[jeffro123]

I just bought a 1988 Jeep Wrangler YJ. On the way home it became apprarent that I had no brake lights, flashers and no dash lights or indicators.
I checked the fuses, and the brake light and blinker fuses were both blown. I replaced and blinker one, but they still dont work. I tried to replace the brake light fuse but as soon as I install a new fuse, it blows as soon as it is installed.
It seems like a direct short, but where do I start?
Please help!

[94Wrangler4.0]

I would take a look at your brake light housings. I had the same problem with my mustang. The light housings were filling up with water. Other than that trace the wiring.

[gustaia]

not to hyjack your post, but can you tell me wich one/where is the brake light fuse...I also have no brake lights and also the hasard and turn blinker light did not work...I had to replace the flasher module (there are 2), now still I have no brake lights.

[JaySpencer66]

Along those lines it sounds like you have a ground fault of some kind or worse a chaffed power wire (which to some is really one and the same.) Basically what may be going on is that the power lead to one of the lights in the circuit is damaged and allowing contact with metal or a ground line some place before the light. It could also be that there is a bad socket, or water in there too as 94 said.

I am just thinking out loud here but I would start by taking all the bulbs out and seeing if the fuse blows. I would also take the light housing off and inspect the wires and sockets. I would work from the back, putting in single bulbs to see if I could find one light that was doing it. If all that failed I would then start tracing the lines back with a voltage meter and check continuety too.

[jeffro123]

Keep in mind that the fuse blows as soon as you install it. I dont press the brake, or anything, it just immediately blows, so that should rule out bad bulbs or water filled lights.
The fuse box is located under the dash to the left of the steering column. It is a 15 amp and it is marked brake/haz
My question is in order to trace the wires, I need to know where the brake light switch is.
I see a small switch located on the brake unit inside the jeep with 2 wires, is that the switch to activate the brake lights?

[wolf3902]

the switch to activate the brake lights is on the pedal.

could also be the hazard light switch, or hazard blinker unit

[JaySpencer66]

If it is a bad socket, with a ground fault in there, pulling all the bulbs and putting them in one by one may let you eliminate a lot by removing like 8 screws? Tracing the lines is not too hard, I believe they are all color coded but if you have any real issues and know any computer or telephone folks as them for a tone generator and ringer. You can use a tone generator to send a radio signal down a wire, and with the ringer, or part that lets you hear the tone you can trace the wires to figure out what is what. It can also be used to test continuety as well.

gustaia? I am not sure if my Chilton's had it right but from what I saw it may be #7? A 30Amp fuse? Please someone correct me if I am wrong, with my gratitude.