Hi Guys-
I'm new here. I have a 98 4runner Limited 6 cyl. I am having an electrical problem. The 5 amp fuse in the interior fusebox that controls the windows, gauges, alternator and AC keeps blowing. I have been to 2 mechanics and nobody can find the cause. I found out the fuse is connected the alternator when I decided to live with the problem for awhile and my battery died. You would think that Toyota would use a higher amp fuse there but whatever. The fuse that originally blew was probably the original and it worked fine for 190,000 miles so who am I to say.
I don't know if this is related but about a year ago my radio stopped working then my dashboard clock started flickering. Here what happens: I replace the fuse. (The guy at Auto Shack knows me by name now) Let the car sit for a minute, back out of my driveway, put the car in drive and the fuse blows... sometimes. Sometimes everything is fine for a week or two, sometimes it blows right away. It was suggested I try using 10 amp fuses instead of 5 but that hasn't helped either. The one mechanic said he could probably find the problem if I left the truck with him for a few days and paid him $600. I hate to do that with a vehicle that has 190k.
I live in Phoenix. It's 108. AC is not a luxury, it's a necessity.
After one of the mechanics visits, everything was working fine, even the radio. Now I'm back to no radio, occasional clock and a pocket full of fuses.
A guy I know that deals in used Toyotas suggested I change the alternator which I can do myself. None of the mechanics made that suggestion.
Does anybody have any thoughts?
I'm new here. I have a 98 4runner Limited 6 cyl. I am having an electrical problem. The 5 amp fuse in the interior fusebox that controls the windows, gauges, alternator and AC keeps blowing. I have been to 2 mechanics and nobody can find the cause. I found out the fuse is connected the alternator when I decided to live with the problem for awhile and my battery died. You would think that Toyota would use a higher amp fuse there but whatever. The fuse that originally blew was probably the original and it worked fine for 190,000 miles so who am I to say.
I don't know if this is related but about a year ago my radio stopped working then my dashboard clock started flickering. Here what happens: I replace the fuse. (The guy at Auto Shack knows me by name now) Let the car sit for a minute, back out of my driveway, put the car in drive and the fuse blows... sometimes. Sometimes everything is fine for a week or two, sometimes it blows right away. It was suggested I try using 10 amp fuses instead of 5 but that hasn't helped either. The one mechanic said he could probably find the problem if I left the truck with him for a few days and paid him $600. I hate to do that with a vehicle that has 190k.
I live in Phoenix. It's 108. AC is not a luxury, it's a necessity.
After one of the mechanics visits, everything was working fine, even the radio. Now I'm back to no radio, occasional clock and a pocket full of fuses.
A guy I know that deals in used Toyotas suggested I change the alternator which I can do myself. None of the mechanics made that suggestion.
Does anybody have any thoughts?
