4x4 wiring issue

ratstaz

we have 03 dakota sport. last year every time we switch to engage in 4 wheel drive it blows a fuse. Online it said tccm is bad. Been trying used ones as the new ones are 500 dollars. until realised it has to b a wire. so bypassed the red wire and worked for a second, and find it is when we switch it back to 2 wheel it blows. There are several melted wires and we been bypassing them. any suggestions?

93tracker5spd

Hello! Sounds like a cascade failure leading to multiple breaches in the integrity of the electrical system. You said there are several melted wires, these must all be replaced with an intact harness, but first it is necessary to determine the cause of the initial failure and correct it. Once that has been done, replace the faulty component and test the circuit before applying full power to it, if all is well you have a good chance of success during an actual test run. As to finding the cause of the failure in the first place, I would have to have the vehicle to be able to trace it. However, the best approach would be to obtain a copy of the circuit diagram for that system and study it until you understand how each component interacts with the others. Learn the flow and resistance measurements and then restore the circuit to its original parameters. If you know someone who is learned in automotive electrical and electronics, by all means seek out their advice and if possible enlist their aid in solving this problem. Good luck to you.