[Blix718]

Hey, I have a 2001 focus zx3. I am in the process of making it a show car, I am having a hard time location the fuse for my turn signals and my brake lights. I have upgraded my headlights and fog lights to HID's. all interior lights are SMD bulbs, The only original bulbs left that I want to change are the grille lights and brake lights but when I put the SMD's in they draw too much current. Where is the fuses so I can put a bigger fuse in? Thanks for reading my post.

 

[Notorious0ne]

If you are installing HID's you shouldn't need to mess with the fuses just wire it straight from the battery.

 

[iminhell]

Hey, I have a 2001 focus zx3. I am in the process of making it a show car, I am having a hard time location the fuse for my turn signals and my brake lights. I have upgraded my headlights and fog lights to HID's. all interior lights are SMD bulbs, The only original bulbs left that I want to change are the grille lights and brake lights but when I put the SMD's in they draw too much current. Where is the fuses so I can put a bigger fuse in? Thanks for reading my post.

No.
No. No. No. No.


You never uprate a fuse for a circuit, that is unless you uprate the entire wiring for that circuit.
This is how electrical fires start.

And I'm not sure what retro bulbs your trying to use, but a LED configuration should not draw more amperage that the incandescent counterpart. The turn signals in the grill are 7.5w/28w bulbs.
@ 13.6 volts that is .55/2 Amps.

This SMD 3157 Says it draws at most 35/235 mA's (or 0.035 amps and 0.235amps) @ 12vdc.
No where near enough to blow the stock fuse.

 

[S0C0nFused]

Well, I believe you will find your fuses at the drivers left kneecap area. But! to echo what iminhell said. You never install an over sized fuse (as many have belatedly discovered). The fuse is to protect the wiring and overall circuit. If you install a larger fuse, then the wiring and overall circuit is there to protect the fuse. I.E. If your blowing fuses, then the message is 'you screwed up, try again'.
P.S. don't forget to post up some pics!!! [wiggle]

 

[Sniper Focus]

There's no way that a LED is going to blow a fuse going from an incandescent bulb. Either something is grounding out or possibly a defective LED bulb, but that's unlikely.

 

[Blix718]

Im not blowing fuses. I've actually never blown a fuse in the focus. I installed the SMD bulbs on the grille and my side markers became dull. So I tried to put them on my brake lights and got the same results. The SMD draw too much current. Would I have to upgrade the wire to a thicker guage? and also how do I run my fog lights with my driving lights?

 

[Blix718]

I have tons of pics but the size is too big and I am clueless as to how I resize them on my laptop.

 

[xxMichaelAnthony]

If you put an LED behind a texture lens, like your grill, they dull out really quick. In your tail lights get red LEDs. Less filtering of color the brighter they'll be. Just how it is. LEDs DO NOT draw more current the regular bulbs. Either you're stuck with how it is or try to find better LEDs that will be brighter.

 

[DEMENTED SVTF]

Leds draw less current than regular bulbs. My car is all smt high power leds with no problems. Where did u get these bulbs? Vleds.com is high quality. Stuff

 

[DEMENTED SVTF]

As stated above if u have a red lens(tail) u have to used a red led. Turns with a orange use an amber etc. If u put a white led behind a colored lens it white washes it out looking dull

 

[Blix718]

I took the car to a specialist last night. He checked every ground and told me the only way I would be able to run the bulbs I have I would need to put thicker wires with a bigger fuse for it to work, because the bulb draws to much amperage. Im just gonna leave it alone. and continue on with other mods. Well now its time to start saving for a fresh motor and bore and stroke it out with a turbo and a gearbox. then coil overs with svt wheels and svt bumpers.

 

[xxMichaelAnthony]

Well this "specialist" is an idiot and doesn't know what he is talking about. LEDs pull almost no amperage. Putting larger wires make no senses at all when most LED lamps have resister in them to cut down on current so they don't blow out. If they where pulling too much you would be blowing fuses and burning wires.

 

[Blix718]

I went to Ford and asked them, and they made it clear. In order for me to use SMD bulbs for my brake lights and grille lights I will have to switch two wires in the socket.

 

[xxMichaelAnthony]

Post the pictures you have. They get resized automatically. Show us what you are talking about because everything to be said has been said.

 

[S0C0nFused]

I went to Ford and asked them, and they made it clear. In order for me to use SMD bulbs for my brake lights and grille lights I will have to switch two wires in the socket.

Ahh! So the polarization is reversed and the SMD does not employ a bridge rectifier?