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Dash and Running Lights Blowing Fuses

33K views 29 replies 4 participants last post by  blpetts 
#1 ·
Heres the back story: 2008 Cobalt Sport. I had a burned out headlight. I figured if i was gonna replace a light i would replace the set with a brighter light. A day later my dashboard lights went out (and my running lights too but i didn't know that immediately). I spent a week replacing fuses until in desperation i dropped a 15 amp in instead of the 10. Bad idea. I smelled smoke coming from the trunk and pulled it right away. I was just about to concede defeat and take it to the dealer when i decided to try putting in standard lights. My problem was fixed...for a bit.

For a week i had no problems then monday the lights went out again. I replaced the fuse it blew within minutes. I could smell a bit of smoke coming from a plate in the trunk (rear interior of the trunk has a plastic plate that i cannot figure out how to remove). I'm fairly certain i smoked the wires for my running lights and that the bundle is behind that plate. Does anybody have any idea of how to remove it. I'm so frustrated i'm ready to just snap it.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
#3 ·
At first i tried replacing the with:
Sylvania SilverStar TWIN Halogen Headlight
Part No 9007 ST/2

Then i made the unfortunate test with the 15 amp fuse.

Then i put in:
Sylvania Halogen Headlight
Part No 9007

Everytime i put a new fuse in it i smell a whiff of smoke in the trunk right as the fuse blows. So i have to get at the wire bundle that i suspect is behind that plate.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Hockey Game is over. Which fuse are you blowing? The DRL or low beam? Was the other one the cluster fuse(fuse #7). There is no relation between these two fuses burning at the same time. Wires are in different bundles and on a different fuse block. Now for that plastic cover you are talking about in the trunk. Do you mean the vent flap because there are no wires behind that plastic cover. The reason you are probably smelling it in the trunk is because all the air from the cabin exits via that vent trap. No wires in the trunk related to DRL or Cluster except B+ of course and if you look at the size of those wires you know they are not getting hot.
 

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#7 ·
#8 · (Edited)
I keep blowing the PRK LAMP fuse. (I did see the vent off to the passenger side and don't think it's coming from that). When i have someone replace the fuse almost immediately i get a whiff of smoke coming from the vicinity of the edges of the plastic plate.

Here's some pics:

Me standing outside the car looking into trunk at the top of the plate.



From inside the trunk. No wires coming out passenger side.



Drivers side and a likely culprit. This wire bundle fits the bill but i can't get at where it's smoking with the plastic plate in the way.

I think the cluster fried at some wrapped point behind that plate. I just need a way to get that plate off and would prefer not breaking it in the process.
 
#9 ·
If you are talking about this black cover that surrounds the trunk latch it just pulls straight up and only held in place by four snaps to the compartment sheet metal. But there is nothing behind it.
 

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#10 ·
You are correct Coby. That's what i wanted to know and that wire i thought likely only wrapped from the battery and was incidentally underneath the plastic. Back to square one.

After the dash lights go out there's a good 20-30 secs before i smell it in the cab. So i still think the wires causing me trouble are in the trunk. Any thoughts on that?
 
#11 ·
Only wires heading towards the trunk are tail,rear window defogger,Dome light and trunk release. You might have a bad bulb in your cluster shorting out it's supply from BCM. Is it burning fuse 7?
 
#13 ·
Your block doesn't look like this?
 

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#14 ·
Do you mean the 15amp fuse under the hood marked PRK Lamp?
 
#15 · (Edited)
My fuses are all in the engine compartment. I have yet to locate a fuse bank in the cab. But the fuse that keeps burning out is the one marked PRK LAMP. When i replace it i have dash lights and running lights until the inevitable spark and smell of burning wire coming from the trunk. Is there another set of fuses? There's a hell of alot of fuses in the engine compartment. I question the need for more.


If you look at the left most mounting bolt (top to bottom it's in the middle) Then look to the immediate right you'll see where the 10 amp PRK LAMP would be if it didn't keep blowing.

I tried the 15 amp and got smoke :(
 
#16 · (Edited)
OK, we are on the same line path now. That fuse is suppose to be a 15amp at least that is what is in mine and that is what it says in the book. If you smell the smoke somewhere around that back plate it must be coming from the only thing that needs power in that area and that's the license plate lamp. Unfortunately the harness connector is behind the bumper cover. Have you tried removing the bulb to see? Did you check to see if all your bulbs were Okay?

And yes there is an other fuseblock inside the console accessible from passenger side.

Sometimes when bulbs burn they pull the 2 wires holding the filament inside the bulb together causing a short circuit. Make sure all your bulbs are good.
 

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#17 · (Edited)
Too late tonight to check. But that's a good idea. Didn't occur to me that the plate light was also in that loop. Not even sure how easy/hard it is to change that light. I live in WI and we got a little snow and darkness going on right now so i won't be able to check that til after work tomorrow. But thanks for the idea. And i've already looked at pulling the bumper shield off. Not liking that idea but if it has to happen...

ps: it is a 10 amp in my car. Didn't have smoke til i tried the 15 amp.
And i checked all the lights except the plate light. I usually ignore that one.
 
#18 ·
Check inside the top fuse block cover and it should list proper fuse values. Mine are all like my book says and back of my cover. Also the same as this GM drawing. You have a 20 where according to this should be a 15 and a 15 where it should be a 20. Verify these to be sure. I have a 2007 it should not be too different.
 

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#19 ·
I've got the top of my engine fuse box sitting next to me and the PRK LAMP is marked 10 amp in my car. With the exception of that one fuse (and only because i've become very familiar with it) i replace fuses with a correct replacement already in my other hand.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Ok so your car must be standard transmission. Is it Turbo Charged also? If I had your vin# the proper fuse box would have pop-up but since I didn't have it I used my VIN# to enter in GM's data base, my mistake sorry.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Just two philip screws hold the housing in place, then you remove the socket with a ¼ turn and pull bulb out. Wedge bulb i believe "similar" to 194LL
 
#23 · (Edited)
Just an update. Coby7 you were onto something with the license plate light. Pulled it out and the light was so blown that the glass was brittle and crumbly. I removed the light mount and and taped off the wires and now i have running lights. Now to figure out where to order a replacement. My town has Nazi's for cops. I'll get pulled over regularly for no license plate light. Still way better than no running lights.


Here's a pic of the culprit.

Anyone have an idea on where to order cheap oem or quality parts?
Advance has a replacement OEM for $38.99 + shipping since it isn't carried locally. Love their coupons but with the shipping it doesn't lighten the sting of paying that much for a piece of wire.
And i've checked out www.chevypartshub.com. They seemed reasonable for OEM parts but their website is down.
 
#24 ·
I'm glad you solved it.

Have you tried your local junkyard?

Also Dialectric grease in the socket before you install the new bulb will help against humidity and corrosion.
 
#26 ·

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