I recently put in a new stereo and a wire, not sure which one, touched the metal bracket and sparked. I later noticed I had no dash lights. Next evening noticed I had no tail/parking or license plate lights. I have checked all fuses with a test light and found that the small light/license plate fuse was blown. When I tried to replace it it sparked and blew again - 2 more times. A mechanic told me the tail light fuses were connected with the headlight fuses under the hood. When I checked them the fuses are fine, I tried them out in another spot, but there seems to be no current going to them. I don't know what to do next and can't afford expensive repairs.
I'm sorry if I am breaking any rules by asking for help. This is the first time I have used a forum like this and I don't really know how it works. I looked in the general help and the DIY and couldn't find anything quite like the problem I am having.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

You need to check your stereo installation. Almost certainly you have created a short that is blowing the fuses.

One fuse (fuse 15 underhood on earlier models) controls the interior and tail lights. You have a short on that circuit. If you wired the stereo to a "hot all time" line you may have made a mistake and connected a ground to that wire.

Stereo should be wired w/ an adapter harness between original connections and new stereo connections to avoid cut/splice work.

good luck

 

Agree with using an adapter....if you cut the factory connection off, this might help....or put the factory connectort back on and use an adapter.

 

Ok, I had used the wiring harness orginally. But for now we've taken the stereo out and still the dash, tail, parking and license plate lights are not working and neither is the fuse

 

Hey everyone I got this sent in an email but figured I'd post it here so others could chime in... Here's the conversation thus far

I'm sorry to be emailing you instead of using forum but I have no idea how to use the forum and I've been trying to figure out how to ask my question or to find the accurate answers on some one elses question for a few hours now and I've had no luck. The problem is when installing my stereo a wire touched the metal bracked and sparked. That night I noticed the dash/tail/parking/license plate lights didn't work anymore. I have checked all fuses and found that the small light/license plate fuse in the passenger side fuse box was blown and keeps blowing new fuses I put in. Also under the hood in the fuse box the two head light fuses are good but there seems to be no current going to them but I still have headlights. I don't know what to try next and can't afford expensive repairs. Is there anything you can tell me? It would be greatly appreciated.

My Initial Response -
The wire that touched the bracket and sparked. What is it connected to
now? Most likely that wire is still grounding out or it's connected to
your stereo for power and drawing to much current. Disconnect the
wire from the stereo if it's connected and try that. Then run a new
power wire for the stereo

His Response -
ok we completely took out the stereo and still no dash/tail/parking/ license plate lites. fuse still popping

 

Does the fuse keep blowing?

Do you have a volt meter?

 

You all were right. Here was the final reply (still.not sure what login issue he was having)

Thank you so much for your help, I*was in a near freak-out.* I had mechanics telling me is was*gonna be a long time and lots of money to repair.* It turned out to be just what you said,*bad wiring in the stereo.* We replaced the the fuse with stereo out of the car and everything worked fine.* Then we unhooked battery and re-did stereo wiring.* Then crossed our fingers and hooked battery back up.* All is well.* Thanks again.
Tiva