1986 Fiero SE Stock V6 Notchback

So i was driving home from my friend's house 20 minutes ago and everything is going fine when suddenly the headlights, interior gauges, and side marker lights all stop working. I have had the headlight motors in the UP position with their relays unplugged for a couple of months and I just replaced the headlight bulbs last week, but have had no other problems. when i popped the hood to investigate I noticed that the radiator fan wasn't running even though the engine was hot. (I have the 180* fan switch and lower thermostat) when i leave the headlight switch in the ON position and remove the keys, the blue dinggy thinggy doesn't ring (it usually does) and nothing else happens. My fusible links are still good.... my battery voltage is good and the engine and everything else still runs fine, including the blinkers and third brake light.

Any Ideas? Thanks

-John

The only thing all these circuits have in common is Fusible Link B, which is one of the four links attached to the battery junction block. If the link isn't blown (the rust colored portion of the wire, not the black cylinder) then perhaps corrosion has gotten between the eyelet that attaches it to the junction block post.

Unplug tail light fuse check for power on one side of socket.
Power here then likely a dead HL switch.

A fried HL switch can kill most external and instruments lights.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

The headlight switch is repairable (if it hasn't melted). It is 'old tech' copper sheet metal tabs that bend with age. Usually the first thing to lose contact is the headlight motors, but the light contacts are the same construction. I think you can bend them and get everything to work again.

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 05-30-2013).]

I had a new headlight switch fail on me one night with exactly the same results. Unfortunately I did not have a spare or I could have changed it in a few minutes. I ended up leaving the car at a truck stop 30 miles out of town an calling my wife to pick me up. Retrieved the car the next day, drove it home, swapped in an old switch and all problems were cured.

Nelson

the problem ended up being this fusable link B. the PO had taken it out and put an in-line fuse rated for 15A, and it had simply blown. why? i don't know. but i do remember going through a rather large puddle earlier in the day so...

thanks for everyone's input! I appreciate it!

-John

1. fuse for fuse link is often a bad plan.
2. 15A fuse is too low. HL alone draws 8-10A or more.

find and fix whatever is blowing the link then fix the link itself.
See my Cave, Wire Service

I swapped out the fuse for a 25A one and it's been working fine these past few days... I think it was just a little water from the big puddle I went though. Do you think it is safe to keep this 25A fuse there?