Gauge Fuse Keeps Blowing

[Josiah2097]

I have a shorted wire somewhere causing a parasitic battery drain. I noticed some smoke coming from the dash after I replaced the gauge fuse so I pulled the gauge cluster out. I noticed one of the wires on the back circuit board was burnt so I replaced the cluster. The gauge fuse blew again with the new cluster installed so I know the short is somewhere other than the burn on the back of the actual cluster. After blowing a couple more gauge fuses trying to fix the issue, the same wire on the new cluster started burning in the same way. I followed the burnt wire back under the dashboard (behind the stereo) but I'm not sure how to get access back there to check further for shorts. Any help would be appreciated!

Based on the included picture of the back of the gauge cluster how do I find out where else to check for the short?

http://imgur.com/NB0z1kb

My gauge fuse blows seconds after turning on the car.
My battery, alternator and starter all test fine.
Parasitic battery drain when the car is off.
New gauge cluster.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Welcome to the Corolla Forum! :thumbup1::clap::thumbup:arty::balloon:

I'm not an automotive technician with electrical experience, so I'm sorry I can't help you with specifics. However I can advise you to use extreme caution because if wires are getting hot enough to melt that means they are hot enough to burst into flame and burn your car to the ground. If the fuse is blowing virtually immediately after you install it, this indicates a very bad electrical problem somewhere and it might be prudent to have a professional automotive technician diagnose/repair it. Yes, you'll have to spend some money, but it would be far less costly than having your car catch on fire and burn to the ground.

When it comes to car repairs, we have to recognize when we are in over our heads, (we all are at some point), and it's time to take the problem to a professional.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

You would have to completely remove the dashboard and look at all of the wiring for shorts. I agree with Scott here as well.

There is also the potential that a component using that circuit is drawing too much current due to wear and tear. I had a Mercury Topaz that kept burning the ground wire at the fan speed switch, traced it to a worn blower motor drawing excess current.