97 850R door chime won't stop - blows fuse 15 daily!

[JimR]

I bought an 850R 30 days ago with 180k on it. Nearly on a daily basis, fuse 15 blows and the door chime won't stop. It comes on when you put the key in - not even started - and stays on. The interior lights don't work either. If I replace the fuse, it's ok for a day or two then blows again. (I knew the car had this problem but it is in near showroom condition in and out so I bought it)

A couple times when I went to change the fuse, the fuse blew as I out it in so there was a dead short somewhere at times.

I have read about removing the door chime module but that would leave me with no interior lights. I guess I could live with that but I would like to fix it right. At one point when the fuse was blown, I dis connected the harness as it goes into the door - that round twist ring, and nothing changed.

Also - the other day a strange whine kind of electricalish high pitched and intermittent started coming from under the dash. Any idea on that?

Thanks all,
Jim

[JimR]

Anyone???

[jblackburn]

Removing the door chime relay won't disable your interior lights. The seatbelt reminder lights won't work anymore, but that's it.

The central lighting relay is a different relay altogether.

It sounds like either the microswitch in your door is broke, or there is another short in the system. I would try removing the door chime relay for now, replace the fuse, and see if it still blows. Then try removing the big K relay on the 3rd row up if it doesn't work.

[JimR]

Ok I will try that. What does the big K relay do?

[jblackburn]

That's your central lighting relay.

[Ozark Lee]

Have you done anything with your sun-visors lately? As I recall the lights for the vanity mirrors run off of the same circuit and that could be the root of the problem.

...Lee

[jonbaum]

Did you ever find out what was causing this to happen. Believe it or not, I have the exact problem!