Pontiac Repair: Olds Sihouette wiring, blown fuses, fuse block

Question
QUESTION: I was replacing a taillight that wasn't working and noticed that one of the contacts wasn't visible so I pried apart the housing of the socket and tried to fix it but when I replugged the wiring harness back in there must have been some overlapping of circuit contacts and caused some shorting of stuff. The right side tail lights are unplugged right now until I buy a new socket housing Now when I start car the dash board lights don't work and some of the headlight functions don't work, also the door light and or key warning signal rings until I shut the door. How do I go about locating the short and do you think the short has reached the fuse box?

ANSWER: Hey Dennis:

I'm sure you blew a fuse or 2 in the fuse block. You didn't mention the model year of this van. I'm going to guess it's at least newer then a 1997?? if so the tail lamp cktn board/socket assemblies would go bad in those along with the connector that attached the board to the body. Unplug the board and take a look at the terminals in the connector if it loos like any of the terminals are melted replace the whole connector and the tail lamp ckt board assembly and replce any of the fuses that blew. good luck :)


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

QUESTION: Thanks Todd. And yes my van is a 2003. If I
change the blown fuses and replace the socket circut board
and check for burnt wiring on the harness, and I continue to blow
fuses does that mean I've got a bigger problem? I'm just concerend
about the warning bell that rings even though I have the keys out,
and the lights off and the taillight is unplugged.

Answer
I can't tell you that for sure. But if the connector is burnt up at the ckt. board it will do all kinds of wierd things especially if the ground ckt. is damaged for the board Then the tail lamps srat to hunt for a ground and then elcetronics sart to back feed into each other It really will not hurt them but it will do wierd stuff none the less. I have seen ABS lamps on I have seen a turn siganl lamp go on on the dash when you step on the break or a turn lamp on the dash go on when the headlamps are on all kinds of wierd issues all related to the connector going to that board. good luck :)