The electrical circuits of the vehicle are protected by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers and fusible links. The fuse blocks are located under the instrument panel on the left side of the dashboard and in the engine compartment. The interior fuse box is located under the left (driver's) side of the Instrument panel, under a cover. The engine compartment fuse and fusible ink box is located behind the battery. Each of the fuses is designed to protect a specific circuit, and the various circuits are identified on the fuse panel itself. Miniaturized fuses are employed in the fuse blocks. These compact fuses, with blade terminal design, allow fingertip removal and replacement. If an electrical component fails, always check the fuse first. The best way to check the fuses is with a test light. Check for power at the exposed terminal tips of each fuse. If power is present at one side of the fuse but not the other, the fuse is blown. A blown ruse can also be identified by visually inspecting it. Be sure to replace blown fuses with the correct type. Fuses of different ratings are physically interchangeable, but only fuses of the proper rating should be used. Replacing a fuse with one of a higher or lower value than specified is not recommended. Each electrical circuit needs a specific amount of protection. The amperage value of each fuse is molded into the fuse body. If the replacement fuse immediately fails, don't replace it again until the cause of the problem is isolated and corrected. In most cases, this will be a short circuit in the wiring caused by a broken or deteriorated wire. Some circuits are protected by fusible links. The links are used in circuits that are not ordinarily fused, such as the ignition circuit. The fusible links on these models are located in the engine compartment fuse block next to the battery and are similar to fuses, but larger. To replace a fusible link, first disconnect the negative cable from the battery. Unplug the burned-out link and replace it with a new one. Always determine the cause for the overload that melted the fusible link before installing a new one.
