TAIL fuse not getting power?

[ratmaster808]

So the other night I noticed my dash and parking lights werent going on when I turned my headlight switch to the first position, checked all my fuses and noticed the 15A TAIL fuse was slightly melted so I changed the fuse and changed the 10A RH fuse and still no dash and no parking lights. So I tried my spare headlight switch and the lights worked, then I tried putting the old switch back to see if it was indeed faulty but the lights worked with the first switch.
So I left the car over night and today I went to try the lights and no parking or dash lights will turn on with either switch, so I checked all the fuses and tried testing my spare relays to no avail.
I tested power to the 10A RH fuse with the headlights on and it was getting power then I moved to the 15A TAIL fuse and it was not getting power with the headlight in any position.

Summary: No dash or parking lights 10A RH fuse gets power but 15A TAIL Fuse does not get power, tried changing headlight switches, don't know what to check now; radio, headlights, and clock all work and brakes illuminate when the pedal is depressed.

[Red]

A melty fuse indicates that something has been pulling a little too much power for a long time. Often it means the fuse socket is a little corroded, or the main harness plug is corroded where it goes into the bottom of the fuse box under the hood. You can unbolt the fuse box and turn it over to access that, there's barely enough slack.

If it is just dirty connections, they're a bitch to clean. Contact cleaner, small wire brush, toothpick, dental pick...the actual fuse holder connections are harder to clean than the harness pack cons. Even if yours are clean when you check them, pout some silicone dielectric grease (brake grease, lamp grease, ignition grease) in there to keep them clean. The carmakers sometimes use lithium grease because it is cheap--but it doesn't last in the long term.

[ratmaster808]

A melty fuse indicates that something has been pulling a little too much power for a long time. Often it means the fuse socket is a little corroded, or the main harness plug is corroded where it goes into the bottom of the fuse box under the hood. You can unbolt the fuse box and turn it over to access that, there's barely enough slack.

If it is just dirty connections, they're a bitch to clean. Contact cleaner, small wire brush, toothpick, dental pick...the actual fuse holder connections are harder to clean than the harness pack cons. Even if yours are clean when you check them, pout some silicone dielectric grease (brake grease, lamp grease, ignition grease) in there to keep them clean. The carmakers sometimes use lithium grease because it is cheap--but it doesn't last in the long term.

Thanks for the advice Ill check the contacts under the fuse box tomorrow when its light out.
What I'm not understanding though is; how can the headlight switch still have power even though the 15A TAIL fuse isnt getting power?

[ratmaster808]

So I went out to the car and I tried the lights and same problem no dash or parking lights, so I decided to start the car and let it run for a while as I go over the wiring diagram because my car was sitting for a few days; anyway when I turned it on I tried turning my lights on and my dash and parking lights worked every time I tried turning it on.
So I shut off the car and tried the lights and they worked normally so I kept turning it off and on until they didnt come on again, so I tried starting the car and turning on the lights and they came on???? so yea whats up with that?

[Red]

Probably a loose wire or a loose ground screw or a bad light switch (they come apart internally as they age) and the car shaking and vibrating when it is running is enough to make that come and go.

Try starting it up and then tapping on the light switch for a while, see if the tapping sometimes turns the lights on or off. If it isn't the switch, there's lots more wiring to go inspect. Start with the fuse boxes (plural) and harness connections into them.

[ratmaster808]

Probably a loose wire or a loose ground screw or a bad light switch (they come apart internally as they age) and the car shaking and vibrating when it is running is enough to make that come and go.

Try starting it up and then tapping on the light switch for a while, see if the tapping sometimes turns the lights on or off. If it isn't the switch, there's lots more wiring to go inspect. Start with the fuse boxes (plural) and harness connections into them.

I already tried tapping the headlight switch,
cleaned the contacts, found that the fuse gets really hot so im gonna open up the loom and check for corrosion