1998 Ford Escort - Inst Panel & Tail lights fuse blowing

I have checked the obvious connectors and where bulbs are plugged in. the fuse DOES NOT blow when I just turn on the lights. But when the car is running, or if I start the car with the headlights already on, then it blows immediately. If I just leave the lights on, the tail lights and instrument panels light up fine and stay on, but as soon as the car is on at the same timem - it blows. I have looked for hours. Any suggestions? I have read other posts about checking the ground, but not sure where or what to check.... Thanks!

 

A common problem with that model escort was water ingress into the fuse box, more so on the early ones, the later ones where modified to try and stop it, but it was still a problem. Looking at the top of the fuse box(i.e. at the fuses) you will not see anything wrong, you need to take it apart and look at the underneath of it where the wires connect.

 

OK, I am going to recheck the fuse box and pull them each out and check for corrosion and continuity on each again. i will let you know the outcome. Thanks a lot.

 

I took it aprt and cleaned it up and looked underneath. Didn't find any obvious corrosion but cleaned them up anyway and put it all back together. Didn't get a change yet. Also tested the fuses and all fuses but the headlights get a beep on my tester..then when I turn on the headlight I of course get a beep, but not when they are not on. This is the fuse box under the hood of the car. Inside the car under the drivers side, only the fuses on the right hand side, including the one that is blowing repeatedly get a beep but the rest on the left side don't. Is it normal that some don't have any electricity present when they aren't on. I realise this may be a stupid question, but I wouldn't be asking them if I were a pro on this subject.. I have spent hours taking this apart and looking on the connections for corrosion or broken wires or worn off wires and haven't found these, except corrosion which I cleaned up but no change yet. Help!

 

Right ok.
Have you checked the alternator output voltage? i.e. check the voltage across the battery terminals with a multimeter whilst the engine is running, it's posiable the voltage regulator in the alternator has failed, so the voltage will be far too high, so when you switch the lights on they draw too much power and cause the fuse to blow.

 

Hmm, ok, I am gonna check that and let you know.

 

Sorry forgot to say yes this is perfectly normal.

 

OK, well wanted to let you know that I checked all fuses, checked the alternator - voltage regulator was okay. So started looking more..found that the wires in the hatchback door at the back looked suspicious... I took off all the gross electrical tape that they were wrapped in and lo and behold...several were cut and there was water in there and I fixed them up - resoldered a few and put heat shrink and put everything back together...and success!!! Thanks for your support and help! All is well!

 

Excellent Well done for fixing it, and thanks for letting us know how you got on, it's always nice to hear a happy ending
Best regards
Vic

 

Apologize for the disturbance but just last saturday, i had the issue mentioned here. the lights as well as the suspension is not functioning. I don't think there's something wrong with my car. Just checked the connectors and found nothing. I have no idea what to do now and guess this thread would be helpful to me. on the other hand, you are still free to put your suggestions and recommendations here...by the way this is my first post and again apologize for disturbing all of you guys as well as for bumping up this thread.


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