What did I break? (HID install)
12-26-2008, 04:47 PM
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What did I break? (HID install) I was installing 880 HID fog lights on my 2000 Trans Am. All went well with the passenger side and it looks good. Then I got to the driver's side and things went to hell. First, one of the wires that plugs into the stock wiring harness somehow got completely stuck in the wiring harness and would not come out no matter what. So then I had to cut that wire shorter and attempt to wire it manually.
That's when I made the big mistake. I went to cut the wires from the stock fog light wiring harness..and as soon as I snipped the positive wire..I saw a few sparks, the fog lights flickered off, the parking lights flickered off, the headlights flickered off, and the headlights themselves came crashing down and almost trapped my hand inside. I didn't even get to cut the entire wire, just a small part of it.
As it sits now, the only light on the front of the car that works is the headlights. None of the lights inside the car work(gauges, radio lights, etc). The car runs fine and everything else seems to work.
Could someone that's, well, not an idiot like me, enlighten me as to what I just broke? I'm thinking I might have short-circuited the electrical system, including ruining my brand new HID bulbs. Is that correct?
That's when I made the big mistake. I went to cut the wires from the stock fog light wiring harness..and as soon as I snipped the positive wire..I saw a few sparks, the fog lights flickered off, the parking lights flickered off, the headlights flickered off, and the headlights themselves came crashing down and almost trapped my hand inside. I didn't even get to cut the entire wire, just a small part of it.
As it sits now, the only light on the front of the car that works is the headlights. None of the lights inside the car work(gauges, radio lights, etc). The car runs fine and everything else seems to work.
Could someone that's, well, not an idiot like me, enlighten me as to what I just broke? I'm thinking I might have short-circuited the electrical system, including ruining my brand new HID bulbs. Is that correct?
Last edited by Jaspirr; 12-26-2008 at 05:24 PM.
12-26-2008, 04:51 PM
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I forgot to mention that I checked the fuses and they all seemed fine. Gauges, Power Accy, LH Headlamp Door, Rh Headlamp Door, Fog Lights, etc. All the relevant fuses. The Fog Light fuse was a big 30amp one so I couldn't really check if that worked or not, but swapping that out with another working fuse didn't make any difference, so I'm assuming it's still good.
12-27-2008, 02:37 AM
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Well I figured it out. The fuse that was blown was "Tail Lamps" for some strange reason. Apparently the tail lamps fuse also controls the interior lights, gauges, parking lights, and fog lights. Very strange. I replaced that, disconnected the battery, fixed what I was working on with the fog lights, and all is good.