The electrical circuits of the vehicle are safeguarded by a combination of fuses and circuit breakers, with fuse blocks located under the instrument panel and in the engine compartment; the interior fuse/relay block is at the end of the driver's side of the instrument panel, while models from 1996 and later have the main engine compartment fuse/relay box positioned just in front of the battery, and earlier models feature a center fuse panel to the right of the battery and a left-hand fuse panel on the driver's side inner fenderwell. Each fuse is designed to protect specific circuits, which are identified on the fuse panel. Miniaturized fuses with blade terminal design allow for easy fingertip removal and replacement, and if an electrical component fails, checking the fuse first is advisable; using a test light to check for power at the exposed terminal tips of each fuse can help determine if a fuse is blown, which can also be visually confirmed by inspecting the element between the terminals. It is crucial to replace blown fuses with the correct type, as fuses of different ratings are physically interchangeable but should match the specified rating to ensure proper protection for each electrical circuit, with the amperage value molded into the fuse body. If a replacement fuse fails immediately, it should not be replaced again until the underlying issue, often a short circuit due to a broken or deteriorated wire, is resolved. All models include a main fuse that protects all circuits from the battery; if overloaded, this fuse blows to prevent damage to the main wiring harness, and it consists of a metal strip that visibly melts when overloaded. Always disconnect the battery before replacing the main fuse, which is located in the engine compartment fuse box and resembles standard fuses/relays, ensuring that the replacement unit matches the old fuse's amperage rating to avoid switching ratings.