Automotive Fuses: Types, How They Work and Replacement Guide

What are automotive fuses?

We usually call automotive fuses “fuses”, but they are actually “blowers”. Automotive fuses are similar to home fuses in that they protect the circuit by blowing when the current in the circuit exceeds the rated value. Automotive fuses are usually categorized into slow blow fuses and fast blow fuses.

There are two common types of automotive fuses: high-current fuses and medium-low-current fuses. Low and medium-current fuses are the most commonly used.

Low and medium current fuses include chip fuses (including mini auto fuse box fuses), plug-in fuses, screw-in fuses, tube fuse box flat fuses, and medium ATO or small fast-blowing chip fuses. Chip fuses can carry small currents and short bursts of current, such as for headlight circuits and rear glass defrost.

Blade Fuses

 

How automotive fuses work

When using a fuse, it is important to select the right fuse for the rated current and rated voltage of the circuit.  

Automotive cartridge fuses are usually sized from 2A to 40A, and their amperage is indicated on the top of the fuse, while their metal fuse and pin connections consist of a zinc or copper fuse structure. If a fuse is blown and the amperage cannot be identified, we can also determine it by its color.    

Symptoms of a blown fuse

1. If the battery is energized but the vehicle does not start, the fuse of the motor may be blown. When the vehicle can not start, do not continuously ignition, because this will lead to the battery completely dead.

2、When the vehicle is traveling, the tachometer shows normal, but the speedometer shows zero. At the same time, the ABS warning light is on, which indicates that the fuse related to ABS is blown. Unorthodox merchants may pull out the fuse that manages the ABS to reduce the mileage of the vehicle, but this poses a great risk because a vehicle that loses its ABS will be very dangerous in an emergency.

 3. If no water comes out when you press the glass water switch, it may be because there is a foreign object blocking the nozzle or the winter cold has frozen the nozzle. If you press it for a long time, the motor will overheat and blow the fuse.

What should I do if my auto fuse is blown?

If your car's fuse is blown, you will need to replace it. In addition to going to the repair store for replacement, we can also replace the fuse ourselves.

1、According to different car models, find the location of the fuse. Usually, the fuse box is close to the battery or is usually held in place by a clasp; advanced models may have bolts to tighten it, so you will need to remove the fuse box carefully.

2. Carefully check the diagram to find the fuse. Before removing a fuse, it is usually easier to match the diagram on the side that is easy to remove.

3. Fuse boxes usually have spare fuses, so keep them away from other fuses to distinguish them. Remove the fuse with tweezers to see if it is blown, then replace it with a suitable spare fuse.

MAXI 32V Automotive Blade Fuse

The international standard for automotive chip fuse colors

2A Gray, 3A Purple, 4A Pink, 5A Orange, 7.5A Coffee, 10A Red, 15A Blue, 20A Yellow, 25A Transparent Colorless, 30A Green and 40A Dark Orange. Depending on the color, you can differentiate between the different amperage levels.       

Since there are many electronic devices and parts in a car that are fitted with fuses, automotive designers concentrate the fuses in one place at the beginning of the design process, called the “fuse box”. One fuse box is located in the engine compartment, responsible for the car's external electrical appliances, such as the engine control unit, horn, glass washer, ABS, headlights, etc.; the other fuse box is located on the driver's left side, responsible for the car's internal electrical appliances, such as airbags, power seats, cigarette lighters, and so on.


Post time: Jul-25-2024