Edit: 1991 S-10 Blazer Tahoe 4 x 4

So I was changing the stereo to an aftermarket, and didn't disconnect the (-) battery terminal. (Which would have helped me to avoid much of this trouble in first place I know...) Anyways, the (+)&(-) were spliced back where i didn't see them, and in an attempt to pull out the harness from the stock radio, the hot wire came undone (cause it was **** poorly connected) and proceeded to strike the antenna plug... which shocked me, sent sparks, and now apparently shorted something....

Anyways, the harness I bought did not fit like it was suppose to, and I decided to wire the radio up directly to the wires. After removing the harnesses and wiring up the stereo, I reconnected the battery (after disconnecting it a little late...) and went to see if the stereo would work... I had power to the stereo, but no sound. So I figured it was a fuse and I'd deal with it in the morning... anyways, I go to start the car the next day and go to work, and I have no instrument lights, dome light, running lights, back up lights, or Heater/ac control panel lights. (Which the ac/heat display had been going on and off for a while prior to this stereo swap) After shutting the car off again, and turning on once more, I no longer have power to the stereo. I have checked fuses in the dash on drivers side, and rechecked all my connections in the stereo, and I am hoping some one can help me figure out where to go next... I was told there may be an inline fuse between fuses and somewhere.... or what?

Please any ideas either respond or email. I can't drive at all till i get at least my tail lights working!?!?!? (And my STEREO!!!)

Going to be working on it tonight just testing everything again, and also, Sunroof isn't working! Ty for looking and any ideas!

I did find a bad fuse that thought was good before... now have lights back and such... however power to stereo when in acc (no sound still, which i believe is mis-labeling) and then when powered on there is no power to stereo... I think i need to run new (+)... need to know where to and if thats why I got shocked when I turned the blaze back off?

 

Your Orange wire to your stereo has an in-line 10 amp fuse as well as the 15 amp one in the fuse block.

 

I dont know about the inline fuse, looked for it can't find it....(where is it/how do i check) but I did get stereo to work, with sound, both in accessory mode and while on. Just rechecked all connections and decided to redo connections to (+)and (-) wires that weren't mine and that seemed to help. (and the fuse that I changed that keeps blowing...) However... when i turn on car now, If i turn on the headlights, i blow a fuse everytime. (The running light fuse....) and lose running lights, dash lights, dome light, etc. I can't not drive at all at night without these running lights, and I it is either a short in the wire on that circuit some where, or a problem with the switch... any ideas on what to try first, and how i would check to isolate this issue further!??!

 

When you say "running lights" exactly what fuse blows? Do you have Daytime Running Lights? If you have power to the Orange wire to the original wiring then your fuse is good. The headlight switch has a circuit breaker

 

okay, so heres the latest... I have power like i said to the stereo and other items in the car, but when I turn on the headlights or just running lights its trips the fuse that is marked(T/L tcsy, think thats what it says. Below the horn. ) And I lose nighttime running lights and all dash lights, radio, and dome light. But will still have headlights. Prior to the installation there was an issue with the lights on the heating and a/c controls to the right of steering column, where they would go out and come on. Someone said it may be a bad connection somewhere in that part of the dash, so I am currently taking that apart to check all connections.

Seperate from this, I have no horn at the moment, and there is an issue in my fuse panel.... I have two "aligator clips" (not sure what you would call them...) but they are feeding a seperate fuse outside the actual box, and I believe this to be the starter or something important, cause if its taken out I lose power to just about everything...(can't start car, no lights etc.) One plus is into the left side of the horn fuse (which currently I have no horn, and will have to install one as soon as I get this issue done...) and the other is plugged into the right side of the radio fuse..... I believe this also my be part of my problem, how do I plug this fuse into its own fuse spot so to speak. should I try moving the right side radio one into the right side horn fuse for now? plz help I can't take it to anyone since I live in the middle of nowhere and need to pass inspection to renew plates!!!

also a few other possibilities... I had lose wires in stereo assembly, one set that goes to the glovebox light, which i temp capped off and taped, another thick black cable type wire... (which i dont know, maybe an old antennae cable...) that I capped off, and then a black and a grayish wire (both small gauge) from the left side of the panel that weren't connected to anything so i capped off (may have been conneceted before I pulled stereo to each other?) anyways, any ideas would be greatly appreciated, or tips on how I trace these to what they are or if there is a short in one of the wires!) Also my constant to the battery from the radio for memory isn't working, will examine that later when I take the radio back out!

I took out the heating and ac panel and checked the connections there, i think the light bulb may be going out, is there a way to check for a short in this switch though? where can i move the cables in fuse box outside from horn... i think those wires just run up into the steering column for now cause I have no horn installed?? this seems too simple but i know it may be the issue, i just dont want to hook them up somewhere i shouldn't!

 

Do you have a wiring diagram of any sort?

 

Hi, sorry to hear you are having electrical problems. I am doing so looking around to see if I can find some diagrams. I'll post up any info for your 91 that I find.

1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer Car Stereo Radio Wiring Diagram.
Radio Constant 12V+ Wire: Orange
Radio Switched 12V+ Wire: Yellow
Radio Ground Wire: Black
Radio Illumination Wire: Gray
Radio Dimmer Wire: Brown
Radio Antenna Trigger Wire: Pink
Radio Amp Trigger Wire: N/A
Front Speakers Size: 4″ x 6″ Speakers
Front Speakers Location: Dash
Left Front Speaker Wire (+): Tan
Left Front Speaker Wire (-): Gray
Right Front Speaker Wire (+): Light Green
Right Front Speaker Wire (-): Dark Green
Rear Speakers Size: 6″ x 9″ Speakers
Rear Speakers Location: Side Panels
Left Rear Speaker Wire (+): Brown
Left Rear Speaker Wire (-): Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Wire (+): Dark Blue
Right Rear Speaker Wire (-): Light Blue


fusebox layout:
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/1885/fusechart.jpg

 

I have been looking over the wiring diagram for your year and here's a couple of things... both dome lights use the horn fuse for power. Both step/courtesy lights use the T/L csty fuse for power. Dome and courtesy lights have several ways to ground, there are the door jamb switches, the dash dimmer switch and the manual switch on the rear dome. You should check your horn fuse to see if it's blown too, at the very least you can either swap it or use a meter on it. If you are blowing both the horn and T/L fuse then there is a short after the bulbs, my guess would be the dimmer switch since the door jamb switches just close to ground anyhow. I am not 100% sure on the radio dimmer wire (brown) but I would think it comes from the dash dimmer switch. You might want to pull the stereo and make sure all the wires are capped. I would do that since your bigger problem is keeping from blowing fuses.

 

Klone
Have you tried putting a 20 amp fuse in the radio slot? It seems to control everything you're having problems with except for the running lights. That would be off your T/L CTSYfuse (20 amp).

Can you list everything that does and doesn't work WITHOUT the jumper wire installed and a fuse in the radio and T/L CTSY slots? I'll start at the fuse box and see if I can figure this out. I'm usually a pretty good electrician and have some pretty good resources. One question. Does anything look smoked or burnt on your fuse box both inside and in the engine compartment?
By the way you also have some shunts and circuit breakers on the backside of the fuse box that may be causing your problems. Does it look like the cover has been removed from the engine compartment side?
For your Marker Lamps (or running lights) you need to have a 20 amp fuse in the T/L CTSY slot. This is the troubleshooting procedure.
1) Turn on light switch to PARK position. Connect a test lamp from ORN wire at light switch connector and ground.
a) If test lamp lights go to Step 2.
b) If test does not light and fuse is good locate and repair open in ORN wire
2) Connect test lamp from BRN wire at switch connector and ground.
a) If test lamp lights go to Step 3
b) If test does not light replace light switch.
3) Connect test lamp from BRN wire at LH (C161) or RH (C165) parking light connector at parking/turn light connector
a) If test lamp lights check comdition of bulb sockets and BLK wires (grounds) from park lamps to grounds
b) If test does not light locate and repair open in BRN wire from park lamps to light switch

I don't think you're going to get to Step 3 but you never know. Cidium is right about the dome lights having multiple paths to ground. I thing you need to fix the fuse box problem first. And it sounds like you have one.

 

thanks for all the help. It was colder than crap this week, so i've put it off. Now I have other stuff to do today, but will get at it tonight or tomorrow. Ill post any changes and hopefully that its fixed!!!!

If i do start at this tonight, i need to know what you mean by turn light switch to park position? Do you mean turn my parking lights on, and when testing... car needs to be in on position?