I just got a forwarded fuse warning from GM about some fuses from aftermarket companies.

Quote:

> Subject

> >

> > Warning to other stores; wiring damage due to junk aftermarket fuses

> >

> >

> > We have now had two vehicles come into our department with extensive

> > wiring harness damage. Both of these vehicles had a replacement 15

> > amp fuse instead of the GM fuse. The fuse does NOT “pop” causing

> > the wiring harness to catch fire. The fuse has a clear, hard

> > plastic blue body with the amperage stamped into the top there is no

> > white paint on the fuse. There are no identifying marks on the fuse

> > to tell who is making it. The fuse is distributed by Harbor Freight,

> > I attached a picture of the box of fuses. Your dealers should look

> > out to make sure that suspect wiring problems are not caused by

> > these defective aftermarket fuses. The 15 amp fuse on this

> > particular truck did not “pop” even at 50 amps. The fuse in the

> > second picture still tests “good” even after a direct short across

> > the battery. We tested six of these fuses and none of them pop.






/QUOTE

I do hope that none of you have this kind of junk in their trucks.


AlpineRAM

 

Not to discredit your post Alpine, but WHO buys fuses from Harbor Freight?

They're good for jackstands and cheap hand tools, but fuses?

Carry on!

 

????? If you can't trust a fuse, do you want to trust a JACK STAND ????

 

Murf: That's just a mail that I got from GM Europe as being forwarded from GM US as a service bulletin. I don't know who would buy what where- wrong side of the pond. I know that over here if you buy a fuse at the gas station (Night, rain, blown fuse situation) you get the cheapest junk at a horrendous price.
I think it's well worth to check (takes only some minutes) and change every suspect fuse (costs only some cents) to avoid those possible troubles.

qwest: You do want to be able to trust your jackstands?? Wussie

 

Harbor Freight does have cheap LED flashlights!

Let me guess, fuses made in China??

MikeyB

 

i am going to replace all the fuses in my truck here before too long, previous owner installed 1/2 of them in the wrong sizes, i only use good fuses cause my truck burning to the ground is very high up there on my "crap i dont need right now" list.

 

How do you TELL if you are getting good fuses - I mean EVERYTHING is chicom crapola nowadays, is there even such a thing as "Made in USA" good parts?

 

Use some good BUSS (Bussman) fuses!

 

i actually had the exact same thing happen to my bosses jimmy.

 

I think you can test some of the fuses you buy in a big pack by simply using them for shorting a battery. If they weld together and still have continuity like the ones in my first post you know what to do with the packet you bought.
If you want to go a bit bigger you can rig something with bulbs (to use the power) and a fuse holder. EG a 5A fuse should work with a 60W lamp but blow with anything above 60W (maybe use an H4 bulb, usually they are 55W and 60W for each filament)- so the 5A should hold one filament and blow quickly if you use both.

AlpineRAM

 

That's just funny!! and so so true!!!

 

Just talked to my Dad. He has a bunch of those Storehouse fuses. So he's rigging a test fixture with 60-100w light bulbs and will also do some direct short tests.

MikeyB

 

First thing I said too.

 

First thing im gonna say is if youre shopping at harbor freight you deserve to have your vehicle burned.

Tough love.

 

Very interesting and may be the answer to what I have been experiencing. I purchased a 1997 truck with some wiring problems. After fixing the wiring I discovered that the reason the interior light did not work was that the IOD fuse a 15 amp was burned out.

So I changed it and had lights for a day or so then they went out again. I kept digging and digging at the schematics and found that the IOD fuse feeds directly from the 50 amp fuse in the engine compartment box. The lights do no work the 15 amp fuse is good as is the 50 amp. There is no power to either side of the 15 amp fuse. I have previously decided that the wire in the harness has to be burned out. This may be why.