Tail lamps and dash lights fail

FREDCOW1

MEMBER
1996 SATURN SL1
160,000 MILES

My brake lights went out so I replaced the fuse with the proper blue 15. Then when I took it for a drive the dash lights and tail lamps went out. Noticed my red 10 fuse went out so I went replaced it and it simply went out again within a mile of driving the car everytime. I took out the brake light fuse and left a new red 10 in the fuse box and the fuse did not blow. The red 10 fuse ONLY blows when I put the brake light fuse (blue 15) into the fuse box and I noticed the taillamps and dash lights go out after I hit the brake. I have tried leaving the red 10 and blue 15 in at the same time on about 6 different occasions and everytime the red one blows that controls the taillamps and dash lights. What do I do?

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,724 POSTS

You have to have a short. It could be at the switch or any of the wiring between there and the lights. Check to make sure there are no problems at the tail light sockets. Check under the dash for any wires that look damaged and you may need to have the headlight switch checked.

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Monday, September 5th, 2011 AT 12:00 AM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

The brake and tail circuit here is shorted together somewhere-no electrical experience best just bring it to an auto electrical specialist-could be a nightmare finding the problem could be a wiring or a component itself

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Monday, September 5th, 2011 AT 12:04 AM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,869 POSTS

Just to add to this one have you checked to make sure you dont have a single element bulb in one of the brake light sockets instead of a dual element and its the correct bulbs?Also do you have a sunroof?

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Monday, September 5th, 2011 AT 3:55 AM