05 Echo repeatedly blowing fuse

[caoil]

Having a problem with my Echo. Back on July 1st went to run some errands. Started the car, put on the a/c & fan, pushed down the brake pedal and went to shift out of park, and the shifter froze. Wouldn't move. Lost a/c, display, speedo, turn signals too. Ended up getting it serviced, and they replaced some kind of fuse, brake switch, and shift lock solenoid. I gather they spent a significant amount of time on the phone with Toyota Canada, trying to find out if there is an identified problem like this.

Flash forward about a week, and the same thing happens (well, the fuse anyways - shifter still worked). Went back and had them look again, and replace the fuse.

Now this past Thursday it's happened a third time. Do you think there could be a short somewhere in the wiring? We don't have any extra electrical load running (no GPS or any external devices); at most we might have the radio or CD player on but that's it. For a fuse to be repeatedly going there has to be something at fault, right? Additionally today my partner was saying the car didn't feel like it was shifting properly (it's an automatic). It's back at the dealer, but I'm concerned that they are just going to replace the fuse again and not try to figure out what the source is.

[jambo101]

Sounds like a short somewhere,run the engine at night with the hood up you might see where the short is by any arcing or sparking.,i hope the dealer is towing the non functioning car back to the garage every time,time to start getting irate at the dealer for inexcusably shoddy repairs.does the car's check engine light come on and if so what codes is it showing.

[caoil]

Yeah, well, each of the times it's happened during the day. Other than the first time when we couldn't shift at all, we've been able to drive it to the dealer ourselves rather than wait for a tow.

I don't know what kind of 'testing' they're doing, because whenever we go to pick it up the service side is already closed. We were pretty firm about suggesting they need to find a short somewhere along the wiring. It's just frustrating because I don't think my ECP will cover it, whatever it is.

Yes the check engine light did come on this last time, but I don't know what codes are coming up.

[jambo101]

You might want to try another Toyota dealer until your warranty expires,sounds like the dealer you have now is incompetent another dealer will be more than happy to have your business. You might want to ask at a local auto parts store if they will read the codes for you.