HOW TO RECOGNIZE A BLOWN FUSE ON YOUR CAR -

This article will show you how to recognize a blown fuse on your car.

The fuses protect your car’s electrical installation and appliances from short circuits, overload, and other serious damage.

It’s common knowledge that when there is an electrical problem, the fuses are the first place to look. But besides that, there are tell-tale signs that will tell you that even without looking.

This is the list of those signs.

Besides this article, you can also watch videos on our YouTube channel where you can see lots of useful advice and tips about car maintenance, driving, and else.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A BLOWN FUSE ON YOUR CAR

1. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER FOR CERTAIN APPLIANCES

One sure sign of a blown fuse is when one or more appliances stop working at a moment’s notice. So, one moment they work, the next they completely stop.

For instance, you’re using the cabin blower, and all of a sudden it stops working.

Or you turn it off, and suddenly it does not want to start again.

2. THERE IS A PATTERN FOR WHAT APPLIANCES DO NOT WORK

Next, if you see a certain pattern of how the appliances are not working or they stop working in a group, check for blown fuses first.

For instance, if you see that the cabin lights and the lighter stop working at the same time, check the fuses.

If you see that all of a sudden, all of the window lifters stop working, check the fuses.

Another good example is if the position lights work only on one side (front left and rear left) while the other side (front right and rear right) does not work at all.

If you want to see how to replace the fuses on almost any car, click here to read an article and watch a video dedicated specifically to that topic.

3. YOU MAY HEAR A SLIGHT CLICKING SOUND

If you listen carefully, you might hear a clicking sound just as the fuse burns out.

The sound lasts only a second, and this is why it is not a very reliable way to recognize a blown fuse.

Also, you can hear it only if the fuse box is located inside the passenger cabin.

4. FREAK ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS

In some cars, you may experience freak electronic problems like certain appliances not working properly, various warning lights appearing for no reason, and else.

This symptom especially appears when the fuse is not totally blown or is damaged for some reason, and may still give an electrical contact.

For instance, an appliance works fine until you go over a pothole. Then it stops working, only to start again when another bump happens.

A common cause of these problems is bolt-on type fuses, which are especially known to cause this type of problem.

5. COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER

If you experience on your car complete loss of electric power the first things you should check are the battery terminals and whether there are blown fuses.

In this case, you should immediately check the larger main fuses, which most cars have.

The fuse box for these is usually located under the hood, near the car battery, or elsewhere. You can find the exact location for your car in the manual.

CONCLUSION

When you have a blown fuse, make sure to replace it with one that has the same amperage.

Do not install a fuse with a higher amperage.

If the fuse blows up soon after you replace it, know that you have some sort of problem either with the appliance or the car’s electrical installation.

Best to check out the cause as soon as possible to avoid further damage and costly problems.