new owner help
 

Hey guys, I just purchased a 97 accord for my son, he is 15 so I have a while to fix up, but here's the problem. Power windows didn't work and the tach., gas and water temp. gauges also. Found fuse 1 10amp fuse blown under the dash. Didn't have same size so replaced with 15amp. Everything worked for about two days then blew the fuse. Bought 10amp fuses and now as soon as turn the key, without starting, the fuse blows. Bought a Haynes book, the diagrams don't match the fuse box. Any help in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Ed

first thing that you need to do is to specify the car,,, 1997,,,, 4 or 2 doors, wagon ? 4 cyl or v6, at or manual, lx, ex , dx,

Unfortunately that fuse controls a lot of components , a short on any of them would blow the fuse ,,
i believe you can download an electrical skematic from our DIY section ,, i would not follow anything but a Honda ETM when it comes to electrical

Sorry about the missing information. It is a 97 accord lx, 4 cylinder, four door with auto. trans. It's been about a week or so and still stuck at square one. The fuse is #1 10amp, under dash that says Back-up lights,meter lights, (turn signals). The guy I bought it from just installed an aftermarket stereo before this all happened. Does it sound like more of a short or maybe something wired wrong during the install that allows it to not blow with the higher amperage fuse. Just want to start looking in the right direction.

The radio may be the problem, but it is not on that circuit. Some other wires are nearby are though, like the clock, etc.

Find out if the fuse was being blown before or after the previous owner installed the radio.

Since you have time, you can inspect his wiring for the radio. Hopefully, he bought a two harnesses connected the wires in the middle. Maybe another wire got pinched when he reassembled.

Electrical stuff is a PIA to track down.

The #1 fuse protects: Gauge assembly, back-up lights, clock, vehicle speed sensor, turn signal/hazards, and integrated control unit.

You may be able to unplug all of those components, then see if a new fuse blows. If it does, then wiring is shorted. If the fuse doesn't blow, then one of those components is shorting internally.

Thanks, I must be on the right track now. I unhooked the stereo (which was two harnesses connected) and the 10amp fuse did not blow. Only thing I can see from in there is a yellow wire in the harness in the car, is spliced with a blue wire coming from somewheres else in the car. Maybe that is the culprit. If I can figure where that wire is coming from of course.

Sorry, wanted to be more exact. On the harness in the car there is a yellow/red in slot one spliced to an adjustable output adapter, which is not connected to anything, and a yellow/white wire in slot three, spliced to a blue wire going who knows where.

Sorry to keep addin', but just noticed that since removing the stereo, my clock stays on without pushing the button.

You should download a 94 shop manual from the spoon honda site linked in the Online Manuals thread in the DIY Section.

Looking at the wiring in the Electrical section, the yellow wire going to the clock should only have power when the key is turned on. You should unplug the connection to the clock and see if the yellow wire has 12V to body ground.

If it does, then pull the #1 fuse and see if there is still power. It shouldn't have power with that fuse pulled.

I may of stated the situation wrong, but when the stereo was in and the key was on, the clock would be off, now when the key is on and the stereo is out, the clock stays on.

The clock in the car should stay on when the key is turned on.

The only time that you need to push the outer button to turn the clock is when there is no key in the ignition. Sounds like something was robbing power from the clock.

Are you going to put a factory radio/cd player back in the car? If so, try to get everything back to stock.

The red/yel wire should go out to the rear right speaker. Something was spliced in to modify the output. That is pin 8 in the shop manual I mentioned earlier.

The other wire yel/wht is power that is sent to the antenna. Trace the blue wire and locate the other end.