1997 Pontiac Sunfire Owner's Manual - Page 301

Headlamp Wiring The headlamp wiring is protected by fuses. Should your headlamps fail tofunction, have your headlamp fuses checked right away. Fuses and Circuit Breakers The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers and fusible thermal links. This greatly reduces the chance of damage caused by electrical problems. Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical size and rating. Windshield Wipers The windshield wipermotor is protected by a circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy snow, etc., the wiper willstop until the motor cools. If the overload is caused by some electrical problem, have it fixed. Power Windows and Other Power Options Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power windows and other power accessories. When the current load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed. If you ever have a problem on the road and don'thave a spare fuse, you can "borrow" one that has the same amperage. Just pick some feature of your vehicle that you can getalong without -- like the radio or cigarette lighter -- and use its fuse if it is the correct amperage. Replace it as soon as you can. There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the instrument panel fuse block and the engine compartment fuse block. 6-57