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Before we get started: this type of work should be performed by a qualified individual or
business only.
If you're not sure what you’re doing, working with your vehicle’s electrical system can
be dangerous both to you and your vehicle.
If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to consult a professional.
Welcome to another how to video with The Dashcam Store!
Today, we'll learn how to identify your vehicle's fuse type.
Before we do any electrical work, ensure that your vehicle’s engine is turned off and
the key is completely removed from the ignition.
You don’t want to be a victim of a preventable accident.
Now, there are at least 4 different types of fuses in modern vehicles, with the Mini
being the most common.
In order to utilize an Installation Kit or “add-a-circuit” fuse taps from The Dashcam
Store, it’s important to know which type of fuses are in your vehicle and where they’re located.
You have to verify the actual fuses as there may be an extremely wide range of electrical
system configurations present for each vehicle year, make, and model.
But how do you identify your fuses?
The first step is locating your fuse box.
Many vehicles have more than one fuse box, often located under the hood, in the trunk,
or somewhere inside the cabin of the vehicle.
For some vehicles, there may even be multiple fuse boxes in the cabin alone.
To locate your fuse box, consult your owner’s manual.
Typically, the owner’s manual can be found in the glove box, the trunk, or even with
your spare tire.
If you can’t find or don’t have a copy of your manual, a quick Google search for
“your vehicle’s owner manual” is almost guaranteed to turn up a PDF for you.
Once you've got your manual in hand, check the index for “fuses”, “fuse box”,
or even “blown fuse replacement”.
The manual should direct you to an illustrated diagram of your vehicle, showing the locations
of all of your fuse boxes.
Now a quick disclaimer: if you see a picture of a fuse in the manual, you can't just assume
this is necessarily the type of fuse that will be in your fuse box.
Sometimes manufacturers use a generic image in the manual which may or may not match what’s
actually in your vehicle.
Referencing the owner’s manual, locate the area which contains the fuse box.
In most vehicles, the box is located behind an easily-removable panel or cover, however
it could be behind the glove box, behind a kick-panel in the driver or passenger side
foot well, or under the carpet or the floorboard of some vehicles.
To help you identify the fuse box, there may be a fuse or lightning bolt symbol on the
cover.
Once you find the fuse box, remove the cover to expose the fuses inside.
Now that we've found our fuses, we're ready to pull one.
But first, make note of the fuse or fuses you’ll be removing.
Now some people like to draw a diagram but taking a “before” photo on your phone
works just as well.
The key is knowing where to replace the fuse once you’ve pulled it and identified it.
Carefully use a small set of pliers to remove one of the fuses from the fuse box.
If you don’t have pliers, many vehicles will include a small plastic tool called a
fuse puller on the inside of the fuse box cover.
As you might’ve guessed, it’s designed to help you pull out fuses.
Now that you’ve got your fuse in hand, compare it against the chart and make note of the
type of fuse your vehicle has.
After you’ve identified your fuse, reinstall it to its original position and replace the
fuse cover.
And with that, you’ve learned how to identify your vehicle’s fuses and where in your vehicle
they’re located!