You know what it’s like to blow a fuse, right? Everyone has done that at their house at some point. Maybe you plug one too many things into the same circuit and it’s just too much juice at once. It’s very common for a hair dryer to make this happen. But whatever the cause, when a fuse gets tripped or blown, normally you just have to reset the breaker, and everything works again.
So, while it is inconvenient, tripping a fuse is not the end of the world. If you blow the fuse completely, then you will have to replace it. And the same is true with your vehicle. Most of the time the tiny little fuses that power the electrical components of your car are hidden away in hard-to-reach places, but they are extremely important. The fuses in your vehicle even help protect it from overloading or short-circuiting. So, what happens if a fuse blows in your car and how do you fix it?
How Come Fuses Blow?
Fuses usually blow for one of two reasons. The first is when the circuit draws too much power and overloads the fuse’s capacity. The metal ribbon located inside the fuse casing gets too hot and melts. When that happens, any system powered by that circuit will no longer work.
The second cause of a blown fuse in your car is because wires get crossed. When a hot wire comes in contact with a grounding or neutral wire a fuse will blow. This is commonly known as a short circuit, but it has the same result as an overloaded circuit. The metal ribbon melts, and the systems that circuit controls won’t work.
Checking for a Blown Fuse
Blown fuses in your car are annoying, but thankfully, they are typically easy to fix. Most of the time, you just have to replace the fuse. if you’re not comfortable changing a fuse or don’t know how, we can do it for you.
First, find the fuse box. You will need a fuse tester or a high-impedance digital multimeter (DMM) to test the fuses. You can pick either one up at most auto parts stores.
Once you get your tool, there are three ways to check your fuse capacity. With the DMM, you can check the available voltage or the continuity. If you get a fuse tester, simply touch the probe pins on the back of the fuse. The fuse tester will tell you if it’s good or bad. If it is bad, then simply remove it and install the new fuse.
Get That Blown Fuse Fixed at Glenn’s Auto Repair
Although they are small and almost never seen, fuses play a key role in your vehicle’s operation. When a fuse goes bad, something will stop working. And the only way to resolve it is to replace the fuse. If you’re not sure how to take care of it yourself, please come see us at Glenn’s Auto Repair in Downey.
If you’re looking for the right service and repairs for your vehicle in Downey, then please call us at 562-359-4232 to schedule your next service. You can also schedule an appointment with us online by clicking here. We are your trusted Downey, CA auto repair shop for all services and repairs on all makes and models, including:
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