Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

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Mogordo
Top Notch Member
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:31 pm
My tercel:: 1983 SR5 Wagon

Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Mogordo »

Hey Everyone, Has anyone taken loose the "panel" for fuses/relays located behind passenger's side speaker? The blower for the heat stopped and after hours spent trying to figure it out through phone consulting and guidance with a friend he came to be pretty sure it is a power issue. As in power not getting to the blower motor. I don't fully understand even though I was testing things because I just don't. The resistor looked fairly lovely but I don't know how he figured at most of the rest of it. We got to the point of planning to wire into the fuse from the battery to supply power but I decided to test that without going through the fuse and the blower went on but things started melting so not so good. Friend said maybe somehow that wasn't the right fuse but as he can't actually see anything he is limited and at this point thinks he can't figure it out without seeing it all and as he is roughly 2000 miles away I don't expect him to see it any time soon. So we plan to see if he can talk me through wiring through a different fuse in a way that I will just always have to turn the fan off as it won't shut off with ignition but so that it won't use the components that apparently have fault in them. Because the wire that now has a hole in the casing is as far as he can tell a ground wire he said the risk is low of it causing problems but I would feel better if I could tape it and check that the other wires are indeed fine. However taking the one bolt out does not just allow it to come out. It seems stuck somehow on the left kind of behind where the pink wires go in. I'm really struggling at this point. I thought it would just be something like the resistor and I could fix it. And maybe I'm missing something imortant through my lack of understanding. But I thought if someone had ever removed the "panel" he/she could tell me what keeps the left side attached. Also if anyone knows which fuse the power goes through I'm interested. That 10 in the picture was not blown and I understand it is likely to be something more like a 30 but I assumed it was that 10 anyway. The car is an '83 SR5 wagon.
Thanks, Cari
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Paul
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Posts: 91
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:14 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Paul »

Cari,
You definitely need to repair the damaged wiring before proceeding. Disconnect the battery. With the screw removed from the panel, can you lift up and out? Maybe there is a peg held in a slot behind the pink wires. I can check my wagon tomorrow when I return. Carefully insulate any damaged wiring.
According to the FSM, 12v power flows from the battery and first goes the the 30 amp circuit breaker. I think that's the silver device above the black fan relay. Look at the reset procedure on page BE-4 of the manual. From here, power goes to the black fan relay. After the wiring is repaired, the relay should pull in when the fan switch is on any speed. The relay coil gets power from the 7.5 amp "gauge" fuse. If your gauges aren't working, this relay will not pull in. The power from the blower fan goes to ground thru the resistor, except on high speed... so if the resistor is bad, the fan may still operate on high speed, where power goes to ground thru the speed switch.
After you repair the wiring, I suggest you find someone closeby that is good with electrical troubleshooting. Ask them to help you perform the steps described in the "heater" section; page BE-34 of the FSM.
Mogordo
Top Notch Member
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:31 pm
My tercel:: 1983 SR5 Wagon

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Mogordo »

Thanks. I read through that and I'll look over it again later. I spent hours on it again today and still don't understand all the tests. I have it direct wired with a fuse in line right now. Plug it in to turn it on and unplug it to turn it off but have variable speeds. As it looks to be the casing on that single wire that is damaged, not the wire itself, and no signs of issue right now the risk of the wire being a problem seems less than the risk of driving it without active defrost since it's cold and snowy here. I have work through the week and then can get back to it this weekend. Someone checked the blower moter relay and if he understood correctly going off the diagram on the relay on Rockauto (one from car doesn't have diagram) the relay tested as not working correctly. I ordered one and will see if that makes a difference. I pulled the resistor and the coils look good with no breaks. Some corrosion were they are anchored. All the gauges still work. I'll have to take a closer look at that metal piece above the relay. We had it out but I didn't realize it was something that could maybe be reset. I looked more at the fuse "panel" and am wondering if it is just that I also need to unbolt that higher bolt as a lot of wires go through that holder to the back of the fuse panel. I didn't notice that until I was close to done for the day and didn't try it. I circled it in the picture. If you get to looking at yours I'm curious if you think that is it but if you don't I'll try that this weekend anyway.
Thanks again. This has been a struggle for me but I sure understand more than I did when I started.
Cari
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One who walks in shoes always clean likely walks nowhere at all.
Paul
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Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:14 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Paul »

Cari,
I found the release. Look at your pic, between the pink wires and the 10 amp fuse. The panel locks onto a flat piece of metal of the car. There is a plastic release lever just above that... push it up towards the fuse. While it is pushed up, you should be able to pull the panel straight out. The wiring does not allow it to pull out very far, but hopefully enough for you to inspect the wiring. You can see the release in your picture... its part of the panel.
Mogordo
Top Notch Member
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:31 pm
My tercel:: 1983 SR5 Wagon

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Mogordo »

Thank-you! I'm pretty sure I see in the picture exactly what you are talking about. That helps a lot. I appreciate your looking for it. Like you said; Hopefully I can see enough to check the rest of the wires. And also hopefully can cover the metal on the one with the melted casing. Apparently there is a liquid that can be painted on so maybe that if I can't get tape in there. Thank-you again!
One who walks in shoes always clean likely walks nowhere at all.
Mogordo
Top Notch Member
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:31 pm
My tercel:: 1983 SR5 Wagon

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Mogordo »

Took me a little longer to get to checking it out but got to it today. With the second bolt also removed I could pull it out far enough to get to the wires. Was a bother, I had a hard time getting the ends of wires out from the panel to get at the one I wanted to wrap but got to it eventually. It was just the one that had holes through the casing but it was quite a bit worse than I thought it was. It's no longer a black and white wire. It is a green electrical tape wire.
One who walks in shoes always clean likely walks nowhere at all.
Paul
Advanced Member
Posts: 91
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:14 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Paul »

Glad you were able to get access to the wiring... better to work on it in a safe location rather than unexpectedly far from home.
Mogordo
Top Notch Member
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:31 pm
My tercel:: 1983 SR5 Wagon

Re: Removing relay/fuse "panel" from passenger's side

Post by Mogordo »

Yes. Bugs me that I messed it up to begin with but at least the damage was fairly minor.
One who walks in shoes always clean likely walks nowhere at all.
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