ground problem.
 

I have an 02 954 that the rear running lights have stopped working on. I have checked with a meter and am getting 12vdc to the socket but the lights don't work. When I ground to the frame it blows the fuse.

Is this a common problem?

Would I have any issues come up if I run a ground straight to the battery?

The fuse blows when which wire is grounded? Is the light stock?

If you touch the +12VDC to ground it should blow the fuse, if I'm reading what you posted correctly. It's called a short.

Are the running lights you're talking about the same ones that share a housing with the brake light or turn signals? That's a dual filament bulb and maybe just the running light filament is burned out.

If it's not getting ground to the socket you can use your multimeter to trace the ground wire back through the harness at each connection point to find where the problem is at.

NO I do not touch the +12vdc to the frame I am talking about the green ground wire. Its not the bulb because they are aftermarket led lights and I have tested them with the battery and they work.
I guess what I really want to know is how do I trace the ground wire for a short because it is my understanding that the ground should not have a reading on the multimeter.
Also would I be alright just running a new ground to the battery or would this cause a problem?

the ground cant have a short. the short will be in the the power side. follow the harness. you will probably find a place that has rubbed through to something metal. follow it all the way to the front, look at all of the connectors, and wires into them.

Yuppers, what demon, said. Something is wired wrong if the green is blowing a fuse if it contacts the frame. Look for questionable splices into it. If it doesn't look stock, make sure it's correct for it to be there. Sometimes, previous owners grasp of electrical theory can be weak. If YOU didn't add it, don't assume it's correct.

Hope this helps, Ern

If the ground wire is showing a voltage then there's a problem. You can narrow down the source by starting at the light and working your way back to the battery.

Unplug the ground wire at the connection close to the bulb. Check each side of the plug for voltage on the ground. Follow the wire on the side with the voltage to the next connection point, unplug it and see if there's voltage on the ground wire at that point. Keep doing this at each point where the ground for the running light plugs into the next section of wire. When it stops showing a voltage you found the section of wire where the problem is at. Do the checks with the key in the ON position.