@@ChazR25 not only that but may be they know how they make their money. Which could be high turn around, easy replacement parts model so they don't have time to chase electric faults which could burn days of work. Mr O clearly has a relatively fast and reliable approach that works so he can make money on this.
No reason for dismay. First too many become frustrated because they were trained by a parts cannon. Eric has self taught patience blended w/ perseverance. That model conflicts with today's instant gratification culture. Plug & play, 15 minutes later all fixed does occasionally work however the tale of the tortoise & the hare has survived forever. It will always emulate the tale for the ages. 🛐
@@thruitallauto2538 Diagnostics is only as valuable as the ability to SEE the problem. The ONLY tool that can identify the loose red conductor, is the human eye, human brain, 👌💡
Agreed. Substituting a load for the fuse and tracing current flow is genuis. Been troubleshooting low voltage wiring for 40 years, and now today I learned a new tip and have a new tool in the arsenal. Thanx Eric O.!
Every mechanic does that I have 4 different headlight bulbs with wires on them in my electrical drawer you should always load test a wire even if it has voltage because even 1 strand of wire can carry 12 volts but won’t be able to carry a load
"What's also available to the public is the comment section.. so go down there with your comments, questions, concerns..." Good diagnostic process as usual. Thanks!
This IS basic 12V electronic trouble shooting, this is NOT electronic circuit board testing with capacitors, diode's, inductors, transistors or transformers.
@@dougheywood4692 Your comment gave the impression is was. your "logical" approach ... as if this was a very special kind of testing that is not found anywhere else. I mean this guy knows what he is doing but its not rocket science, this is basic 12V electricity with wires from point to point.
@@ACommenterOnTH-cam You're being a pedant. Doug stated "electrical issues". He never stated nor implied anything to do with PCBs. And regardless of your comment on the bottom, actual troubleshooting is a skill few possess, especially at Eric's level. Don't trivialize it.
@@neilbradley Maybe you should go back and read what i wrote again and this time try to comprehend what i wrote. Basic 12V electrical troubleshooting is not a skill that "FEW" possess ..... ALL mechanics have to pass basic 12V electrical class before becoming a mechanic which means ALL mechanics must know how to troubleshoot 12V electronics which is what Eric "the mechanic" is doing. Don't sit there behind your phone and try to tell me not to trivilaize this because YOU think this is advanced troubleshooting. You can't stand your ground on this topic because of what you said, showing me that you think this is advanced troubleshooting. Stay on the porch Mr Neil Bradley
As soon as you pulled the radio out, I saw the orange wire not terminated correctly and knew immediately it had to be shorted out. The orange wire is always illumination on car audio per E.I.A. (Electronics Industry Association) standards. I have installed hundreds of car stereos and always terminated the orange wire with adhesive heat shrink, for that very same reason you found. Nice catch Eric!
Not true, shorts can happen with OEM wiring just as well. Sure, aftermarket wiring is always red flag for diagnosis, but it is not guaranteed to be the culprit. It is improper troubleshooting etiquette to propose that all aftermarket will have shorts, which can lead to wild goose chasing. Eric has several videos of wire failures in newer vehicles that proves precisely that. I also have worked on several late model vehicles that had OEM wire harness shorts, from GM, Dodge, Ford, Kia, just to name a few. I have ten years plus experience as a automotive wiring technician to know that proper diagnosis is done exactly like Eric Showed.
@gormenfreeman499 Ask any Ford Explorer owner who had a 2002-2005 Explorer, the brake harness was known for shorting from the factory and burning cars to the ground. Ford had to install sealed double fuses to prevent burning cars
I am a 67 year old DIY'er. I have owned some older cars and brand new ones. The last two for 14 & 23 years. I have never had the electrical problems that you show in your videos. BUT, if I do, I am now armed with tons of information to attempt the repairs myself. Always learning. Thanks for all the great videos.
Several things were amazing - It wasn't the aftermarket stuff (itself) . - That wire was exposed just enough for contact. - And that that wire was able to find ANY metal in the dash of a Nissan Rouge.. 🤔Great video and great diagnostic technique as usual.
But it WAS the aftermarket stuff! Factory, that illumination wire is plugged nicely into the head unit. This looks to be a standard "pro install" using a Metra (or similar) harness. The orange is part of the adapter harness ... to be attached to the radio IF the aftermarket stereo has a dimmer input. Many don't. But ya gotta cap it off... don't just leave 'er danglin'
It's definitely the aftermarket stuff that was installed improperly. he said it's "pre stripped" it's the installer that forgot to use the wire or cap it off.
As soon as you pulled the radio out I saw the illumination wire and wanted to point at it through the computer! LOL. I'm glad you found it. Its crazy all of those lights are on the same ckt.
The last time I investigated an intermittent short on the interior power circuit, it turned out to be a charger cord for somebody's phone. I love the way you quickly proved which of the two blown fuses was legit.
Working as a commercial truck technician I take the same approach with trouble shooting shorts but I substitute the headlight for a back up alarm due to the fact I’m rarely in a position to see the bulb…guys in the shop love it 😂
I thought you were in for a nightmare. But as it turned out, it wasn't all that bad. Could have easily went the other way. Awesome video especially for the new techs just learning. Hopefully someone learns how to apply your logic to diagnosing problems.
Even though you can't hear me, I praise you after everyone of your videos. My daughter bought a car from a "mechanic" who bragged about what a great mechanic he was. You should have seen what he did to this car. He installed a stereo with a big amplifier and ran the very large power wire through the door weather stripping causing the car to fill with water whenever it rained. He wrapped the heavy power wire counterclockwise around the battery stud, so most of the wires were broken and only a few were even carrying power. He didn't work at this dealership very long. I think he works at Walmart now.
I thought I would never need a wiring diagram. I just bought a 1988 mustang GT that the turn signal, brake lights and hazard lights do not work. I’m going to the link you provided and purchase one. Good looking out Eric O.
Of course not. Try looking for a service manual for your car if you can. Like the ones they give their techs at the dealership. I found one for my outback on a forum and it's absolutely packed with everything you'd want to know about your car.
As soon as you pulled the radio out and it had the wire hanging there...YUP...there's your problem lady! I always secure any extra wires like that one to avoid this very situation...great find Eric!
As a former car audio install technician, I can say with certainty that this happens a lot from people installing their own stereos Then we have to fix their wiring spaghetti... An obvious mistake on the part of the installer Great job getting to the root of the issue Eric. Keep up the great work, I look forward to more content from you in the future
Eric when you say stuff from movies it cracks me up. Like "enhance". And "meow". And "darn darn darney darn". Thanks for making videos for us to help us learn and pass the time
We had a stereo shop in Akron and they had an installer that loved to pickup a ground from the headlight switch, everything worked fine until the customer turned on the lights.
It never ceases to amaze me how much people don't think. I've used aftermarket radios since 97/98.... NEVER hacked into the original wiring harness, always made sure my connections were solid and ALWAYS,,,,, ALWAYS made sure that any wires I didn't use were insulated and taped up to prevent problems like this.
Doing a root cause defect analysis is the key to effective repair. Eric is very skilled in that area. I always start by asking myself, "What changed?". I suspected an amateurish after market radio installation and Eric correctly found the cause. Good Job!
As soon as you pointed out the aftermarket radio I figured the source was probably a pinched wire rubbed through. pretty much every install has lots of extra wires just jammed in behind the radio.
Looks like your felling better, I loved the Cadiallac sereis and this one on the parking lights. Stay safe up there with the snow and weather headed your way.
Had exact same problem on my sons car. I hurriedly swapped in an aftermarket stereo (no wire nuts) as he was moving out of state for grad school. About a month later he calls and says his instrument lights quit and a fuse was blowing. Fortunately I recalled seeing those pre-stripped wires and told him to check them out. He taped them up and everything was good. Thanks for another good video and trip down memory lane 😀
Those single DIN Kenwood radios usually come with a pair of removal keys that make the head unit removal less than 10 seconds. However, the chance the car owner put those keys in the glove box is usually about the same odds as a customer keeping their wheel lock socket in the glove box. Cheers!
Lesson learned for the "better radio" junkies: Always calculate the pricetag for the radio + at least the same amount for the mechanics bill afterwards ... 🙂
When you said, "isn't the orange wire for illumination?" I wondered if it was grounding off on something. It's not often I'm ahead of Eric O. Cool trick with a light in place of a blown fuse.
I haven’t finished the video yet but you said Nissan, marker lights, aftermarket radio. My Nissan frontier was the aftermarket radio. Now on to finish the video. Mr. Eric you are amazing.
Wow Eric, when you pulled the radio out and made the comment about the orange wire I thought "is the loose end shorting"? a minute later you got it . I beat you to the draw. I follow your logic and used your teaching to fix my nissan last week. You have taught me well. Thank you so much. jim in NZ.
Putting the test light in there to serve as the load was brilliant(so there was flow to test). Most of us (and probably the original garage) would have burned off a box of fuses trying to identify the short and then given up.
Orange wire is a "dimmer" command line on many radio wiring kits. I had this exact same problem in the early 1990s. My wire nut fell off of my orange wire causing other problems in my Bad-Ass 1987 Fox Body 5.0.
Yeah when you're doing those radios can't leave loose wires dangling , did one on my daughters 2000 civicyears ago, never had any problems with it . Eric you are wiring master . Cheers from northern indiana usa
Hello Eric, I finally subscribed after hearing about your channel from Rainman Ray's Repairs in Florida. Not all GM's are bad😜 I have a 95 Firebird and she's still kickin' a$$😁 Of course being in Eastern Ontario, I don't drive her in the winter. Thanks for the great videos and in depth explanations👍
Great video and a great tip to use a bulb as a fuse substitute knowing that it pulls less than 10 amps. Once again common sense approach and a good diagram for the win.
Again, the best late nite diag program there is. I feel blessed to have you as one of my virtual friends. 💛 Seriously Eric, you have an amazing talent. The repair community is blessed to have you and Mrs O. 😃
Thank you for saying electrons flow from negative to positive. I've spent my life telling people that. Retired IBEW and lifetime shade tree mechanic with a 80 year old grease pit.
That is so much more satisfying when you find the problem aposed to guessing it's the radio . And your practising techniques that can be used when you can guessed 10 out of 10 my guy
Seems like you had something very similar a while back ,but a challenge keeps you on you toes , one thing about your vids compared to other shops is your camera is focused on the repair and not the wall or back of your head or hand ,good job!
As always a very logical approach to drilling down any possible reason why this problem exists. Eric is just like Lt Columbo from the tv series. He always found the culprit. It’s also nice to see other shops are aware of Eric’s abilities and are willing to accept help and get their customers their answer.
This is my ABSOLUTE go to method of finding a short. A large current draw bulb that is LESS current than the fuse and replace the fuse with it. It cannot overload the circuit and wiring and will be bright as long as the short is present. Quite often as you mentioned, when manipulating wires or unplugging things you can actually hear and arcing sound and maybe even see it. Once the short is removed, the test light will go dim or even dark as it passes enough current to run the devices but not light the test light. This is a simple and effective method....try it, you will like it.
Great video as usual Eric, I love watching you do this stuff and trying to get my own head around your logic process. Something I’ve found really interesting is you explaining the wiring diagrams as I’ve previously found them confusing but thanks to you their getting a little clearer 😂
Excellent video. Some old fashion logic in trouble shooting. My problem as a shade tree mechanic is I rarely have a wiring diagram. Well, Eric just explained how he gets the wiring diagrams. Now I have no excuses.
Brilliant! I'm an apprentice motorcycle mechanic and I love learning from your electrical troubleshooting videos. You drawing on the diagram to explain things was excellent. Thanks!
Eric, your so very good with figuring out the electrical systems of these modern new vehicles, as sure is not like the old vehicles & days where one wire went front, back & side to side for marker lights.
Your test light using a bulb and a scrap harness has saved me a lot of headaches. Especially when you factor in load, I've had 12V until I put the bulb test light and then I have nothing.... The ole under load trick. Thanks again!
Double Attaboy for you Eric. Using the wiring schematics really help me to understand your masterful trouble shooting Prowess . Hi Mrs O you are the Muse to make it all possible.
im telling you all , eric is the electrical jedi master. these skills need to be taught in schools, these skills pay the bills when you are a tech . i learn and apply it to boats and atvs.
I don’t understand how you figured out the electrical problems on your many repairs but I wish I could find someone half as good as you to work on my truck.
I have to laugh at all the shops that probably take credit for these fixes, after they needlessly tear apart half the car. Little does the owner know it was the Guru from SMA that saved the day. Great stuff as always !!!
I know you truly enjoy hunting shorts in wires but hate it at the same time but when you are in good health your energy is so high when you get started on finding the problem it's your thing no one in your area has the ability to think it thru and the excitement when you find the fault is over the top then its back to the grind I am not as good as you as I quit in the 90s and your doing it in a wire hell 2023 but I felt the same way the dread of a short butbthe excitement of the chase and the win 🏆
After many, many years of doing many, many, MANY car stereo installs, as soon as I saw that pre-semi-stripped orange illumination wire come out (without being cut back or taped, or otherwise secured), I had my own "there's your problem lady" moment to myself! Ha!
You made the right choice going for the radio. But that job could have gotten ugly. I've done many and a short on the fuse for interior lights can be one of the hardest of all, because the wire goes everywhere.
All them shop know that eric gets all of the cars no body wants to mess with because everyone has had their hands in.erie you remind me of a magical man that will get it done and people knows that the job is going to be right.and above all things they will be safe. Thanks for all the good videos you make for us to watch. How do you dont get so mad and a wrench would be doing a airplane trick a wrench flying threw a window . Well anyway i pray that job will bless your family and keep you safe
Eric, you are an expert when it comes to troubleshooting skills, which has become a lost art. It's so easy to "shotgun" parts at a problem. When I am stuck and troubleshooting a problem, I ask myself, WWED, what would Eric do, lol. Good video!
Eric I have been there done that. In a different life working on concrete mixers. With a loaded mixer, I suggested to snip a wire for marker lights and hook them all up to one that didn't blow the fuse. The guy that did so didn't insulate it. Years later and the vehicle now my responsibility it became an expensive problem. That wire was making contact with a transmission control that needed replacement. The new one when out right away. Factory said it could only happen if voltage was applied to the control. What? The controls were almost 2 grand apiece and we went through 3 before the stray wire was found.
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
Parts: $0.05
Labor: $200
You make this look so easy I'm almost dismayed at the shops that have to send their headscratchers to you. Incredible work.
If you've been around a while, it will become crystal clear that every "mechanic" isn't really a mechanic.
@@ChazR25 not only that but may be they know how they make their money. Which could be high turn around, easy replacement parts model so they don't have time to chase electric faults which could burn days of work. Mr O clearly has a relatively fast and reliable approach that works so he can make money on this.
No reason for dismay. First too many become frustrated because they were trained by a parts cannon. Eric has self taught patience blended w/ perseverance. That model conflicts with today's instant gratification culture. Plug & play, 15 minutes later all fixed does occasionally work however the tale of the tortoise & the hare has survived forever. It will always emulate the tale for the ages. 🛐
We’re the trick comes in is having great diagnostic tools, we’re the work comes in is understanding those things
@@thruitallauto2538 Diagnostics is only as valuable as the ability to SEE the problem. The ONLY tool that can identify the loose red conductor, is the human eye, human brain, 👌💡
Using that headlight bulb and the amp clamp is genius. With a little time you can find the spot where it is shorted. Good job
Agreed. Substituting a load for the fuse and tracing current flow is genuis. Been troubleshooting low voltage wiring for 40 years, and now today I learned a new tip and have a new tool in the arsenal. Thanx Eric O.!
Every mechanic does that I have 4 different headlight bulbs with wires on them in my electrical drawer you should always load test a wire even if it has voltage because even 1 strand of wire can carry 12 volts but won’t be able to carry a load
Guarantee a must add to our tool list of diagnostic. Great video
Nothing I love more than the other guys bringing stuff they can’t figure out to you.
"What's also available to the public is the comment section.. so go down there with your comments, questions, concerns..."
Good diagnostic process as usual. Thanks!
When another shop drops it off at South Main Auto, they know Eric can fix it properly.
Also they know they don’t have a tech capable of the repair
@@joedurso5192now the other shop can tack on their 5 hours of labor to Eric’s 2 hours. LOL
Eric, you never fail to impress me with your logical approach to electrical issues. Thanks for another great video.
This IS basic 12V electronic trouble shooting, this is NOT electronic circuit board testing with capacitors, diode's, inductors, transistors or transformers.
@@ACommenterOnTH-cam I fully understand this is not circuit board testing and diag. I never said it was.
@@dougheywood4692 Your comment gave the impression is was.
your "logical" approach ... as if this was a very special kind of testing that is not found anywhere else.
I mean this guy knows what he is doing but its not rocket science, this is basic 12V electricity with wires from point to point.
@@ACommenterOnTH-cam You're being a pedant. Doug stated "electrical issues". He never stated nor implied anything to do with PCBs. And regardless of your comment on the bottom, actual troubleshooting is a skill few possess, especially at Eric's level. Don't trivialize it.
@@neilbradley Maybe you should go back and read what i wrote again and this time try to comprehend what i wrote.
Basic 12V electrical troubleshooting is not a skill that "FEW" possess .....
ALL mechanics have to pass basic 12V electrical class before becoming a mechanic which means ALL mechanics must know how to troubleshoot 12V electronics which is what Eric "the mechanic" is doing.
Don't sit there behind your phone and try to tell me not to trivilaize this because YOU think this is advanced troubleshooting. You can't stand your ground on this topic because of what you said, showing me that you think this is advanced troubleshooting.
Stay on the porch Mr Neil Bradley
As soon as you pulled the radio out, I saw the orange wire not terminated correctly and knew immediately it had to be shorted out. The orange wire is always illumination on car audio per E.I.A. (Electronics Industry Association) standards. I have installed hundreds of car stereos and always terminated the orange wire with adhesive heat shrink, for that very same reason you found. Nice catch Eric!
I thought the same thing when I saw that wire. It's bitten me before when I used to install stereos.
been there done that with the several installs of radios i have done which is why i always cap mine with heat shrink or tape
Not true, shorts can happen with OEM wiring just as well. Sure, aftermarket wiring is always red flag for diagnosis, but it is not guaranteed to be the culprit. It is improper troubleshooting etiquette to propose that all aftermarket will have shorts, which can lead to wild goose chasing. Eric has several videos of wire failures in newer vehicles that proves precisely that. I also have worked on several late model vehicles that had OEM wire harness shorts, from GM, Dodge, Ford, Kia, just to name a few.
I have ten years plus experience as a automotive wiring technician to know that proper diagnosis is done exactly like Eric Showed.
@gormenfreeman499 Ask any Ford Explorer owner who had a 2002-2005 Explorer, the brake harness was known for shorting from the factory and burning cars to the ground. Ford had to install sealed double fuses to prevent burning cars
I thought maybe it has junk electrical tape on in the past, but it didn't seem to have sticky glue residue. lol
I am a 67 year old DIY'er. I have owned some older cars and brand new ones. The last two for 14 & 23 years. I have never had the electrical problems that you show in your videos. BUT, if I do, I am now armed with tons of information to attempt the repairs myself. Always learning. Thanks for all the great videos.
Several things were amazing - It wasn't the aftermarket stuff (itself) . - That wire was exposed just enough for contact. - And that that wire was able to find ANY metal in the dash of a Nissan Rouge.. 🤔Great video and great diagnostic technique as usual.
Murphys law
But it WAS the aftermarket stuff! Factory, that illumination wire is plugged nicely into the head unit. This looks to be a standard "pro install" using a Metra (or similar) harness. The orange is part of the adapter harness ... to be attached to the radio IF the aftermarket stereo has a dimmer input. Many don't. But ya gotta cap it off... don't just leave 'er danglin'
@@dennislippert8875 Never leave her danglin' that's a good way to be single. 🤣🤣🤣
It's definitely the aftermarket stuff that was installed improperly. he said it's "pre stripped" it's the installer that forgot to use the wire or cap it off.
@@dennislippert8875 Edited - It wasn't the aftermarket stuff itself, like usual. The radio stayed.🙂
As soon as you pulled the radio out I saw the illumination wire and wanted to point at it through the computer! LOL. I'm glad you found it. Its crazy all of those lights are on the same ckt.
Using the test light load to help identify the short was brilliant. That is why everyone comes to you. You are the best automotive problem solver.
The last time I investigated an intermittent short on the interior power circuit, it turned out to be a charger cord for somebody's phone. I love the way you quickly proved which of the two blown fuses was legit.
Working as a commercial truck technician I take the same approach with trouble shooting shorts but I substitute the headlight for a back up alarm due to the fact I’m rarely in a position to see the bulb…guys in the shop love it 😂
I did the same approach working on combines. The engine is a long way from the cab.
35 seconds into the release and I’m number 34
We are all waiting on you Eric O
Supper time and South Main Auto for desert
I thought you were in for a nightmare. But as it turned out, it wasn't all that bad. Could have easily went the other way. Awesome video especially for the new techs just learning. Hopefully someone learns how to apply your logic to diagnosing problems.
Even though you can't hear me, I praise you after everyone of your videos. My daughter bought a car from a "mechanic" who bragged about what a great mechanic he was. You should have seen what he did to this car. He installed a stereo with a big amplifier and ran the very large power wire through the door weather stripping causing the car to fill with water whenever it rained. He wrapped the heavy power wire counterclockwise around the battery stud, so most of the wires were broken and only a few were even carrying power. He didn't work at this dealership very long. I think he works at Walmart now.
Logic and reasoning. Always a formula for success. Thanks for demonstrating that once again Sir!
Absolutely brilliant techniques used! Don't care about the solution, the tips and tricks here are priceless.
Having the factory wiring diagram is priceless. They don't give you those in the Chilton or Hanes manual.
th-cam.com/video/L1FxoQI_Fw4/w-d-xo.html
I thought I would never need a wiring diagram. I just bought a 1988 mustang GT that the turn signal, brake lights and hazard lights do not work. I’m going to the link you provided and purchase one. Good looking out Eric O.
Of course not. Try looking for a service manual for your car if you can. Like the ones they give their techs at the dealership. I found one for my outback on a forum and it's absolutely packed with everything you'd want to know about your car.
As soon as you pulled the radio out and it had the wire hanging there...YUP...there's your problem lady!
I always secure any extra wires like that one to avoid this very situation...great find Eric!
excellent office manager!! she always has pertinent comments😇
As a former car audio install technician, I can say with certainty that this happens a lot from people installing their own stereos
Then we have to fix their wiring spaghetti...
An obvious mistake on the part of the installer
Great job getting to the root of the issue Eric.
Keep up the great work, I look forward to more content from you in the future
"Find the short" is probably my favourite type of SMA video.
Mr. O , you could never be a politician. You use thought and logic to find the problem and come up with a common sense solution.
For the first time I spot the problem before Eric. I was screaming at my tv, “the orange wire”. It made my day.
Eric when you say stuff from movies it cracks me up. Like "enhance". And "meow". And "darn darn darney darn". Thanks for making videos for us to help us learn and pass the time
We had a stereo shop in Akron and they had an installer that loved to pickup a ground from the headlight switch, everything worked fine until the customer turned on the lights.
Mrs. O is the best!
It never ceases to amaze me how much people don't think. I've used aftermarket radios since 97/98.... NEVER hacked into the original wiring harness, always made sure my connections were solid and ALWAYS,,,,, ALWAYS made sure that any wires I didn't use were insulated and taped up to prevent problems like this.
Doing a root cause defect analysis is the key to effective repair. Eric is very skilled in that area. I always start by asking myself, "What changed?". I suspected an amateurish after market radio installation and Eric correctly found the cause. Good Job!
Always nice to see Mrs O. Eric gets his ATABOY.
Good work. Could have been intermittent with that wire bouncing around and been a pain. But you caught it failed. Great. Thank you.
It could have been a real Beotch, if that wire only grounded out when it felt like it. 😎
As soon as you pointed out the aftermarket radio I figured the source was probably a pinched wire rubbed through. pretty much every install has lots of extra wires just jammed in behind the radio.
Electrical gremlins are my nightmare. But I love watching your logical and process. This kind of content is invaluable.
Your wife is always so impressed with your work. You both are such a good team.
Looks like your felling better, I loved the Cadiallac sereis and this one on the parking lights. Stay safe up there with the snow and weather headed your way.
Had exact same problem on my sons car. I hurriedly swapped in an aftermarket stereo (no wire nuts) as he was moving out of state for grad school. About a month later he calls and says his instrument lights quit and a fuse was blowing. Fortunately I recalled seeing those pre-stripped wires and told him to check them out. He taped them up and everything was good.
Thanks for another good video and trip down memory lane 😀
Those single DIN Kenwood radios usually come with a pair of removal keys that make the head unit removal less than 10 seconds. However, the chance the car owner put those keys in the glove box is usually about the same odds as a customer keeping their wheel lock socket in the glove box. Cheers!
with my kenwood i just put 2 butterknives as a key because i lost them
Lesson learned for the "better radio" junkies: Always calculate the pricetag for the radio + at least the same amount for the mechanics bill afterwards ... 🙂
When you said, "isn't the orange wire for illumination?" I wondered if it was grounding off on something. It's not often I'm ahead of Eric O. Cool trick with a light in place of a blown fuse.
I haven’t finished the video yet but you said Nissan, marker lights, aftermarket radio. My Nissan frontier was the aftermarket radio. Now on to finish the video. Mr. Eric you are amazing.
Amp Clamps come in handy for finding shorts especially when trying to find if the problem is in the vehicle or outside the vehicle
The radio lights go out too when you touch the illumination wire to ground. I’ve been in this same situation before myself. Great job Eric.
Patience and knowledge win the game....
Wow Eric, when you pulled the radio out and made the comment about the orange wire I thought "is the loose end shorting"? a minute later you got it . I beat you to the draw. I follow your logic and used your teaching to fix my nissan last week. You have taught me well. Thank you so much. jim in NZ.
See... when you're that good it starts to be expected. I still appreciate You and the process.
Putting the test light in there to serve as the load was brilliant(so there was flow to test). Most of us (and probably the original garage) would have burned off a box of fuses trying to identify the short and then given up.
Just put a nail in there and follow the smoke
Orange wire is a "dimmer" command line on many radio wiring kits. I had this exact same problem in the early 1990s. My wire nut fell off of my orange wire causing other problems in my Bad-Ass 1987 Fox Body 5.0.
Yeah when you're doing those radios can't leave loose wires dangling , did one on my daughters 2000 civicyears ago, never had any problems with it . Eric you are wiring master . Cheers from northern indiana usa
Hello Eric, I finally subscribed after hearing about your channel from Rainman Ray's Repairs in Florida. Not all GM's are bad😜 I have a 95 Firebird and she's still kickin' a$$😁 Of course being in Eastern Ontario, I don't drive her in the winter. Thanks for the great videos and in depth explanations👍
1995. That's why. Pre-2009 are better.
I wouldn't take it personally. He calls every make crap at one time or another. :)
Great video and a great tip to use a bulb as a fuse substitute knowing that it pulls less than 10 amps. Once again common sense approach and a good diagram for the win.
Again, the best late nite diag program there is. I feel blessed to have you as one of my virtual friends. 💛
Seriously Eric, you have an amazing talent. The repair community is blessed to have you and Mrs O. 😃
Thank you for saying electrons flow from negative to positive. I've spent my life telling people that. Retired IBEW and lifetime shade tree mechanic with a 80 year old grease pit.
That is so much more satisfying when you find the problem aposed to guessing it's the radio . And your practising techniques that can be used when you can guessed 10 out of 10 my guy
Another amazing job!!!, any houses for sale near your shop, a mechanic like you is priceless!!!
Once again, logic and common sense prevail. Thanks as always, Eric!!
Soon as you pulled that head unit out I started thinking: "the orange wire flopped against something."
Good job. Great video.
Seems like you had something very similar a while back ,but a challenge keeps you on you toes , one thing about your vids compared to other shops is your camera is focused on the repair and not the wall or back of your head or hand ,good job!
You make it look easy, and its not for everyone. Nice work!
once again, had me right on the edge of my seat, the old Eric O show
As always a very logical approach to drilling down any possible reason why this problem exists. Eric is just like Lt Columbo from the tv series. He always found the culprit. It’s also nice to see other shops are aware of Eric’s abilities and are willing to accept help and get their customers their answer.
This is my ABSOLUTE go to method of finding a short. A large current draw bulb that is LESS current than the fuse and replace the fuse with it. It cannot overload the circuit and wiring and will be bright as long as the short is present. Quite often as you mentioned, when manipulating wires or unplugging things you can actually hear and arcing sound and maybe even see it. Once the short is removed, the test light will go dim or even dark as it passes enough current to run the devices but not light the test light. This is a simple and effective method....try it, you will like it.
Great video as usual Eric, I love watching you do this stuff and trying to get my own head around your logic process. Something I’ve found really interesting is you explaining the wiring diagrams as I’ve previously found them confusing but thanks to you their getting a little clearer 😂
I like Mrs O's second answer.
Excellent video. Some old fashion logic in trouble shooting. My problem as a shade tree mechanic is I rarely have a wiring diagram. Well, Eric just explained how he gets the wiring diagrams. Now I have no excuses.
Brilliant! I'm an apprentice motorcycle mechanic and I love learning from your electrical troubleshooting videos. You drawing on the diagram to explain things was excellent. Thanks!
Eric, your so very good with figuring out the electrical systems of these modern new vehicles, as sure is not like the old vehicles & days where one wire went front, back & side to side for marker lights.
Fantastic idea using a bulb to indicate a current flow. Hats off to you Eric. 🇬🇧
I hate new car repairs but at least you give us direction. Thank you.
Very good diagnosis. Without the amp clamp and elect knowledge, your tearing the car apart. Good one Mr. O!
This whole video was mad better with love story between yourself and Mrs. O.
a little bit of home work and analyzing and understanding the program saves a lot of time in the long run love your videos!
Eric O for the win! 👍
Mr. O to me is Mr. M for Merlin the magician!! I learn so much from these videos they are fascinating to watch. Can’t wait for the next one!!
Your test light using a bulb and a scrap harness has saved me a lot of headaches. Especially when you factor in load, I've had 12V until I put the bulb test light and then I have nothing.... The ole under load trick. Thanks again!
Eric you're the best at diagnostic work enjoy your videos.
i love how you can fix the other shops problems. they must hate or love you i can not figure it out. great stuff thanks
If you had your glasses on... Just saying. Embrace it, it is what it is! You're the man Eric!
Double Attaboy for you Eric. Using the wiring schematics really help me to understand your masterful trouble shooting Prowess . Hi Mrs O you are the Muse to make it all possible.
im telling you all , eric is the electrical jedi master. these skills need to be taught in schools, these skills pay the bills when you are a tech . i learn and apply it to boats and atvs.
I don’t understand how you figured out the electrical problems on your many repairs but I wish I could find someone half as good as you to work on my truck.
I didnt get using the bulb in place of the fuse until I went back to ohms law, V=IR. Good stuff Mr. O!
Once again, the Master makes it look easy! Thanks for taking us along.
I have to laugh at all the shops that probably take credit for these fixes, after they needlessly tear apart half the car. Little does the owner know it was the Guru from SMA that saved the day. Great stuff as always !!!
Another great fix from Eric O the auto tech with the golden touch..... I do believe that he could even put Humpty Dumpty together again.....
And, you always say test don’t guess. Awesome work. You are impressive
I know you truly enjoy hunting shorts in wires but hate it at the same time but when you are in good health your energy is so high when you get started on finding the problem it's your thing no one in your area has the ability to think it thru and the excitement when you find the fault is over the top then its back to the grind I am not as good as you as I quit in the 90s and your doing it in a wire hell 2023 but I felt the same way the dread of a short butbthe excitement of the chase and the win 🏆
I don't no much on electrical but love watching you diagnose and explaining what's going on. Awesome video as always Eric.
Eric, great troubleshooting. Thanks for sharing this video 👍👍👍👍👍😺🫠🐺
After many, many years of doing many, many, MANY car stereo installs, as soon as I saw that pre-semi-stripped orange illumination wire come out (without being cut back or taped, or otherwise secured), I had my own "there's your problem lady" moment to myself! Ha!
Thanks Mr O that was a fantastic video,your learning me lots 😊 great to see Mrs O’s got your back😂😂😂😂
You made the right choice going for the radio. But that job could have gotten ugly. I've done many and a short on the fuse for interior lights can be one of the hardest of all, because the wire goes everywhere.
why would i expect anything different??? great explanation and reasoning. thank you
All them shop know that eric gets all of the cars no body wants to mess with because everyone has had their hands in.erie you remind me of a magical man that will get it done and people knows that the job is going to be right.and above all things they will be safe. Thanks for all the good videos you make for us to watch. How do you dont get so mad and a wrench would be doing a airplane trick a wrench flying threw a window . Well anyway i pray that job will bless your family and keep you safe
Eric, you are an expert when it comes to troubleshooting skills, which has become a lost art. It's so easy to "shotgun" parts at a problem. When I am stuck and troubleshooting a problem, I ask myself, WWED, what would Eric do, lol. Good video!
Ah the old electron flow theory vs hole flow theory. Great job Eric.
Always professional work from South Main Auto. I could of been a lot smarter today watching you 20 years ago lol.
Eric I have been there done that. In a different life working on concrete mixers. With a loaded mixer, I suggested to snip a wire for marker lights and hook them all up to one that didn't blow the fuse. The guy that did so didn't insulate it. Years later and the vehicle now my responsibility it became an expensive problem. That wire was making contact with a transmission control that needed replacement. The new one when out right away. Factory said it could only happen if voltage was applied to the control. What? The controls were almost 2 grand apiece and we went through 3 before the stray wire was found.
When you said the orange was an illumination wire and I seen the splice in it I’m yelling that’s gotta be it! Impressive work dude!
Nice job....wow 14 things off 1 fuse...Jeeeze...Nice job Eric!!!