Having major electrical probs

[Munki]

Recently i've acquired some crazy electrical problems with my brake system. At first my brake light fuse would blow everytime I brake, and after changing the fuses about 20 times and adjusting the brake light switch, the lights would start working again, but only for about 20 min... So this morning I completely stripped the interior and dash to look for loose wires and other things that could cause the fuse to keep blowing. When I get under the dash I notice the two wires have melted together with a ground wire(?) that leads to a separate part of the harness.. Also the inside of the brake light switch has melted... I followed the melted wires all the way up until they where separated and cut there and replaced the wires. I put everything back together after that because apparently that fixed the problem and the brake lights where now working. As im driving around the damn fuses start blowing again!!! I change it again, and when I close the trunk lid, it blows. Also, when I press on the brakes really fast they blow again.

So far I have done:

-Replace brake light switch
-Replace melted wires
-Tighten ground wires that are on the brake light bulbs
-Checked fuse slot to see if the clips where too far apart
-checked for loose grounds

I really have no clue of what to do now because i've checked ALL of the wires, grounds, ect...

Please lmk if you guys have and ideas of where else I can look.

[Munki]

I just cut the wires that go into the hatch. (Hatch light, defogger)

Still doesnt work...

[projectRDM]

So with the hatch unplugged (third brakelight) you're still blowing fuses? Get a meter and measure the resistance on the brake light wire (red/green) coming directly off the switch with the tail lights completely unplugged. Now plug them, but remove the bulbs from their sockets and check resistance again. Now finally place the bulbs back in. You'll see the problem somewhere in those steps. If there's resistance with the lights unplugged you've still got a short in the harness, either from the switch or down through the chassis. If it's only when the lights are plugged in, it's in the contacts on the lamp assembly. If it's when the bulbs are installed, you have a bad bulb or an incorrect bulb installed.

The brake light circuit is really the simplest one in the car, one wire in from the fusebox, one wire out to the lights. There are no diodes to run through or branched leads going to other sources.

[Munki]

All the power to the hatch is completly disconnected... And I already replaced the bulbs. I guess ill have to pick up a meter tomarrow morning.

thanks

[cotbu]

The wires that run to the hatch area, from the rear right passenger side may have been pinched and are shorting out. My wires were completely cut through except for a few strands that control wiper and third brake light.

[Munki]

Well, this morning I really needed my tails to work because in the morning when im going to work its still pretty dark, so I took out the blown 15 fuse and replaced it with a 25 and the lights work fine, fuse hasn't blown yet... I know your not suppose to do that but I still haven’t had anything catch on fire... idk..

Normally if you put in a fuse greater than what you need it'll melt the metal piece inside the fuse.

[Munki]

Well, today i put a new 15 fuse in and the tail lights worked fine! But, the hatch was open at the time and once i closed the hatch the fuse blew... I really dont know what to do now. all of the wires that went into the hatch lid are cut and taped up...

[projectRDM]

Well, today i put a new 15 fuse in and the tail lights worked fine! But, the hatch was open at the time and once i closed the hatch the fuse blew... I really dont know what to do now. all of the wires that went into the hatch lid are cut and taped up...

Are you certain? The plugs are behind the passenger lower quarter panel trim, remove it and actually unplug them. Cutting isn't the right way to go about finding the problem. The third brakelight wiring has to be the culprit.