newbie needs help!!!!

[toymota]

Hi all. Recently bought a 2000 1.3 vvti. 5 days ago the car stopped working whilst driving. Called the RAC and they found it had blown the efi fuse in the fuse box under the bonnet (hood for the Americans). Anyway 3 days later same thing happened. I fixed it with new fuse and it lasted 5 hours this time.

Anyone had similar that can shed some light on it please. Need car workin as have a disabled wife and little money

[CrankyOldMan]

Generally, if you're blowing a fuse, you have a bigger problem somewhere else that is causing the excess current in the circuit. Most times there is a short circuit (bare wire touching bare metal) but there could be a failing component as well. A quick google search turned up lots of other vehicles with similar symptoms, but the causes were varied. Start by looking for wires that have melted or rubbed down to bare wire in the engine bay. If nothing is obviously worn, start unplugging components from the system (fuel pump, O2 sensor, fuel injectors, MAF sensor, etc.) one at a time until you stop blowing the fuse. It's also important to know exactly what you were doing when the fuse blew, e.g. accelerating, braking, turning sharply, etc.

[toymota]

Thanks Cranky. I've also been on google and because of the info on there I'm suspecting a failing fuel pump. Car is going in to the garage I use tomorrow. I hope they can help, but could do without the expense at this time of year. Ho Ho Ho.

[CTScott]

Do you have any aftermarket mods, like a radio with amplifier, remote start, alarm system, etc? The reason I ask is that on a few set of instructions on wiring such devices with the Yaris, I have seen instructions to use a particular wire from the under dash fuse panel for constant +12V power, and the wire is actually on the EFI circuit.