Can Ice cause a short???

[ComancheKid45]

Brake Lights were operating fine all day, theres been snow on the ground the past 2 days and just tonight ive started blowing fuses for my Hazard/Stop lamps.....i noticed alot of ice buildup around the wires for my taillights.......I'm keepin the MJ in the garage tonight to let it thaw a bit and hopefully tomarrow i can find the problem but is the frozen wires a possible cause?....thanks

[CWLONGSHOT]

Sure can!!!

 

Get your self some DIELECTRIC GREASE and LIBERALLY apply at all electrical connections!!

 

You'll notice some snotty looking crap in the plugs. this is factory corrosion resistant grease. Just clean off and re-apply the vaseline looking dielectric grease and say good bye to electrical demons!!!

 

BTW, use it on all electrical connections from now on. Its one more security layer to inhibit corrosion and shorts in your cars electrical connections.

 

CW

[ComancheKid45]

Ok....but what about wires in general.....just having the wire coated in ice and being froze to a ground, would that cause it as well?

[CWLONGSHOT]

Just the wire? Well, its likely that the wire is adequately insulated by the plastic covering. Even if the water did get inside, it would have to be in contact with another surface to make a connection. So its not likely this is anything to worry about.

 

If a connection gets soaked and freezes, in a block or chunk of ice, you "could" have issues.

 

You on the right path, thaw it out, dry it out and clean it out. Than apply the dielectric grease and you will not have a water related problem with that connection again.

 

CW

[ComancheKid45]

Ok.....i just think its an issue with wires near the taillights and around the rear bumper.....somethings shorting out and it just occured today, ill see what i can find tomarrow...thanks

[CWLONGSHOT]

While you have it all apart back there. Take the time to make a new ground connection. There is a major grounding contact there on the drivers side. it becomes rusted and looses ground causing a number of "gremlins" to surface.

 

Be sure there is enough length and cut off the factory connection to ground. Attach a new lug and preferably solder it to the wire. Make a new grounding point somewhere near old connection. But be sure its on good solid steel (sheet metal) near to where it was before. Don't forget to add a liberal amount of dielectric grease and securely reattach.

 

Good luck,

CW

[Wildman]

I think once you get to the wiring, you will find that the factory used an 'open' crimp connector to splice the wires, IE: running lights. This is where your problem could be coming from. Ones I have found, the crimp and the wire are all corroded (green color) Just cut the crimp out, and cut the wire back until you get rid of the corrosion, clean copper color wire. I use "B" caps to splice the wires, filled with die-electric grease, and crimp them on.

 

CW is right, clean any and all connectors you find with Contact Cleaner, and then pack them full of die-electric grease.

 

Also while you got every thing apart, check the ground wire behind the left tail light, even scrap off some paint, and re-mount it with a new tek screw, and coat it with the grease.

 

You'll not only solve your problem now, but future problems by spending alittle time to 're-do' every thing back there ;)

 

{CW - I think we answered at the same time......but you beat me :D }