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The old trick of putting a penny in a fuse box slot - does it actually work? I tried it out of desperation.
Back in 2005, my truck had a blown fuse on the highway at 2 AM near Flagstaff. No spare fuses in the glovebox (rookie mistake), but an old driver I knew said to stick a penny in there as a temporary fix. I tried it just to get to the next exit, and the radio and dash lights came right back on. It worked long enough to roll into a gas station 30 miles down the road. I know it's a fire hazard and super dangerous, but has anyone else actually tested this in a pinch or is it one of those things everyone claims works but nobody should try?
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davis.dakota7d ago
You're saying it worked for you, and I get why people try it in a bind. But honestly, that penny trick is just begging for a fire or a melted fuse box. The fuse is designed to blow for a reason - it's the weak link that stops your wiring from catching fire. Bypassing that with a coin means the current has nowhere safe to go, and you could easily melt the plastic or short something out. Your truck got lucky that one time, but it's not a solution that's reliable or even smart to pass along. Most people I know who tried it ended up with a fried harness or a dead battery, not a smooth ride to the next exit.
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