Help, I've blown the 15a fuse for the dome/cargo/hood light twice now (3 months and about 3k miles apart) on my 2002 Silverado CC 4x4 D/A. I don't know why it's happening and I haven't really had a chance to start to look into it yet either - 2 boys under the age of 2 take a lot of time. I haven't done anything to the truck when this happens and now the dealer is telling me that the 7 way trailer harness could be causing the problem (no trailer has been plugged in since last fall and I have the factory tow package with another 7 way harness for the 5th wheel RV). This doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Any ideas on were to start looking for the root cause?

Thanks,
Johnm

If the fuse is blowing, most likely it’s working, and you have a short. If it’s a continuous short, it’ll be easier to find than an intermittent one that comes and goes.
A lot of times, these shorts are self-induced when adding mods or doing other repairs. Your crew cab has more than a dozen lights on this circuit. I have the Helms manuals for the 2002.
I see no interconnection with this circuit and the camper or trailer wiring circuits.


-Did you add any accessories to the truck that you connected to this circuit where you overloaded this circuit?
-Did you drill any holes where you could have pierced a wire”
-Did you install any screws that may have pierced a wire?
-Do you have basic electronic troubleshoot skills to troubleshoot this with schematic drawings and a VOM?
-Can you force the failure by turning each of these lights on

The lights you are asking about are on a sepperate ground. It does sound like one of the positive wires on the circut is contacting the gound wire on the same circut.
It may take a while to find it. But like modified suggested I would look at any after market lights or parts that you have installed.

Thanks for the replies.

My truck is pretty much stock from the factory (except that it has an added 7 way trailer plug in the bed of the truck for our 5th wheel camper and it also has the high idle switch). I wasn't doing anything to the truck when it happened and I haven't had the trailer plugged in for several months. In fact I didn't even notice it was out until I went out to the truck at night to get something out of the center console and I needed to use a flashlight.

To answer your questions specifically:
-Did you add any accessories to the truck that you connected to this circuit where you overloaded this circuit? - No
-Did you drill any holes where you could have pierced a wire? - No
-Did you install any screws that may have pierced a wire? - No
-Do you have basic electronic troubleshoot skills to troubleshoot this with schematic drawings and a VOM? - Yes - I have a VOM and can get the schematics from the library
-Can you force the failure by turning each of these lights on - I don't know. I'll try pushing the Dome override and Cargo light buttons several times to see if that does anything.

Again, thanks for you help.

Did you get somewater/snow/ice in the in bed connecter?