I have a 2010 Kia Forte, which I purchased in late 2011. I had not had the car for very long when I noticed that the left, rear taillight was out. My husband replaced the bulb and it still did not work. This led me to the fuse panel. The fuse was blown so not only the taillight was out, but also the front, left, parking light. I replaced the fuse and the lights came back on. However, within days, the lights were out again. I have replaced the fuse two or three times since then, but each time it blows again within days, so mostly, I am driving around without a tail light. Does anybody have any idea what could be causing the fuse to blow repeatedly? Any ideas are much appreciated!
Something may have been loaded into the back of the vehicle that chafed a wire. Trace the wire back from the tail light and see if you can find a bad spot. Also, since the left front parking light is on the same circuit, check the wires leading into that socket as well. You might also try replacing the left front bulb as well.
There must be a short circuit somewhere, causing an amp draw greater than the fuse can handle. You’ll need a mechanic to look over it for you. If this truck has a trailer connection, the adapter or trailer light module would be a place to start.
Remove the two bulbs. Replace the fuse with an ammeter set to the 10 amp scale…Shake, jiggle, manipulate the wiring until a helper sees the ammeter jump. This should lead you to the short. B-K’s suggestion about trailer wiring is a good one…
Make sure the parking light and tail light bulbs are the right ones for the car and inserted correctly. Then look for a short
If there is a wire harness for a trailer that would be a good thing to check for the shorting problem. The license plate lighting may connect to that circuit also along with the dash lighting. If the dash lights go out when the fuse blows then that area is suspect also.
One of the strangest problems I had along this line was in a 1985 Ford Tempo that I purchased brand new. I had the car for less than a year when it began blowing the fuse for the tail light. This also took out the dash lights. The car was under warranty and so the dealer had to track it down. One of the options that I did not have on my Tempo was a tail light monitor–an option that lit a warning light on the dashboard if a tail light or stop light bulb was out. Apparently, a worker at the factory connected the tail lights through the tail light monitor wire which was much thinner. Eventually, the insulation melted off this wire and when I would go around a corner, the bare wire made contact with the body and grounded out the circuit causing the fuse to blow.
Check your tail light and parking light for a place it may be grounding to the chassis. The trailer light wiring harness, as has been suggested, is a likely suspect.
Thanks for all of your thoughts. I don’t have a trailer or trailer harness - this car probably couldn’t pull one anyway. I have checked out the wires going to the taill light and all looks fine. I am having a bit of trouble getting to the front parking light wires and bulb, so may have to take it in for a diagnosis.
Usually when a short circuit develops as described by the OP, it is usually occuring at a place where the wire is being flexed by a door or the trunk being opened. Look at those wires that connect to doors or the trunk that open and close and have those particular lights in them; see if there is any visible chaffing of the wires or damaged insulation or tape that has fallen off. The second most likely place to look is right where a bulb plugs into the socket. Sometimes that area gets deformed and shorts out. On my car when the car was built, they worker put in too long of a screw and caused this problem on one of my tailights. Pull out the bulbs, with a flashlight look carefully in those areas for two things that are touching that shouldn’t.
If that all doesn’t work, unless you have skills with a DVM, I think you’re going to have to take the car to a shop to get this fixed. I expect it will prove a quick fix.
Did you ever find out the issue? If not I’d check for any kind of moisture in your lights. I had moisture in a head that caused a sensor to blow out my tail lights.
I would hope after 4 years they solved the problem or replaced vehicle.
I just don’t understand dragging up old threads.
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