This 2002 Chevrolet Malibu came in with a simple enough complaint. The power outlet in the dash did not work. Simple enough. I went to fuse number 34 in the underhood fuse box to check the fuse.
Why is there a 2 amp fuse when there should be a 20 amp fuse? Why is it sitting in there crooked? What is that black stuff at the bottom of the fuse?
The fuse box legend showing the fuse in question is fuse number 34.
And the complication. Out of desperation to remain connected to the world. The driver found the blown fuse for the power outlet (cell phone charger port). The only fuse she had left was a 2 amp fuse. It blew immediately. Since “the fuse was too weak” her and her boyfriend decided to wrap the fuse terminals with a single strand of copper wire.
Turned out to be a $2000 fuse by the way. Since she did not have the money for repairs and the only thing that was not working was the power outlet, we decided to install a new power outlet and create a new power source circuit for it. From past experience, I told her that we should not even touch the harness that had been damaged, except to clear off the obvious burnt ends. We could cut them without disturbing anything else.
She has been driving the car for 6 months now without any issues. It had 260,000 miles on it when it came in my shop. Another reason to not sink a lot of money into this repair.