[danas96cobra]

I checked everything in the circuit, Multi-function Switch is ok, Brake switch is ok and Flasher relay is ok. What the heck else could it be??
We replaced a clutch cable over the weekend. In the process, I resecured the MIL eliminators under the car. Ever since, the car has popped 5 #9 15 amp fuses. The car can sit in the driveway with a new fuse for long periods and everything functions normally, but if you put it in reverse and then back into a forward gear (manual trans) it pops. Any ideas?? I'm about at wits end right now and am close to taking it somewhere to have someone else figure it out. Admitting defeat is not easy. It here something in the reverse gear curcuit that could do this? I've also got a bad front wheel hub assembly to replace. The wheel has significant play. Counld that mess with the ABS enough to trip the brake cuircuit somehow? Please help, or I'm at the mercy of a shop and their high prices. Thanks.

 

[SWEET2KSTANG]

the sensor is just a normally open switch, shouldnt have anything to do with the reverse switch. pull the lights, look at the wires and make sure they are all in good shape and not grounding out. the abs shouldnt have anything to do with it, just get that hub changed out.

 

[danas96cobra]

There's others over on the SVTPerformance board that are experiencing this too, so its nice to know I'm not alone. I'll look at the lights, but they work and are not on that circuit according to Haynes diagrams. I plan on changing the hub this evening. Is the clutch position switch in that circuit? I don't see it on any diagrams in the manual.

 

[SWEET2KSTANG]

whats the # 9 fuse for anyways? i dont even know

 

[danas96cobra]

#9 fuse controls everything related to external lights. Tail light, emergecy flashers, brake lights, cruise control.

 

[330CubeGt]

Keep putting a bigger fuse in until it stops blowing them

 

[SWEET2KSTANG]

i betting on an exposed wire.

 

[danas96cobra]

Well guys its fixed. It turned out to be a worn harness just above the clutch arm up under the dash. I took photos so that you can see, because I'm certain that it will happen to someone else. It took eleven years for this damage to occur, luckily its an easy fix and no need to take it to a shop and spend $ to have someone else fix it. The first photo is the damaged harness as I pulled it down from its position above the clutch arm. The arm is behind my finger in the picture.

this photo is a close up of the damage. You can see the clutch arm wore through the conduit and then the insulation on the red wire, exposing the copper wire. Everytime the clutch arm touches it, it will pop the #9 signal fuse.

I retaped the damaged wire, rewrapped the harness and then covered with new conduit. I ensured it didn't contact any moving surface and then reinstalled the #9 fuse. Problem is solved. No more non-fuctioning tail lights!

I hope this saves some of you a lot of headaches. It was a simple fix once you knew where it was. Tim

 

[cobrajeff]

This exact issue just happened to me!

Thanks to you posting this, I was finally able to find the fix. I spent the last three days and about (20) 15A fuses trying to hunt down this problem!

I should've have paid closer attention to the clusterfck which is the pedal assembly. Ford definitely needed to design that wiring harness better. What Ford designed for months and possibly years was bested by me in less than five minutes with electrical tape and a zip tie.

Instead of re-armoring the wires with plastic flex conduit, I pulled away the nearest plastic pushpin, letting it hang free. Then, I looped a ziptie around the affected wire and tied it to a nearby hole. What this did was take the affected section of wire totally out of the vicinity of the clutch pedal arm and pull it away from EVERYTHING around it. Yay!

Again, thanks!

 

[fearce65]

I am having the same problem. I changed the clutch cable and quadrant and now I'm blowing the brake fuse. I just checked the wiring. It appears to be intact. I put in a bigger fuse and it seems to be holding up for now. There is a plastic piece attached (in my case broken from) the brake pedal. Does anyone know what it's for?

---------- Post added at 03:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:27 PM ----------

Can it be that the switch itself is no good?

 

[1996 GT]

I am having the same problem. I changed the clutch cable and quadrant and now I'm blowing the brake fuse. I just checked the wiring. It appears to be intact. I put in a bigger fuse and it seems to be holding up for now. There is a plastic piece attached (in my case broken from) the brake pedal. Does anyone know what it's for?

---------- Post added at 03:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:27 PM ----------

Can it be that the switch itself is no good?

NEVER put a larger fuse in. You can cause damage that way.

Somethings shorting out, if its only going into reverse its doing it then its a shorting out switch or the wiring. Mine did the same thing and melted a wire on the exhaust.

 

[fearce65]

The bigger fuse did NOT work. As soon as I step on the brake pedal, it blows the fuse. I checked most of the wiring and everything appears to be intact. I was just wondering if the brake switch itself, is no good.

 

[1996 GT]

If its only when you touch the petal then its safe to saw the brake light switch, they're cheap to buy anyways.

 

[fearce65]

Turns out, it was the brake switch. Simple little $8.00 switch. Thanks for all the advice.

---------- Post added at 10:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 PM ----------

Now, onto the cruise control. I found that the broken piece connected to the brake is used to turn off the cruise control when one hits the brake.

 

[1996 GT]

I don't have cruise control on my car so I'm unsure of what it is. Can you show me a picture?

 

[fearce65]

 

[1996 GT]

Yeah I'd most definitely replace that too.

 

[fearce65]

I have not had cruise control for over 10 years, I'm not about to spend $50.00 for that particular item. I'll wait.

 

[1996 GT]

Or the wreckers.

 

[fearce65]

For anyone out there still having this problem. Since submitting my post many years ago, it has never been fixed. I have looked at almost everything. Until a few weeks ago. A friend of mine, pulled the flasher fuse (big and yellow), tapped it a few times, put it back in. No more blown fuses.