OT: electrical problem car-related

[weisan]

We got an old 1995 Toyota Avalon. Just a week ago, the radio/AC/clock went out in the central console, meaning, the radio won't turn on (power button), the clock stopped displaying, and the AC doesn't activate with the controls even though they are still lighted up.

I replaced the fuse and things were restored for a short time and then it get blown again. This has happened twice.

From that, I gathered there's something electrical going on but I don't know how to troubleshoot or get to the bottom of it.

Help!
:help:

[Cicli]

Check your grounds. Especially from the body to the engine and to the battery.

[bcroslin]

Sounds like a short somewhere. Have you googled what you're describing? I don't mean that with any snark. I bet if you search for what you're describing you'll get an answer. I had a similar problem with my Honda and I was able to diagnose the issue via Google.

[ultraman6970]

Ok...a/c 1st... when you put the A/C the compressor spins?? turn the engine, open the hood... turn the a/c in cold and check if the compressor starts... usually the radiotaro fans starts spinning too... if not then you have like 1 option, or the compressor died or the relay (or fuse) for the a/c is dead, check for the relay that feed the radiator fan also, well could be that or that the radiator fan died. I dont know the car but thats the 1st thing I would do.

If nothing is moving then start with the relays, then move trying to fix the fan and then move to the a/c clutch... that is the expensive part.

I believe in your car there is another fuse box at the passenger side, around the globe box, check for dead fuses in there too.

As for the radio, no idea, well could be all connected.

Easy way to know if a relay is dead, just move another relay from the panel to the position of the one you are testing, there is no other way to know.

Hope this helps.

[dustyrider]

Check your grounds. Especially from the body to the engine and to the battery.

If you can't follow this advice, or you do and it doesn't pan out, try a message forum for Toyota. Certain there's an Avalon thread somewhere!

[weisan]

Ultra pal, thanks for writing a long explanation. I should have been more clear... Everything works as they should once i replace the fuse but then it get blown after a short while, repeat the whole cycle again.

Ti & Dusty pal, thanks for the confirmation. I replaced the battery a month ago before this all started. But this problem only manifest itself a week ago.

[pbarry]

Check your grounds. Especially from the body to the engine and to the battery.

Yep, and there's usually a small ground wire to the the metal frame behind/under the dash on the driver's side. If all the grounds look good, check for any abrasion on the wire housing under the dash.

Had tail light fuses blowing every few weeks one winter. Grounds all ok tho. It snowed one night, and the next morning, no tail lights again. Brushing off the truck I noticed two wires shoved down in the rear stake pocket, from old running lights that were removed by previous owner. Wires sticking straight up and covered with snow.. Short city.

[unterhausen]

that actually doesn't sound like it should be too hard to track down, particularly if you got your hands on a wiring diagram. You are probably looking for a pinched wire somewhere, and my guess is it's on the 12v supply. I don't think a lifted ground would blow a fuse, but maybe there is a mechanism I'm not aware of. Since the whole chassis is the ground, if the insulation on a supply wire fails, you have a blown fuse when it touches the sheet metal.

The only issue is you are going to hate yourself after you crawl under the dash looking for it. My back always acts up when I do that

I forgot that Toyotas often have the fuse box in the engine bay. So that means you may well have a problem at the firewall or forward of there. So it may be a bit harder to track down than it would be if the fuses were under the dash

[ultraman6970]

Japanese cars sometimes have 2 fuse relay boxes... IMO if the AC is dead there is a big chance the A/C relay is gone and thay could have affected all of the other stuff. You never know how they did the electrical part.

[cmbicycles]

Brother in law had an issue with his ac not working on their minivan on a visit this summer. Compressor had recently been replaced, but a plastic wire clip broke so the signal wire flopped around and rubbed on the the compressor pulley. We started with a fuse and it worked fine for a quick trip to the store, then blew again... and again. I poked around until I saw the cut wire and put 2&2 together.
Any recent work done on the car that may have affected these components? Certain rodents have been known to chew on wires as well.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

[cmg]

"replaced the battery a month ago before this all started" follow the cables off the battery and check if the grounds weren't effect from changing the battery. if you goggle the problem the ac/clock and radio may be all on the same circuit so it's those grounds that may be causing the problem. google for the electrical diagram.