ok so about two weeks ago my break lights and tail lights and parking light all stop working. i went check the fuse panel and the #10 fuse was blown . i tried putting a new one , and it blew up too. finally i said screw this tokk it to a shop and now only when i touch my brakes they turn on . but still no parking lights and tail lights in the dark . 90 xj s6 4l plz any suggejestions

 

sounds like maybe u blew some bulbs.? or check the rest of the fuses.

 

check the stop-lamp and parking-lamp relays.

 

k will check those

 

Sounds like a short, I had an s10 blazer that did this; turned out the trailer wiring harness had a bare spot from rubbing on metal and blew the fuse every time it hit metal. Drove me nuts.............

 

I'm having the same exact problem right now. Any luck with yours?

 

The gauge lights and the taillights are run off the same fuse. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

I've gathered all that, but I'm having trouble locating the short. I found that the light switch is zapped too, so I used the direct line from that to bypass the switch and connected it strait to the brake line (the dark blue one in my case) and it heats up real quick indicating a short. I started tracking the problem back starting with the passenger side brake light cluster, and dissconnected my way all the way back to the dash. (each time testing it to see if it still heats up) I have narrowed it down to the driver side between the driver brake light and the bundle at the bottom of the driver side door, but I can't seem to find any sign of a short. Most of the wires that run up and down the side are covered with electrical tape. I'm having to take a lot of stuff apart to get to them too, so I'll let you guys know if I find it.
If anyone knows of a common short spot, feel free to speak up. This is the first time I've ever gotten to mess with an electrical problem (rookie) and the schematics might as well be written in Arabic.
Also, someone said something about wire brushing ground wires. Don't know what that means...

 

Taking off the ground wire and cleaning them really good to make sure there's a clean connection in between the two points.

 

I had the same trouble and was told it was a bad headlight switch. I bought a new one and could not get the right one. New ones don't have a tab for the ground wire. So I put the old switch back in after cleaning it up real good and have not had any trouble since
clint

 

It's not the switch; like I said, I have bypassed the switch and the fuse panel all together. Nothings working I have found the wire that is responsible for the short but can't locate exactly where the short is. And now I'm trying to run direct power to the good light wire, and it's not working at all anymore.

 

Over lay a wire in place of that one and connect it to where you know the wire is good ( at the switch and after the short).

 

I think I've resolved to doing that. It seems like the easy way out, but whatever. I just want to put my jeep back together now.

Did that help at all oneal916?

 

ya that dose help out but its the dark blue wire you said that was causing the short ...
if you could take a picture and let me see that would be great

 

Of which part?