I have a 95 nissan altima. While changing the spark plugs, my ratchet slipped onto the hot wire on the alternator. It only touched for a second and there were a few sparks. Now there are only a few electrical things working. The car starts and runs fine. The headlights work but not the parking, turn, or brake lights. The interior lights don't work, nor do any lights on the dash (including the charge, engine, oil, seatbelt lights that usually come on when starting). The speedometer and tachometer don't work. The windows don't work. The horn doesn't work. The radio works as do the lights for the ventilation system although the fan doesn't work! Did I blow one fuse or many? I checked the fuse for the horns and lights but they are not blown? Is there a master fuse for all these things? I thought maybe it could be the ignition switch but then why wouldn't the parking lights work or the interior lights?
blown fuses or what?
Sep 28, 2003
4 Replies
have you checked your fuses?Ive done this many times and nothing lke this has ever happened to me look check your fuses with a test light turn the ignition on it dont have to be running and see if your getting power to your fuses if your notmore then likely you burt up the switch of which you will be able to tell once you disconnect the switch and see if the connector has been burned then you need to replace the connector end along with the switch pending on what is burnt in the switch is what it will supply power to.and a word to the wise when doing anything where your removing things such as the alt remove the neg cable from the battery
Try looking for a 40 or 70 amp fuse. These fuses branche out to most elec systems. The 70 is near the battery. The 40 is close to the bat.
You don't know how many times I blow these fuses because of the alt accidents.
Most alternators have a fuse link wire between them and the battery. Shorting out the main power blows this wire.
Check right where the alternator wire connects to the main battery cable, usually on a bolt at the power distribution box or starter solenoid depending on the system.
A fuse link wire is about 8" long and has a loop fitting on one end with a rubber tube crimp connector where it hooks to the harness it is protecting.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sJohn Kyle wrote:
Probably not a fuse, but a "fusible link". I don't speak Nissan, so I can't tell you exactly where to look for the dangling wire-ends.
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