348 spider electrical gremlin! | FerrariChat
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348 spider electrical gremlin!

Discussion in '348/355' started by RickDay246, Jan 14, 2005.

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  1. RickDay246

    RickDay246 Karting

    Sep 10, 2004
    224
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Rick Day
    #1 RickDay246, Jan 14, 2005
    On my 95 spider, I keep blowing a #15 fuse in the passenger side footwell. It controls the daytime flashers, and evidently, the aftermarket stereo. It's top row, 3rd from right.

    But there's something strange going on. The little green lights illuminating the power window switches on the door panels are lit, as are the red lights in the ends of the doors (rear edge of door that mates to jam when closed), and they won't go off. Obviously my battery would be dead by morning if not for my nifty battery charger.

    Do I have a short somewhere? Where do I start?
     
  2. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
    5,966
    Milton, Wash.
    Full Name:
    Jeff B.
    #2 Miltonian, Jan 14, 2005
    Rick: Just for giggles, look on each door at where the lower hinge attaches to the body. Is there any evidence that either of the pushbutton switches on each side have fallen out of their holes and into the space behind?

    You must have a short if it is blowing 15amp fuses. Something with a constant source of power is touching to ground. It's at least possible that one of the dome light switches has fallen out and is touching a ground. For what it's worth, that's where I would look first. It happened on my car.
     
  3. kenyon

    kenyon F1 Rookie

    Oct 7, 2002
    2,837
    East Yorkshire
    Full Name:
    Justin Kenyon
    #3 kenyon, Jan 14, 2005
    Where the wires plug into the door next to the door hinge could be loose and coming out of the pin holes. This is common. Had the same problem on my spider.
     
  4. RickDay246

    RickDay246 Karting

    Sep 10, 2004
    224
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Rick Day
    #4 RickDay246, Jan 14, 2005
    I checked the plug and wiggled it around, and the problem went away temporarily. I will dig into it a bit more over the weekend and find the matter.

    As for fuses blowing, I think you're right. I blew the fuse tonight on the way home by honking the horn and then immediately hitting the turn signal.

    I think that cute little audible beep-deedle-beep thing is an alarm or indicator of a power issue, no?
     
  5. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

    Feb 16, 2003
    14,656
    The fabulous PNW
    Full Name:
    Han Solo
    #5 Spasso, Jan 14, 2005
    I have learned something while replacing my window switches that may help explain the "little green lights" and the red courtesy lights staying on all the time.

    On my 308 and likely on your 348, there is a continuous power supply to your window switches and also to your courtesy lights. Activation takes place when the circuit provides a ground for that power supply. This is how the window switches are set up as well as the buttons on your door jams, they supply a ground when the switch is pressed. If the switch is loose or cocked, possibly shorted it will turn those lights on.

    I can't offer anything on the fuse.
     
  6. RickDay246

    RickDay246 Karting

    Sep 10, 2004
    224
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Rick Day
    #6 RickDay246, Jan 15, 2005
    It was all related! Wires leading to little red light at trailing edge of driver's side door were chafed through insulation from either repeated open/close or ride vibrations. This was causing the red lights (both sides) to stay on, thereby drawing power from a constant circuit - same circuit as window switches, radio, flashers, etc. So with the radio on, and my little red lights, I'd hit the flashers and blow the fuse.

    It was difficult to see the red lights (in the door seams, red paint, daytime, etc) until I saw them glowing at night when I turned off the garage light. Frankly, I was lucky, pulled the little red light bulb fixture, and looked in the hole at the wires and found the problem. That chafing could've been anywhere in the door.

    Thanks for your help.
     

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