 Explorer Limited

Fuse 10 is blown. Replaced it, it blows again.

I noticed the information center in the console as well as the compass/temp display were not working tonight, so I started poking around.

The owners manual indicates fuse 10 controls

-EATC System
-Rear Blower
-Speed Control
-GEM system
-Brake interlock
-Overhead Console
-Automatic Ride Control

The overhead console wasn't working, the cruise control (guessing this is 'speed control') wasn't working, and the rear blower was out.

I don't remember hearing the ride control running, but I can't be for sure.

So, I came home after I changed fuse 10 in a parking lot and it almost immediately blew again.

I replaced the fuse one more time at home, and noticed the overhead console came on briefly before the fuse blew, and the rear blower ran before the fuse blew. The information center in the console never turned on, though.

After pulling the keys to come inside, I noticed the rear leveled itself, even with fuse 10 removed - so perhaps the fuse protects some other part of the automatic ride control system than the compressor for the rear air bags.

So, I'm trying to figure out how I troubleshoot this fault. First thing I need is a few more 7.5 amp fuses - or some sort of a circuit breaker perhaps.

I could tear the truck apart, and unplug everything that is on this fuse - but admittedly, I don't know how I'd do that, as I'm at best a shadetree mechanic, and I think I'd need to tear the whole dang car apart to unhook all of this stuff.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Is this a common problem? Is there a component I should look closer at first? Perhaps a shorted wire somewhere?

 

[johnwartjr]

In case this might be related...

The climate control unit - the little screen that you set the heat or air temp on, etc - is switching from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Actually, it's on Celsius most of the time, and we normally have it as Fahrenheit. When we start the truck, it goes to Fahrenheit and then switches to Celsius.


There's no heat right now, but there was heat when the problem started. I pulled the fuse for the heated mirrors to test the fuse that controls the information center etc and wonder if maybe that controlled something else that is causing us to get no heat.

 

[budwich]

well... I vote for the "tear the truck apart method"...

IF you want to save on fuses, get a meter and measure the resistance of "all those circuits" at the fuse holder with the fuse removed. It will likely be very close to zero ohms.... that's why the fuse blows... maybe. Then what you can try is disconnecting some of the components... for instance, the GEM is a "usual winner" as it controls alot of the stuff and it unto itself is not necessarily bad but could be. With the GEM removed, measure again... did the resistance change? If so, then what is the new reading? IF it is greater than 2 ohms, then the fuse is now likely NOT to blow.

What does this approach tell you??? It will tell you if you have a "bare wire" issue somewhere in those circuits OR if the issue is a "little deeper" and more associated with the controls of the GEM. Depending on the test results, you can go to a "next step".

Of course, you could also maybe search for other posts of similar nature to see if they have come across a common "culprit".

 

[johnwartjr]

The message center is the culprit.

With the message center removed, the fuse does not blow. The rear blower works, and the compass/thermometer works.

As much as I wanted to do it the 'hard way', I decided to go with my gut, since when I replaced the fuse, the items that were not working started to work first, then do the 'hard way' if that failed.

Now, to find a message center....

 

[johnwartjr]

Got a deal on a message center from a 97 on eBay, $32 shipped.

Put it in today, message center now works, and the fuse no longer blows.

Problem fixed