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2000 Sportage, no tail lights, dash lights

4K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Bob Sanders 
#1 ·
Hello, new here, and like many, having a problem. Here's the history. It's a RWD, manual 4dr EX model. I've had it a few years, with trouble free service. Pass on to son and the trouble soon began. Right now the tail/dash lights blow a fuse when I turn on lights. At one point headlights wouldn't turn off, and I replaced multi-switch on column. Problem with headlights returned and vanished. That part is a mystery, but I'll take it for now. But here is the interesting symptom. With the keys out, when I replace the tail light fuse, the dash indications come on as it the switch is in run or acc position. If I turn on lights, poof, fuse blows and dash indications go dark. Otherwise, truck starts and runs fine. Could it be as simple as an ignition switch?

As an aside, I have ripped out all his boom boom stereo stuff, looking for a loose or bare wire, and looking at grounds. There is a short somewhere. Discovered this by putting I a fuse that failed to blow. (Oddly, the first fuse in tail lamp slot was 20a instead of 10a, telling me previous owner may have had an issue as well.)

Thanks for any insight!
Bob
 
#3 ·
The wire loom that goes to the tail/brake lights is underbody and passes through a hole in the metal frame to get to the interior of cargo area where it makes its way behind the panel to the tail lights. Where the wire loom passes through the metal hole there is a plastic bung that breaks up over time and allows the wire insulation to rub the metal and ground out when you turn those lights on.

This is just where I would check first.

Phillip, I'm surprised you didn't suggest installing a 10 amp circuit breaker in place of the fuse and using a mechanical ammeter to point toward the short. :p
 
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