"Current" Affairs (Blown Fuses)
August 18, 2019
You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working. There are no numbers on the display. Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn't do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning. Are the two problems somehow related?
No, your vehicle doesn't need an exorcism. This has all the signs of an electrical issue, and when you experience symptoms like those, you've probably blown a fuse. Most vehicles have fuses just like most houses have circuit breakers (some houses still have fuses). They cut the power when it reaches a pre-determined threshold that could cause major damage if it was allowed to continue. You might say fuses take one for the team.
Most modern automotive fuses are plastic with a thin strip of metal in them designed to melt when a calibrated amount of power passes through. The philosophy is it's better for an inexpensive fuse to be destroyed than your sound system or your engine's main computer.
It can be tricky to figure out what fuse has blown and why. Modern vehicles have many computerized electronic components; they can easily be damaged if too much electricity gets to the wrong spot. At Elite Tire And Auto Care in Livonia, we have technicians trained to trace which fuse has blown and why.
While sometimes a simple fuse replacement will fix the problem, other times there may be some other electrical component that has failed, causing the circuit overload. Our technicians have special equipment to track down where the power problems are, get to the root of the problem and fix it at the source.
Keep in mind, fuses are there to protect your vehicle. And when they shut down your radio, garage door opener, vanity mirror or anything else, just be thankful they're doing their job. They may have saved you from a much more expensive repair. They've sent an important signal to you about your electrical system. That's why it's good to keep up with "current" affairs.
Elite Tire And Auto Care
33729 Plymouth Rd.
Livonia, Michigan 48150
734.427.3100
Need Service?
More articles from Elite Tire & Auto Care
Keeping Yourself in Suspension (Control Arm Assembly Replacement)
November 17, 2024
When you are pointing your vehicle straight down the street, it should go straight. Thats pretty straightforward, right? Sometimes, though, you may notice you have to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep going straight. While that could be caused by many different issues, one possibility i... More
What You Need to Know from Your Elite Tire And Auto Care Service Advisor
November 10, 2024
Livonia drivers may feel intimidated when they take their vehicles to a service center. They have questions but aren't sure how to ask. They don't want to feel embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They don't want to make the service technician feel that they don't trust him.If your service... More
Breathe Easier (Cabin Air Filter)
November 3, 2024
When you get in your vehicle, how does it smell? If it's not so nice, it may be time to have your cabin air filter changed. It's not the same one that filters out the air used in the engine. The cabin air filter screens out dust and other particulates from the outside air so when it enters the c... More