Fuse 3 Blowing Electrical Problem

[goldenwahwah]

hi, i am having a problem with the fuse which powers indicators, speedometer, abs , internal lights plus others. no matter what amp fuse i use, it blows as soon as i turn on the ignition. does anyone know why this is and how i can fix it? i have had the 53reg car for 3 years with no other problems. thanks

[dckuk]

Hopefully this problem was fixed for you, but since nothing is posted, AND it may help someone else out, here's my story:

 

Are you having this same trouble AND air conditioning issues?

 

Back in February of this year after a heavy rain, we experienced the same problem on the A1 in the dark; fuse 3 blown, and thus no fans on the climate control, no indicators, horn, etc. My mechanic found some wiring had melted behind the main fuse box, put that right, and everything was fine until Easter Sunday. Same issue: driving in a heavy rain (on the A1 again funnily enough), same failures. He couldn't find anything significantly wrong; replacing the fuse sorted the problem.

 

It got more frequent from there. Any rain more intense than a drizzle and it would blow. He couldn't find anything. Ford couldn't find anything. So we contemplated a failure in the GEM (and replacing the fuse box, a very $$$ (sorry: £££) proposition), so we began a "testing period" to isolate the location of the (apparent) water problem.

 

Today he fixed it. The problem had seemingly become less frequent, so we were content to continue changing the fuses about every other week, and took the vehicle in to get an air conditioning failure investigated and corrected.

 

Turns out that a (the?) air con pressure switch had not only failed, but come apart, and water had been getting to the electrical parts of it. Replacing the pressure switch not only restored the air conditioning (after a gas recharge), but let me drive through one of the heaviest rains I've been through in a long time, with out the electrics failing.

 

It's still doing well, and I'll update this if anything else crops up.

Edited June 21, 2012 by dckuk

[Rntaylor]

Hi

 

Think I have the identical snag. Replaced fuse 3 several times, but now it blows whenever the ignition is on. Can you help me to locate the A/C pressure switch so I can see if it has failed. I have an 03 VW Sharan ASZ 1.9 Tdi.

 

Thanks

 

Ernie

[Rntaylor]

Found the pressure switch under the RH front wheel arch trim. The electronic top had fallen off the body of the switch, totally corroded. Off to GSF for a replacement at £40 then I assume a re-gas. Have yet to try to unscrew it!

[chrispb123456]

iirc there's a valve in the pipe where the switch screws in to avoid losing gas when switch is removed.

[starbucks911]

Just a thank you post as I had this problem yesterday and quickly identified it as the air conditioning pressure sensor. Thanks again.

[cassy]

Hi there all - would like to thank you for taking the time to post information like this. We bought this car 5 weeks ago and I love her to bits.

I was able to search my galaxy problem and use your valuable information to solve todays problem.

Your information is so on the head she was immediately fixed with a new fuse 3.  My husband did an oil change, wore the greasy underskirt on his face (as it was so broken) reconnected back together what he thought he ought to at the time (which was the airconditioning electrics) only to find that horn, indicators weren't working, abs light and brake lights stayed on, on the cluster the cluster - all a bit confusing - but fuse 3 thanks to you solved it all.  Bless you and thank you.