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Repeated car breaks indicate an inappropriate rating of the fuse or the fuse is connected to an overloaded circuit.
While you can fix a blown fuse by simply replacing it, there can be different reasons your car fuse keeps blowing. Repetitive car fuse can be daunting, and the right approach to fix the issue is to find the root cause. Continue reading the article to know the possible reasons for a recurring blown fuse.
Short on Time – Here’s a Quick Summary
If you’re experiencing issues in your electrical system, including headlights, radios, windshield wipers, etc., a blown fuse is yet to blame. There can be different causes for a car fuse that keeps blowing. The most common include a short circuit in the wiring or an unfitting fuse amp rating. You can fix the issue by replacing the fuse.
What is a Fuse & How Does It Work?
Before we discuss the causes and fixes of a blown fuse, let’s talk about what it is and how it works in a car.
- Fuse: A fuse is a metal fire used in cars to protect several electrical components from high voltage occurrences.
The main reason the fuse is there is that if a too-strong current passes through the fuse, it will melt or burn, stopping the electricity flow and breaking the circuit so that the high voltage doesn’t damage the car’s electrical components.
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A car can work without fuses, but a large, overloaded electrical current can overheat the wires and melt the insulation. It can significantly result in instant component failure or even fire.
Therefore, it is essential to use a fuse or fix a blown fuse so that the current in the car stays at a reasonable level and doesn’t affect the car’s electrical components.
Causes and Fixes of a Blown Fuse
There can be several causes of a fuse that keeps blowing. We’ll discuss some in this section.
1. Inappropriate Fuse Amp Rating
As mentioned earlier, a fuse is there in your car for a reason; to protect your car’s electrical; components. Fuses are rated by how much current they can handle before getting blown. Here, let’s talk about two scenarios.
- Too small amp rating: If the amp rating of the fuse is too small than the actual recommended fuse size for your car, it will keep blowing, and the fuse will repeatedly blow below the circuit’s capacity. As a result, the fuse will blow every time you turn on the load.
- Too-large amp rating: Conversely, a too-large amp rating will not blow the fuse. However, it can have dangerous effects as it will let the high-load current pass through the wires, making them burn or melt.
I also had this problem with my Chevrolet. The fuse kept blowing every time I changed it. I thought of inspecting the amp rating according to my owner’s manual. When I matched the ratings with my car fuse, the amp rating was too small than the recommended one. I replaced the fuse with the correct amp rating and resolved this issue.
Solution
You must choose the correct fuse size if this is the reason. Now what you have to do is to check your fuse size and figure out whether or not it is suitable for your car. There are two ways to find out the amp rating of the fuse.
- By color: Fuses are color-coded, and fuse colors indicate different amp ratings. (See the table)
- By number: Amp rating number is stamped on the fuse.
Once you have found out the amp rating of the blown fuse, consult the owner’s manual to check whether or not it is suitable for your car. If not, replace the fuse with an appropriate fuse.
2. Failed Component
A circuit would be incomplete without the load, a component powered by the energy; for instance, a light, heater element, motor, etc. The wiring circuit is susceptible to failure in the load.
Electrical components comprise a motor, and a common reason for a blown fuse is a motor failure. There can be three types of failures.
- Open: a break in the wiring of the internal component
- Short Circuit: it can cause the component with more power consumption, resulting in a blown fuse.
- Mechanical Failure: Since motors use bearings for flexible movement, a captured bearing can draw excessive current.
Solution
The wiring of the component is generally not visible in a car, and you can’t open it for inspection or repair. So apparently, it is not obvious that a failed component is why the fuse keeps blowing.
To find out whether this is the reason or not, do the following:
- Unplug the fuse and replace it.
- The component is in good condition if the fuse blows straight away after connecting.
- However, if the fuse doesn’t blow, the component might have a problem.
Get it checked by an automotive mechanic.
3. Short Circuit in the Wiring
If you have checked the fuse size and it’s correct according to the owner’s manual, there might be a short circuit somewhere in the wiring. There can be two causes of a shortage in a vehicle’s wiring.
- Chafing: It is wire insulation failure for different reasons, mainly due to rubbing on some plastic bodywork. It can also simply happen as the vehicle ages.
- Moisture Contamination. Unnoticed water leakage can cause moisture contamination in the car wiring, resulting in short circuits.
Solution
Check for signs of chafing or water contamination in the wiring. Do the following.
- Replace the broken wire or its portions using different lengths of wire, solder, and heat shrink.
- Heat the tubing using a heat gun or dryer until the wire shrinks.
- And for moisture contamination, blow hot air until the moisture reduces. Remove or reinstall wiring if necessary.
This is how you can eliminate chafing or water moisture.
4. Defective or Thinner Power Wire
A defective wire or one with a smaller diameter than recommended can cause resistance. As a result, the amplifier has to work while consuming much time and effort, thus generating heat in the system. This heat constantly flows in the car fuse, and as a result, more resistance is formed than necessary, leading to the car fuse blowing.
Solution
One of the things you can do here is to avoid producing so much heat so that it doesn’t endanger the amplifier’s internal safety. Moreover, the wire should be of 10 gauge size minimum so that the current smoothly flows through the system and doesn’t cause the fuse to blow.
5. Water Leakage
As mentioned earlier, water contamination or moisture can affect the wirings in the system. There can be several reasons for water leakage in automobiles. First, any liquid dripping on the following can cause a short circuit in the wiring and lead to a blown fuse.
- Electrical wiring
- Wiring harness
- Electrical connection points.
Solution
It’s always better to ensure that your wirings or electrical components are not exposed to water. If you find moisture or any electrical system leaks, consult a mechanic to sort out the issue.
6. Arc Issues
Arc fault or arcing is when a circuit overloads with current and overheats. As a result, overheating can damage the wire or lead to a short circuit. Also, arcing can occur due to worn-out or broken wires.
Consequently, a short circuit due to arcing will make the fuse blow.
Solution
This is the same as a short circuit in the wiring or broken wiring. To resolve this issue;
- Examine the wiring system.
- Look for broken or worn-out wirings.
- Discover signs of short circuits.
Replace the broken wirings or visit a mechanic to get the job done.
7. Damaged or Outdated Electrical Outlets
Any damaged wiring or connected parts pose a risk and can lead to a power fault, tripping a circuit, which again will cause the fuse to blow. The fuse is not to blame in most cases, as it’s doing what it was made to do. The fuse saves the system from any bigger issue, such as fire.
Solution
To fix this issue, do the following.
- Get your electrical outlets inspected by a mechanic.
- Have the damaged ones repaired.
- Replace the outdated components.
8. Overloaded Circuit
This is one of the most common causes of a blown fuse. When the circuit is overloaded, the electrical component draws too much power from the circuit, which will cause the fuse to blow.
A reason the circuit gets overloaded includes a motor tasked with moving a component, such as a window motor or a wiper motor. Resistance in the moving component, such as heavy rainfall or snowfall, will make the motor generate more power. As a result, this draws a larger current on the circuit, which causes the fuse to blow.
Solution
You can fix this issue by doing the following.
- Discover what draws much power that causes the fuse to blow.
- Try to cut back on additional power.
- Change the fuse as soon as it blows since a blown fuse won’t be able to interrupt excessive power moving along the circuit.
9. Malfunctioning Car Stereo
A malfunctioning car stereo can also cause the fuse to blow. This is something most people don’t know about. You notice a malfunctioning or burning smell when you turn on the stereo. You know that the stereo fuse has blown. But what makes it blow? There can be three reasons.
- Incorrect fuse amperage rating
- Shorts in the stereo wires
- Internally damaged stereo system
Solution
If your car fuse keeps blowing when you turn on the stereo, do the following.
- Check if the fuse amp ratings are correct.
- Check for shorts in stereo wirings and replace them.
- Repair or replace your car stereo.
10. Faulty AC
Another reason for your car fuse to blow can be the car AC. If your AC suddenly stops working, it has been working overtime in the hot weather and might have tripped due to overheating, which, as a result, can blow the fuse in the AC unit.
Solution
If you think the fuse has blown due to a malfunctioning or overheating in the AC unit, do the following.
- Locate the fuse box in your car.
- Identify the blown fuse. You can identify it by a fuse’s visibly melted or burned filament.
- Replace it with the same amp rating. If the rating is incorrect, replace it with the correct one.
- If the fuse keeps blowing, get your AC unit inspected by a mechanic.
How Do You Replace a Blown Fuse?
The fuse replacement process is simple, and you can do it yourself. Follow these steps to replace a blown fuse in a car.
- Locate the fuse panel. Depending on your car’s make and model, you may find it in the engine compartment or under the steering wheel. Consult your owner’s manual to find the exact location.
- Uncover the fuse panel and identify the blown fuse, as there will be several fuses of different colors and numbers.
- The broken fuse will have a black interior or broken metal filament.
- Remove the broken fuse and replace it with a fuse of the same ampere rating.
If the fuse keeps blowing repeatedly, consider consulting the fuse size from the owner’s manual. First, check whether or not the broken fuse is of appropriate size. If it happens to be too small, replace it with one recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
Takeaway
While there can be different causes for the fuse blowing in a car, the most common among them is a too-small fuse size or a short circuit in the wiring. If you have a fuse too small for the electrical current passing through it, it will keep blowing as soon as the current passes. Consider replacing the fuse with an appropriate amp rating, as your car manufacturer recommends.
On the other hand, if the fuse keeps blowing and the size is accurate, check for any short circuit in the wiring. If you cannot discover the cause, consider visiting an automotive mechanic and getting this issue fixed as soon as possible.
FAQs
If a fuse keeps blowing, check for overloaded circuits or the size of the fuse. A too-small fuse will blow as soon as the current passes through it. Also, check if the circuit is overloaded. Reduce its load to eliminate this issue.
A car can run without a fuse, as a blown a fuse will generally cause a minor electrical problem, like not working interior lights or backup lights. However, driving a car without a fuse is not recommended, as a large electric current can cause damage to the car components.
There can be different signs of a short circuit, including radio cutouts, flickering lights, etc. However, sometimes, short circuits in your car wiring cause electrical issues.
A short circuit generally occurs when excess electricity flows through a small area. It can cause the wires in your car to overheat, sometimes potentially leading to a fire.
If the fuse keeps blowing, it depends on the actual cause. It can indicate either the fuse size is too small or a problem in the electrical system. A short circuit in the wiring can also be a reason. Find the root cause and fix the issue.
