Have a fuse that keeps blowing and not sure what's causing it. It's a 20 Amp blade fuse, and I looked at what it's for and it says: 'Cigar Lighter. RR. WDO. Wipe/Wash.' I've tested both cigarette lighters, both the unit as well as the chamber and they're both fine. I don't know what RR, WDO, or Wipe/Wash could be. I thought Wipe/Wash might be the windscreen washers/wipers, but they both work when the fuse isn't even in, so it can't be them. I can start the car, and use accessories, as well as both cigarette lighters without the fuse going, but every now and then I'll find the fuse has blown again, so I'm guessing it's something I don't use very often, or maybe some faulty wiring which is shorting intermittently. Anyone have any idea what it could be?
If the Cig lighter works when the fuse is blown or not even there, something weird is going on. Best to take to an auto elec if you dont know much about electrical side of things. If you do... try chasing where the cig lighter wires are getting the power source from. And find out where the wires on the back of that fuse are going.
Cig lighters aren't working without the fuse (sorry, I probably made a confusing explanation). I just don't know what else is connected to the fuse aside from the cig lighters that might be blowing the fuse, as I don't know what RR, WDO, Wipe/Wash means. I had thought that Wipe/Wash meant for the windscreen, but it doesn't, so I'm not sure what else to check electrically that could be causing the fuse to blow.
Wiring diagram is just what you need. I will run you through it as I have the gregorys here. The fuse you are blowing is fuse 15. If you have a wagon it is also powering the rear window wiper (I assume you dont so you dont need to worry about this). It is powering the cigarette lighter obviously (rear cigarette lighter too if you have a high series model) and thats about it. I assume you have a high series model. I would start by checking the wiring. Would a previous owner have wired some neons or something to that the circuit, or maybe the head unit? Just check the wiring from the front and follow it back, make sure there are no wires tapped off it. If you have an aftermarket head unit there is an unused connector there. Maybe someone has tapped off that too so check that. Otherwise start by disconnecting one of the cigarette sockets. Not sure if there is a connector there or if you will have to desolder one of the connections. So disconnect the rear for example, wait again and see if the fuse blows. If it still does, disconnect the front too and see if it still blows. That should narrow down the fault. What do you plug into the cigarette sockets? You could also get an adaptor from dick smith, part number P1691. These have a small light on them when there is power available. When the fuse blows the light will go out and you might notice that it is going out when you hit a bump or something like that. You could make a tester yourself if you have a spare cigarette plug and a bulb or led with resistor. When the light goes out the fuse has blown and you will hopefully notice it straight away.
Cheers mate, I'll give that a go. As far as I know, the whole thing was stock when I bought it aside from the head unit so I'll check that. The fuse was actually a 20Amp, so maybe it's different in Calais'? All I've ever had plugged into the cig lighters were the lighters themselves, but I might make up a tester as you suggested, sounds like a winner.
is the fuse blowing without anything connected to the cig lighter?? phone chargers and other acc can cause that issue even check if like a coin or some metal object is stuck under the cig lighter causing a short
Cig lighters aren't the cause at all. I have no accessories plugged in, except the cig lighters themselves, and I have used them and teh fuse has remained intact. I even removed the chambers and double-checked the wiring, and tested the lighters' impedance levels. They were all sweet.
Fuse should still be 20A in the calais I would think. Should be ample power for anything being plugged in there. I would leave the cigarette lighters out, maybe just one at a time. One might be intermittently going short circuit and blowing a fuse. Worth a try.
