Car Stereos: 2004 dodge durango, side kick panel, 2004 dodge durango

Question
QUESTION: I have a 2004 Dodge durango that i am having problems with the sound coming threw the speakers the main head untit works there is power going to it i can switch cds and go from radio to cd and switch station an all that i checked all the fuses and the all good except for one its under the dash its a 25 amp fuse that is blown so i tried to replace it with anothe one an the second i put it in it blew i even tried putting a 30 amp fuse in it an it poped as well so i have no idea what to do i know it has a external amp that i am pretty sure that it is under the passenger side kick panel so my question is one how to fix this problem myself?  Why the fuse keep popping? and is the a fuse on the actual amp? what would u recommend me doing to fix this problem myself caus ei am confused the radio was workin perfectly i went to the store and it worked and i went into the store came back out and started the truck and right then it didnt work?

ANSWER: Hi Jacob,

The blowing fuse is what you need to take care of first.

For starters, you should never ever put a higher amperage fuse in the car than what it calls for.  If the fuse is blowing, it means that you've either got a short somewhere, or a wire backwards.  Start digging around in the power wiring or anything you may have modified recently, and find where your wires are shorted or crossed, and you'll find the source of your problems.

Justin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I havent modified anything everything on the truck is completely stock there is no aftermarket anything on the truck

Answer
Hi Jacob,

That means a wire somewhere has been chaffed or corroded and has shorted out on something.

The bad news is that these are a pain in the butt to find -- even for an experienced, licensed mechanic.

The good news is if you're willing to put in the time and effort to trace it, you can likely find it yourself with little cost.

Start with disconnecting the components that are powered by that fuse and see if it stops blowing.  If it does, then you know the device itself has gone bad.  If it doesn't, then start tracing the wires themselves.

Justin