Fog Lights Stopped Working...Please Help

[nvanadm]

Hey guys and gals, I've been searching all afternoon regarding posts about fog lights and can't seem to find what i'm looking for. I've been using the search feature on here and google advanced search. People seem to have the opposite problem than I.

I will try to give as much background or useful info as possible

2 Days ago BOTH of my fog lights stopped working. All other lights work... dash, headlights, high beams, signals, brake and tail lights.

I always leave my fog light switch "ON" and when I turn my lights on they come on, when I turn my lights off they go off and all that is left on are my DRL's (I see now this may be illegal, but not too concerned ). I only use my lights at night and not during the day so they ARE NOT on all the time when i'm driving.

One thing I have noticed about my van is that when I turn the lights to the first position it is no different from "all the way on" EXCEPT that when it is all the way on I can use my high beams (not sure if this is relevant or normal).

Also when I turn my lights on I need to wiggle the turning indicator a bit to get them to come on...not sure if this is related, but looks like a future multi switch issue from what I have read.

So just a few questions...

Could both of my fog light bulbs burnt out at the exact same time?

Are the fog lights fused? If so where can I find the fuse? I have already checked the fuse box by the steering column and the fuses behind the glove box...all ok.

Do I have a multi switch issue?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

P.S. I'm also now living in Ontario so unfortunately I'm on my own here.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

[jessef]

In 2 Delica's I've worked on in the past, both fog light wiring was so worn that it was shorting out the electrical system, particularly the headlight/turn switch.

My remedy was to feed new thicker gauge wire from the dash fog switch to a relay - small fuse - fog lights.

That solved all my problems and I've heard it's solved a lot of other owners' lighting electrical issues.

The stock fog wiring is pretty dismal for the amperage the fogs pulls.

[Green1]

I always leave my fog light switch "ON" and when I turn my lights on they come on, when I turn my lights off they go off and all that is left on are my DRL's (I see now this may be illegal, but not too concerned ). I only use my lights at night and not during the day so they ARE NOT on all the time when i'm driving.

If I'm reading it right, yours is perfectly legal, in fact more so than most Delicas, every delica I've ever seen is set up such that if you turn the fog light switch on with the headlights off, the parking lights come on, (by law the fog lights are only supposed to work when the headlights (low beams) are on)

One thing I have noticed about my van is that when I turn the lights to the first position it is no different from "all the way on" EXCEPT that when it is all the way on I can use my high beams (not sure if this is relevant or normal).

This part is likely due to the DRLs, if your DRLs are simply the low beams on all the time, then your parking lights will be no different from your low beams, EXCEPT that in low-beam mode you can use your high beams whereas in parking light mode you can't.

Also when I turn my lights on I need to wiggle the turning indicator a bit to get them to come on...not sure if this is related, but looks like a future multi switch issue from what I have read.

yup, that's a multi-switch issue.

Could both of my fog light bulbs burnt out at the exact same time?

Why not? it's happened to me with the headlights, why would the fogs be any different?

Are the fog lights fused? If so where can I find the fuse? I have already checked the fuse box by the steering column and the fuses behind the glove box...all ok.

EVERYTHING is fused (or at least it's supposed to be!) and yes, it's in the fuse box I believe either fuse 5, 6, or 7

Do I have a multi switch issue?

Absolutely positively maybe.... I think...

[nvanadm]

The stock fog wiring is pretty dismal for the amperage the fogs pulls.

Thanks jfarsang and Green1

Not sure if these fog lights are "stock" or not.

Could it be the switch? I guess I could check continuity.
Is there an easy way to test the actual bulbs before I go and buy two for no reason?

Here are a few pictures to maybe help out...

fog.jpg (81.81 KiB) Viewed 2694 times

wire to fog.jpg (31.91 KiB) Viewed 2694 times

plug to fog.jpg (36.49 KiB) Viewed 2695 times

switch.jpg (40.75 KiB) Viewed 2693 times

switch2.jpg (55.86 KiB) Viewed 2693 times

[lrp374]

The fog light wiring and switch are not original. Your power source could be from anywhere. Start @ the switch to see if you have power on either side. If you don't start tracing the wire that doesn't go to the lights for your power source and maybe blown fuse. The bulbs can be checked with a meter or run temporary wires right to the fog light.

Good Luck

[Green1]

Could it be the switch? I guess I could check continuity.
Is there an easy way to test the actual bulbs before I go and buy two for no reason?

A couple things, when you look at the bulb itself you can often see if the filament is broken, however just because it looks intact doesn't mean it is.
If the filament looks intact, then my next step is to put a voltmeter on the contacts the bulb connects to, if it reads 12v (well, somewhere between 10 and 15) with the switch on, then the bulb is bad, if it reads 0, then you have a problem farther back somewhere. (switch/fuse/wiring)

Another often overlooked thing to check is the grounding, sometimes these aftermarket accessories are grounded with a wire wrapped around a bolt somewhere, if that wire comes off, everything stops working.

being that your switch isn't stock, the fusing is a different matter too, there's no telling where the person took their power from for the fog lights, it's possible there is no fuse (I hope not!) or the common setup is an in-line fuse somewhere, you pretty much need to follow the wires to see where they go to find that sort of fuse.

[nvanadm]

Well, they are working again. Traced the wire to the battery which had a 30A fuse on it. Took the fuse out and tested it (checked out ok), put it back in and they are good to go.

Maybe the fuse wasn't seated properly?

Anyway, it's working for now...not sure if that was the real root of the problem but everything checks out ok so we'll see.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Adam