Tracking down electrical gremlins

[RETed]

Electrical problems are always a PITA...
There is no way around it.
Cross your fingers you come across it sooner than later.

Basically, you need to understand the wiring diagrams (in the FSM).
Once you've got that under your belt, get a DMM that can do current draw, or Amps.

If you've got no clue where to start, I'd start under the hood...
Disconnect negative terminal from battery.
Measure current by switching DMM to current (i.e. Amps) and connect one probe to negative battery post and the other probe to the now disconnected negative battery terminal.
Normal current draw should be under 0.1A or 100mA.

Now check the the engine fuse block...
(The 80A / 100A fuse is bolted in.)
Pull the fuses one by one and measure current draw across the two points...
This should start your search.
Ignore anything lower than 0.1A (or 100mA) for now...
Find something that measures higher than that.
(Make sure nothing else is on in the car - i.e. dome light, door light, key off, etc.)
Trace the circuits one by one to see where it leads you.


-Ted