2001 neon fuse problem

My '01 Neon continues to blow the #10 fuse (15-amp) in the dash panel
after repeated attempts to isolate/diagnose the problem. I've worked
on it for months myself, and every dodge shop within a days drive of me
has had no better luck figuring it out.

The fuse blows while driving, and kills the engine instantly (but not
other electrical). Replacing the fuse will allow the car to be started
again immediately, and will then be able to drive anywhere from 6 feet
to 200 miles (or more) before blowing again. Here's what's been tried
so far:

-New Battery cables/terminals
-removing relays for both a/c fan and radiator fan to eliminate those
circuits as possible culprits...still blows
-disconnecting downstream O2 sensor, based on reports of other people
having problems there...still blows

I'm at a loss here, and it's driving me crazy. The car runs just fine
with a fresh fuse in it...no other symptoms of any kind of
trouble...until it just blows again. I've found no consistent
circumstances going on when it blows (a/c or radio or lights on or off,
makes no difference). Always when in drive, never happens when idling,
no matter how long I let it idle. Sometimes right after starting the
car and putting it into gear, sometimes only after I've been driving on
the road for miles. Stop-n-go city traffic, or on the highway, no
difference.

ANYbody out there have any ideas? I love my neon, but I can't keep
risking it dying in the middle of rushhour on the interstate (again).

-C

 

Sounds to me like a wire harness problem rubbing as the engine/trans is
shifted, put a fuse in it and start the engine and do a wiggle test on the
wire harness, see if you can blow the fuse yourself, if so, you should be
able to locate it, I would start with the harness the runs near the
transmission and the front motor mount. good luck

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

thanks Glenn...better suggestion than anybody has given me so far!
I'll try it first thing in the morning, but I may need a little more
insight on where exactly that harness is...up front like under the
airfilter housing/behind the bumper? Thats where I think I see the PCM
mounted....or is it further back like under the batt etc? Thanks a
million!

-Chris

 

were are u at??? i can fix it

 

check the engine wiring harness behind the head on the drivers side to see
if it was melted or rubbed thru

 

I'm in Dallas. are you saying the wiring harness behind the headLIGHT
on the drivers side? like between the airfilter and the front frame?

 

The harness runs everywhere, just start with the obvious, the stretch
points, the place that are near objects that could rub, things like
that..... if the fuse blows as easy as you say it is you should be able to
find it, look for frayed or rubbed places of the harness also

 

Fuse #10 protects the a/c compressor, the radiator fan relay, Antilock brake
controller if equiped, the leak detection pump. fuel pump relay, the rear
window defogger switch if so equiped,

 

no
i'm talking the harness that runs along the bac side of the cylinder head
and rubs on the corner dr. side

 

max hows bizz.?? been busy??
man we have been swamped

 

I dont like to be swamped, I like to get home around 2pm, but yes we are
staying busy, Pays the bills and the green fees

 

max n mic...thanks guys. I understand what you mean by the harness
now...the mesh-and-plastic-and-tape wrapped bundle of wires running
different places under the hood. I've visually traced it from the fuse
box in the dash, through the firewall, and along most of it's
paths...at least as far as I can get to it w/o having to
remove/disassemble major components...and haven't seen any clear signs
of wear or fraying, it all looks very good actually. I'll do a wiggle
test along as much of the length of it as I can, with the engine
running (can't believe I didn't think of that first), starting with the
part along the back of the head, etc. I've been reluctant to cut open
the outer wrapping on the harness, but I guess that may be the next
step here. I do have a rear window defogger switch, btw...does the
circuit for that protected by the fuse include the wiring all the way
back to the rear window? (ie should I take a peek at that too?).

Thanks a bunch...and mic, I guess you're not close to dallas huh?
bummer. either of you know any good non-dealer shops around here for
2nd gen neons?

 

NON DEALER SHOPS?? And yes according to the schematic Im looking at that
fuse protects the rear window defogger.
Intermittent problems are hard to find especially in electrical diagnostics,
that's why the shops are having a hard time finding it.

I would suspect more of a problem under the hood if it is a short.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech "dealer shop"

 

lol no offense intended max...I'm just trying to exhaust every option.
I know there's just as many good dealer shops as not, I've just been
very frustrated with the service advisors handling of my situation.
They have been very poor (at the 3 local delaers anyway) at listening
to what I've been trying to explain. They seem to assume that they
just need to hear the first 3 or 4 words I say rather than listening to
my full explination of the problem and what I've tried to do to resolve
it...they speend more time trying to sell me additional services than
truly trying to understand what my particular issue is. I've explained
exactly what fuse is blowing, what I've done to try to track it down,
etc, and every one of them so far has managed to misunderstand some or
all of it. Every time I drop my car off, they do nothing but drive it
around for 2 days trying to get the fuse to blow, and refuse to even
test any of the wiring or components on the circuit.

Anyway...didn't mean to create any bad blood...I know there's dealers
who could/would handle this better, I just haven't found any in this
area is all. I appreciate the help you've given me so far...as soon as
it stops raining today I'll be under the hood wiggle-testing the entire
length of the harness while the engine's running (....couldn't any of
the dealers I took it to have at least tried that too?)

 

No bad blood here at all, And I understand.