Car Talk

October 1997

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have teen-agers, and I try to maintain a small fleet of used cars for them to [bluecar.gif] drive. My problem with my daughter's '89 Dodge Shadow, however, has left me several hundred dollars poorer and no closer to a solution. The fuse that controls all of the dashboard gauges and warning lights has blown eight times in the two years we have owned the car. This does not seem to bother my daughter until she runs out of gas, after not noticing that the fuse is blown again. It bothers me considerably because I'm constantly having to stop what I'm doing and pick her up. I've taken the car to several mechanics who have tried to solve the problem. Several have charged me hours of labor time without finding the cause. One specialized in automotive electronics, and told me I had a blower motor that was drawing too much power and causing the fuse to blow. We replaced the blower motor, and ... you guessed it, the fuse blew again. Any suggestions? -- Patty

Ray: Sure. Get one of those fold-up bicycles and throw it in the trunk of the '89 Shadow. That way, next time your daughter runs out of gas, she can pedal home and you can go on with your poker game.

Tom: I'd go back to the automotive electronics guy and politely ask him to apply the cost of the blower motor to the work he's about to do for you.

Ray: He'll probably argue that you needed the blower motor anyway, because when he tested it, it was drawing too much current -- and he may be telling the truth. But that obviously didn't solve your problem. So he needs to get back on the trail of this short circuit.

Tom: You should ask him to put in a circuit breaker instead of the fuse. Unlike a fuse, which has to be replaced, the breaker will actually reset itself after it cools down.

Ray: Then all you have to do is wait. If this is like most short circuits, it will blow more and more quickly, until it eventually becomes a dead short. A dead short is one that blows instantly ... as soon as you put in a new fuse (or one that won't allow the circuit breaker to reset).

Tom: And at that point, your problem will be easy to solve. A dead short is a breeze to find with a device called a short tester. Even my brother has found them this way! Good luck, Patty.

* * *

Tom: Hey, do you think you're taking good care of your car? Are you sure?

Ray: If you're like many of our customers, you may be ruining your car without even knowing it. Yes, even you! Find out how. Send for your copy of our informative pamphlet, "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!"

Tom: Send $3 and a stamped (55 cents), self-addressed, No.10 envelope to Ruin No.1, PO Box 6420, Riverton, NJ 08077-6420.

Changing your oil is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your car, but how often should you change it? Find out by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It! To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

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