Electrical question

[SVOChic]

Hope this is the right forum for this question.

My mom just recently purchased an 88 GT. The dash lights do not work, but everything else seems to work fine. She found the fuse and replaced the fuse. As soon as she put the fuse in, it blew. Any ideas? It does have an aftermarket CD player in it and I told her to check the wiring on that for possibly a short somewhere. If not there, check the rest of the wiring in the dash area.

Any other ideas on what could be causing the short?

[Wicked]

Hope this is the right forum for this question.

My mom just recently purchased an 88 GT. The dash lights do not work, but everything else seems to work fine. She found the fuse and replaced the fuse. As soon as she put the fuse in, it blew. Any ideas? It does have an aftermarket CD player in it and I told her to check the wiring on that for possibly a short somewhere. If not there, check the rest of the wiring in the dash area.

Any other ideas on what could be causing the short?

Hey, looks like a cool car you got.

I would also agree, something is shorting out. Most likely where they hooked up to the illumination/dimmer from the dash lighting.

[Ponygirl]

Those mustangs are possessed. That is the only explanation for it. We had an 88 GT and it had all kinds of electrical and alternator problems.

[SVOChic]

Oh I hope not! My mom had another 88 GT prior to this one and absolutely loved that car. No problems ever from it. She got a smokin' deal on this car, so I hope it turns out to be a good car for her.

Wicked~Thanks! I'll definately have her check into that too. I didn't even think about illumination/dimmer. Probably exactly where it's at. I'll be sure to let y'all know when she finds it!

[QWKSNKE]

Those mustangs are possessed. That is the only explanation for it. We had an 88 GT and it had all kinds of electrical and alternator problems.

yep and we have another GT. Guess I am just a glutton for punishment. So far no electrical problems though

[Wall96cobra]

It's possible they hooked the ground wire of the cd player to the illumination wire, when you check the illumination wire with a voltage meter it will read like a ground (when the light switch is off) but when you turn the light switch on it sends 12v from the switch so someone could have mistaken that wire for a ground. But it could also be that the illumination wire is not hooked up to the radio and just laying in the dash behind the radio where it's probably touching metal and shorting out. I would just take the radio out and check for bare wires first.

[Wicked]

It's possible they hooked the ground wire of the cd player to the illumination wire, when you check the illumination wire with a voltage meter it will read like a ground (when the light switch is off) but when you turn the light switch on it sends 12v from the switch so someone could have mistaken that wire for a ground. But it could also be that the illumination wire is not hooked up to the radio and just laying in the dash behind the radio where it's probably touching metal and shorting out. I would just take the radio out and check for bare wires first.


Good call.

[04 Mach1]

My 89gt's had a problem with the headlight switch and dimmer replaced both problem fixed

[banditmwp]

yep and we have another GT. Guess I am just a glutton for punishment. So far no electrical problems though
How would you know? It hasn't moved in WEEKS! :jester:



Also, be aware that if the fuse for the dash lights is blown, you don't have any parking or tail lights either. :bluelight

[SVOChic]

Also, be aware that if the fuse for the dash lights is blown, you don't have any parking or tail lights either. :bluelight

That's what I thought too, but she said that my step-dad drove it home from where they bought, she followed him and all the lights did work, just not the dash lights. I would have thought the taillights wouldn't have been working either.