What fuse does a car use?
Virtually all cars made after 1988 use ATC/ATO blade fuses in the passenger cabin and engine bay fuse boxes. High-current circuits use MAXI blade fuses. Pre-1988 vehicles often use AGC glass tube fuses.
ATC/ATO blade fuses — the standard
The ATC (or ATO) blade fuse is the colorful plastic fuse found in virtually every modern car. Each is color-coded by amperage:
| Color | Amperage | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Gray | 2 A | Low-current sensors |
| Violet | 3 A | Alarm circuits |
| Pink / Tan | 5 A | Courtesy lights, accessories |
| Brown | 7.5 A | Electronics, radio |
| Red | 10 A | Wipers, horn |
| Blue | 15 A | Power windows, cigarette lighter |
| Yellow | 20 A | Power seats, HVAC blower |
| White / Clear | 25 A | Sunroof, major accessories |
| Green | 30 A | Fuel pump, cooling fan |
Always replace with the same amperage — never upsize a fuse to fix a blowing fuse problem.
MAXI blade fuses — high current
MAXI blade fuses are physically larger (29 mm long vs 19 mm for ATC) and protect entire circuits at 20–100 A. They are typically found in the underhood power distribution box. The color codes overlap with ATC: green = 30 A, yellow = 20 A, but the larger body makes them impossible to confuse by accident.
Mini blade fuses
Mini blade (ATM) fuses are the same concept as ATC but in a smaller 10.9 mm body. They appear in space-constrained fuse panels on Japanese vehicles and in modern motorcycles. Color codes are identical to ATC.
How to identify a blown fuse
- Locate the fuse box (usually under the dashboard on the driver's side, or in the engine bay).
- Use the diagram on the fuse box cover to find the circuit that stopped working.
- Pull the fuse using the plastic fuse puller stored in the box.
- Hold it up to the light — a blown fuse will show a broken wire element inside.
- Replace with the exact same amperage.