What to Do When Car Circuit Fails?
3 Answers
Solutions for car circuit failures are as follows: 1. Short circuit: Use a wire to temporarily bridge the circuit that may have an open circuit fault, observe the changes in the instrument pointer or the working condition of electrical equipment, and then determine whether there is an open circuit fault in the circuit. 2. Instrument method: Observe the indications of the ammeter, water temperature gauge, fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, etc. on the car dashboard. If there is a fault, a red light will turn on. If the engine is cold and the water temperature gauge indicates the full scale position without moving when the ignition switch is turned on, it indicates that the water temperature sensor is faulty or there is a grounding fault in the circuit. In this case, it is necessary to eliminate the fault in time.
I've been driving for twenty years, and if there's an electrical issue with the car, the first thing to do is pull over and turn on the hazard lights! Last time my old Jetta suddenly lost power, it was a real emergency. Never force it to keep driving—if the battery starts smoking or catches fire, it's game over. For a quick check, start with the fuse box, usually located under the steering wheel. Pull out each fuse one by one to see if any are burnt or blackened. If the fuses are fine, it’s likely due to aging wiring or a drained battery. Use a flashlight to inspect the wiring harness in the engine bay for any exposed or frayed copper wires. If you can’t figure it out, just call a tow truck—messing with electrical systems yourself can easily cause a short circuit. Last year, I recklessly tried rewiring something and ended up frying the radio. Always remember to turn off the AC and headlights when parking to avoid draining the battery, which can help it last a couple more years.
As a female driver who frequently takes long-distance trips, encountering an electrical circuit failure in the middle of the night is my worst nightmare. That time during a road trip when the dashboard suddenly went completely dark, I broke out in a cold sweat. I immediately turned on the hazard lights and pulled over to the emergency lane, then followed the manual to locate the fuse box—turned out it was behind the glove compartment on the passenger side. My hands were shaking as I replaced the fuse with a spare one, but thankfully I had needle-nose pliers in my toolkit. A mechanic later told me that modern car electrical circuits are as intricate as human nerves, with fuses acting like safety valves, so it's essential to keep spare fuses of different amperages in the car. If it's a battery issue, most modern cars come with a battery management system, and if a fault code pops up, you'll need to visit a 4S shop to read the data. Remember to regularly check the battery terminals for white corrosion, as this can cause poor contact.
