Chrysler Repair: 02 Sebring: IOD Fuse #5 blows, vanity mirror, bump in the road

Question
I have a 2002 Sebring LXi Sedan that recently developed an electrical problem. The #5 fuse (red 10amp fuse under the dash in its own special clip), is blowing and as a result the radio, power locks, vanity mirror and interior lights do not work. I replace the fuse and it blows within 10 minutes or so and seems to be correlated to hitting a bump in the road. I have read articles implicating the dome light or CD changer as possible areas for a short.

Answer
Hi Ben
Thanks for the details. I see that fuse but unfortunately it does indeed power alot of different units, one of which is shorting the current to ground and thus blowing the fuse. It powers the following: power mirror, power door lock switch, radio memory, compass/mini-trip computer, all the courtesy lamps in the cabin, the trunk lamp. Those are all items that need power when you have the ignition turned off, and it is called for that reason the ignition off draw fuse (IOD).
Of those, my suspicion would be with the lamps because those often have the kind of connections that can easily be shorted across to ground. So I would be begin by inspecting them all to see if you can find one that is short circuited/not working and repair or replace that lamp. If you can't find one then I would try leaving them all out of their sockets, and if the fuse stops blowing then I would try putting them back in one at a time and driving long enough to give each one a chance to blow the fuse. When you have a fuse blow out then I would really look at that most recently inserted lamp and examine its socket and the wiring to that socket.
If the lamps prove to be OK I can tell you how to test the other units. That would require a volt-ohm test meter so let me know if you have that available. But start with all the lights I mentioned.
Roland
PS Check too to see if when you open or close a door or use the door key lock whether that is associated with the fuse blowing. The current from the fuse has to get there by going thruough a wire that is being flexed at the door hinge area so that could be a place where the wire has broken or had its insulation rubbed off which would be a potential site for a short to ground.