'97 sebring blowing main fuse (conv.

Last Edited By Krjb Donovan
Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014 07:45 PM GMT

Question

QUESTION: Driving on the freeway.car instantly goes dead i found the main fuse was blown. Now the instant i put ignition power to it it blows again. I cant seem to locate the bad ground. Where should i be looking?

ANSWER: Hi Jay, I assume you have the Sebring Convertible, not the Coupe, correct? and I assume you mean fuse #8 (20 amp), correct? You are looking not for a bad ground but rather for a circuit/component that is drawing more than its normal current or which is frankly short circuited to ground (but that would blow a secondary fuse first, except in the case of the problem being the fuel pump or the starter motor. But you said it blew while driving which means the starter motor is not the problem. So it is either the fuel pump circuit of several others listed below. Do you have an ohm meter or an amp meter to check out a circuit? The direct draw on the fuse 8 is the fuel pump relay which represents the current to operate the fuel pump and would be activated when you turn the key to the 'run' position, so if it blows before trying the starter then that would be suspicious about the pump which you would expect to hear run for about a second when the key is turned to 'run'; also the starter motor relay would draw on that fuse both to activate that relay and then when activated to send current to the starter solenoid switch for the purpose of closing that switch, so if it blows when you move the key to 'start' that would make the starter solenoid switch suspicious. The #8 fuse also sends current to other sections of the ignition switch which then in the run and/or start positions sends power to four 10 amp fuses in the fuse box behind the left end cap of the dash (10, 14, 15,17) and to two 10 amp fuses in the engine compartment box (9 and 10). So with all those circuits possible sources for overdrawing the fuse 8 when their current draws are combined you could have a situation where the total current through the 6 fuses could be under 10 amps through each which then when you add current for the fuel pump and/or starter solenoid total to more than 20 amps which is the limit for fuse #8. One large draw could also be the radio if that has been replaced. So it could be the fuel pump or the starter solenoid switch and the radio (particularly if you have changed to a higher power radio) would be most suspect. So be sure the radio is off when you start the car, and then notice if the fuel pump fails to hum when you turn the key to run BEFORE trying the start position which would implicate the pump. If the starter fails to click into action and you find the fuse blown then either the brown wire from the starter relay to the solenoid switch is shorting to ground of the solenoid switch on the starter is defective. If a 30 amp fuse would fit in the #8 fuse socket in the pdc that might solve this also. Please let me know what you make of this and how you resolve it. Please "rate" my answer (see below). Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The fuses are not indicated by numerics. It reads 30amp ign.sw. Moteur?..also it blows as soon as there is power put on the switch (not cranking) the radio is after market but its not hi powered by any means and its been in it since i got the car

Answer

Hi Jay, There are no 30 amp fuses in the convert, so is this a Sebring Coupe? I assume this is a convert, and that the fuse blowing is in the fourth row from the front of the box and is the most outboard fuse of the three in that row. If so, that is indeed fuse #8; if not describe where the fuse that blows is located. If that is the case, and it blows as soon as you turn the key to 'run', then I would suspect the fuel pump is overdrawing the fuse. Try removing fuse #10 (the 10 amp fuse at the inboard end of the same row of three fuses where fuse #8 is located) and then put a new fuse 8 in and turn the key to run. By removing fuse #10 you will prevent the fuel pump from coming 'on' so if fuse 8 doesn't blow it points to the fuel pump being bad. Please rate my answer. Thanks, Roland

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