I've been dealing with this problem for months. Found out our brake lights and backup lights were not working, and the interior lights were malfunctioning as well. After a series of fuse changes and the thought that it was somehow connected to the A/C compressor, we refueled on coolant and that worked for a while.

Every time we have a problem with any of the interior or rear lights, right before it happens the airbag light comes on on the dash and usually the A/C stops blowing (compressor stops running).

Took it to the mechanic over a month ago. He blamed the light holder on the rear driver side, saying it had a short in it. Switched that out. That made them work for a while. I don't know when it went out after that, but we figured it out last night when we got pulled over.

SO...took it back to the mechanic again. He replaced a couple of fuses (which we've done countless times already), and said basically that's all he could do. Then he suggested that he could strip the entire electrical systems down....but I know that's going to cost tons of $$$.

Just how muchwould that be estimated at? or....what the @#$#* do I do now? I'm completely frustrated with this issue and I'm ready to just park the car and get another until I can afford to fix it.

 

sounds like something is grounding out....have you checked all visible wires to make sure nothing is touching?

 

Do you know what fuses are blowing?

 

15amp fuses for the back brake lights were the ones that blew first. We've replaced them several times, the only time they seem to hold is when the A/C is 100% functional (meaning re-up with coolant). We had a series of them that blew at once 10, and 2 15s, and the one for the compressor (to rule it out). I think the 10s were the ones for the front turn signal lamps. We changed that and the interior too, to be safe, and it works intermittantly. Front turn lamps are working fine now too, but the brake lights are still troubled. I'm wondering how the wiring is segmented.

There are some crackling noises that come from the passenger side door when we open it. (2-door model). This affects the interior hood light (the one that we changed the fuse for). When the door's wires start crackling, the interior hood doesn't work at all. Hubby suspects that we've pushed the doors too far out each time we've opened them, so we've stretched wiring inside the doors.

I wish I could get my hands on a wiring schematic for the Neon. My Hayes (sp?) book has NOTHING on this. If I had that I could figure out where to test the lines.

 

you really cant push the doors out too far...
but i would track down the crackling first before you end up with an electical fire.
the wiring for the brake lights and stuff runs under the carpet on the drivers side, pull the plastic panel below the door, then pull the carpet back and see if anything is rubbed through. I imagine if things cross with the right wires it will cause other fuses to blow from it backfeeding through other things.

 

Fuse #13 a 10amp runs the hood, trunk and dome lights and is also used for power door locks so appears in the door as a live wire, I would suggest this is the crackling noises that come from the passenger side door when you open it. Wires do tend to break in the hinge area from flexing. (the door lock wire is probably there even if you don’t have power locks)

Fuse #8 a 10amp runs the backup lights and also the A/C cycling switch and fuse #25 a 15amp runs the brake lights. As suggested I would think the wires are damaged and shorting under the carpet or rear seat running to the rear of the car.