Hey guys Ive got a nice big problem. I noticed last night my tail lights werent working. Sure enough when I checked the underhood fuse box this morning. My 10am "TAIL" fuse was blown. Dont know how long its been blown for....

Swapped in another and it blew again instantly....

Figured maybe something was up with the light bulbs? So I bought new ones, new fuse, popped again...instantly

I also swapped the taillight relay in the other box with the a/c one (same style) and another fuse still popped

So here I sit, unable to drive in the dark with no taillights.

What do you guys think it could be?? Is there any diagnostic I could do as far as testing for shorts or anything?? I have a multimeter, but would need a little assistance on exactly how to go about checking it....

Appreciate any help!!!!

Can you try this: Take all tail light bulbs out. Does fuse still blow? If yes, then the short is somewhere in the wiring. If not, then put back one bulb at a time...

Unless you are running some absurdly high wattage bulbs, the bulbs aren't causing the fuse to blow. You need to inspect all
the wiring for the tails. I'd start by looking around any place the truck has been damaged in the past. The front parking
lights, license plate lights, and taillight relay are run off the same fuse.

Does the fuse blow if the lights are turned off?

You are using a 10A fuse, right?

This is fuse 61, right?

Intantly....tells me the problem is a short rather than an over load. If nothing is amiss with the vehicle you may have a burnt bulb with the filament shorting to ground. May have, could be other problems but starting with simple to complex.

Remove all rear tail lights including the licence plate light. With all out, put in new same fuse, turn light on, blow ? or no blow?

Then install 1 bulb at a time if good leave in circuit then move on.

Look at the bulbs while out, there are 2 complete filaments, are they all the same, look into your receptacles, clean out any green stuss and wash with contact cleaner, examine the leads as much as you see and check for obvious problems.

Intall bulbs with a twist, if it works try out the other filament with the blinkers.

The blinkers and tail areseparate circuits so be aware the blinkers are also up front and tied to the 4way and blinker control.

Look for water or water misting at each lamp.

Make grounding is clean and solid.

it was the illumination wire grounded out behind the radio..... it wasnt in use, just a loose fresh cut wire and I guess it touched metal when I reinstalled the deck yesterday

I don't have any tail lights. I need HELP. With daylight savings time ending.. I replaced the bulbs in the instrument panel with success. Now, the tail lights don't work. I've replaced the bulbs and nothing. Any ideas what I've done wrong?? Could I have screwed something up when I replaced the bulbs in the panel???

Any suggestions would be appreciated!
2001 Nissan Pathfinder

Check the fuse labeled "TAIL" in the engine bay fuse box.

Thanks Towncivilian. Gonna do that in asap!

Worked like a charm at first then blew again. I suppose I'll make an appointment with the dealership.

The parking lights, license plate lights, and tail lights are all on that fuse. I'd be looking for an abraded wire around the lights some where.

Has the truck been wired for a trailer? Check the trailer wiring. If it's one of the plug-in harness, take it out of the system (you can leave the ground
wire attached).

Has the car ever been hit? I'd start by looking in the area of the damage.

I am having a very similar problem! I have an 01 pathfinder. I noticed the other day i couldn't get out of park and found the brake fuse was blown. replaced it and then the next day noticed that my tail lights/dash lights were out and the brake light fuse had blown again. I tried replacing the 10a tail fuse under the hood and it blew right away. My wife was lightly rear ended about 3 years ago and that messed up the trailer wiring but all the other lights were working just fine and had been until now.

Is it likely that my problem with the tail light/brake light fuses are being cause by faulty wiring that is just now catching up to me 3 years later? I need to fix this soon to be able to drive at night. If it is bad wiring, what should i be looking for? Thanks in advance!

Brake lights (fuse 14) are fused separately from the tails/parking/license/dash lights (fuse 61). Which fuse did you replace?

If it's fuse 61 that's blowing, there are a LOT of places where the short could be.

Sometimes, when a fuse blows, you can hear the spark where the short occurs. Keep your ears open.

If you insert a new fuse with the ignition off, does it blow immediately? When you turn on the lights? Turn on the ignition?

Chuck

Fuse 61 AND fuse 14 are blowing. My whole problem started with fuse 14 blowing. Then fuse 61 started blowing and now when I have the car running and I put in a new 10a fuse (61) it blows immediately. When I put in a new 10a fuse (14) it blows later on but I can only tell when that one blows when I can't shift out of park. I will need to check what you said about blowing with ignition on and lights off.

I know they are separate circuits but thought they are still somehow connected? If I had a short in the wire bundle by the rear bumper could that be causing both fuses to blow?

Chuck Tribolet wrote:Brake lights (fuse 14) are fused separately from the tails/parking/license/dash lights (fuse 61). Which fuse did you replace?

If it's fuse 61 that's blowing, there are a LOT of places where the short could be.

Sometimes, when a fuse blows, you can hear the spark where the short occurs. Keep your ears open.

If you insert a new fuse with the ignition off, does it blow immediately? When you turn on the lights? Turn on the ignition?

Chuck

Found the short! I have a little splice box near the rear bumper where the trailer wiring splices up with the car wiring and when i turned on the parking lights even with the ignition off that little box would smoke like crazy! I just cut it out of the system and taped up the loose ends and no more blowing fuses! I'm hoping that fixes both the #14 and #61 fuses from blowing.

Back a year ago when I made this thread, the problem was simply the tail light bulb, the bulb was shorted and causing quick fuse blows, swap the bulbs with fresh and my problem was solved. Then I sold that problem ridden truck!