Replacing A Burned-Out Fuse at Capitol Subaru in Salem, OR

A blown fuse on your car can blow up all your plans for the day, too, if it means you can't safely drive your car! Electrical problems on cars are notoriously difficult to diagnose and fix. Blown fuses are usually a sign of something more significant going wrong under the hood. That's where the pros at Capitol Subaru come in! We use sophisticated tools so our trained, expert technicians can quickly find out what's causing the fuses in your car to fail and get it fixed. So you can continue enjoying the reliable performance of your Subaru vehicle.

These fuses are rated for different amperages, indicated by their different colors 

4. What Is A Fuse?

Fuses are safety links in electrical systems. You probably have a fuse or breaker box in your home that serves the same function: If a surge of excess energy flows through the circuit, the fuse will break. This interrupts the circuit and stops the flow of electricity -- which can protect downstream components from being damaged by an electrical surge. Each circuit has a specific fuse rated for the amperage safe for that circuit. The fuses are color-coded and have the rated amperage printed on the fuse itself. For example, a common blue automotive fuse rated for 15 amps will blow if more than 15 amps is flowing through the circuit. That's why it's important to use the right fuses for the right circuits.

 
Automotive fuse boxes contain fuses and relays of many different shapes and sizes 

3. Why Might A Fuse Blow In Your Car?

Most commonly, you have a wiring short in the vehicle's electrical system, or a malfunctioning electrical component. Items like power window motors, windshield wiper motors and other electrical accessories that are malfunctioning could start demanding more power, causing the fuse to blow on that circuit. To fix this problem long-term, you'll want to have the offending electrical accessory replaced. Or, if you have a wiring short, you'll want to get the wiring inspected by a trained technician. You could have hundreds or even thousands of feet of wire running all throughout your car! If a wire rubs against a metal component until the insulation is torn, a short can develop. There could even be a fluid leak, such as a coolant leak, dripping onto wires or electrical components and causing a short. Blown fuses are typically symptoms of underlying electrical problems.

2. What Are The Symptoms Of A Blown Fuse?

When a fuse blows, all the electrical components on that circuit will stop working. For example, on many Subaru models, the hazard lights and horn are wired on the same circuit. So, if you've got short in the wiring leading to the hazard lights, you might find the horn stops working as well. If an electrical feature on your car stops working, checking the fuse box is a smart place to begin the diagnosis.

Looking inside, we can see that this fuse is blown and needs to be replaced 

1. How Can A Blown Automotive Fuse Be Fixed?

Simply replacing the blown fuse with a new one should restore the circuit -- but the underlying problem will probably still need to be addressed. Most of the time, a fuse will not simply blow incidentally. There is likely a malfunctioning component or a wiring fault somewhere along that circuit. Chances are, you'll want the help of trained technicians with dealership-grade tools to find the root of this problem for you in our certified Subaru service center at Capitol Subaru.

Capitol Subaru of Salem

920 Auto Group Ave NE
Directions Salem, OR 97301

  • Sales: 503-587-5500
  • Service: 503-587-5500
  • Parts: 503-587-5500

Hours

  • Monday 7:00am - 6:00pm
  • Tuesday 7:00am - 6:00pm
  • Wednesday 7:00am - 6:00pm
  • Thursday 7:00am - 6:00pm
  • Friday 7:00am - 6:00pm
  • Saturday 8:00am- 5:00pm
  • Sunday Closed