tail lights fuse keeps blowing

[vent69]

on my 94 the tail light fuse keeps blowing out after about 20 min. i have seen some posts about a wire under the sifter could that cause it to do that?i also have an aftermarket radio in but it never had any problems before and i had it in there since about 6 months ago any idea's

please help
thanx

vent

 

[Robertwav1]

I think the fact that is blowing in about 20 minutes or so is cause it's shorting somewhere probably underneath the car. Has anything been to the car's underside? Exhaust, trans etc. A tail lamp wire could very easily get caught or crushed when replacing something. What I would is put the car up on ramps, support it well and crawl underneath and take a look. Good Luck!

 

[ratdog]

My question here is, why after 20 mins? Wouldn't or shouldn't it blow right away if there was a short? Are you using the right amp fuse? Are the lights properly grounded(on second thought, that wouldn't blow a fuse, they just would not work). It should blow the fuse right as you turn the lights on, what else is on the same circuit, if anything? Is it the brake light switch possibly? Just some suggestions...............................

 

[vigman]

Some further thoughts

Sometimes, the glue holding the glass envelope to the base comes loose.. and the bulb internal wires to the socket short.

Try replacing all your tail light lamps first.. ( not the 3rd one yet).. see if any of the bulbs have a smoky glass..or are loose.

Easy cheap test.

Vig~

 

[Robertwav1]

What leads me to believe how the 20 minute factor fits in like this. Maybe time is not the issue here, maybe a bump in the road that triggers the short and seems like it's around 20 minutes. I guess the only way to prove this is to put the tail lights on while the car is stationary and see if it blows....this would prove my theory wrong. Maybe you have already tried this.