Chrysler Repair: 04 Sebring: fuse #8 blows, volt ohm meter, solenoid switch

Question
My 04 Chysler Sebring LXI is giving me the blues, my #8 fuse has been blowing out alot lately. It is completely gone i cant replace it anymore. I tried several times and it just blows out.The battery is fine everything still comes on horn blows etc. Do you have any anwsers for me????

Answer
Hi Kellie,
I am not sure what you mean by "I can't replace it anymore". Is the socket pin broken on one side or the other?
In any case, that fuse powers the basic operation for the engine electronics as well as the activation of the starter motor via the starter relay and the starter motor solenoid switch as well as the power to the fuel pump.
My suspicion is that the fuel pump or the starter solenoid circuit is overdrawing the current limit of the fuse rather than the engine electronics because that latter set of functions all have secondary fuses that should blow first before blowing fuse #8. It would be most efficient and economical to troubleshoot the situation with a volt-ohm meter that shouldn't cost more than $20. You would measure the resistance to ground (the - post of the battery) of the downstream side of the fuse socket which would be the front side of the fuse socket. See what it reads in the off positon of the ignition switch, the run position, and start position. Which ever of those is a dead short (0 ohms) would then be evaluated according to the circuit diagrams of that device is in play in that position of the switch.
Roland