Help with Fog Lights.

[G Man]

I have a 2008 and the fog lights are on all the time. I followed the manuals instruction to turn them off but that did not work, took the car over to the dealer they said that they are made to stay on all the time.

Does anyone know of a work around so that I can manually turn the fog light on and off?

Thx, Greg

 

[MPRCTCL]

Hi Greg,

My '08 does not have the fog lamps on all the time. To clarify, by fog lamps, do you mean the ones in the lower bumper (technically the fog lamps), or the amber bulbs inside the headlight assembly (DRL = daytime running lamps)?

I'm looking at the service manual and there are very few ways that the fog lamps in the bumper could be stuck on. The DRL, however, are (almost) always on by default. If those are the ones you mean, you can turn them off manually each time you start the car, but if you leave the light switch in "auto", they will always come back on. Also, those are the bulbs that get hot enough to melt the lens in front of them, so you really want to address that - search the forum for DRL and you'll learn all (and probably more) than you'd want to about the problem.

On the other hand, if your in-bumper lights are always on, let me know and I'll see if I can help you diagnose it remotely.

Good luck!

 

[G Man]

Thx for the reply, very helpful. I am going to check the "DRL" right now. The lights i'm referring to are the lights under the head lights that are in the lower bumpper.
Thank you, I'll let you know if this is the fix.
Greg

 

[Fireduck69]

Hi Greg,

My '08 does not have the fog lamps on all the time. To clarify, by fog lamps, do you mean the ones in the lower bumper (technically the fog lamps), or the amber bulbs inside the headlight assembly (DRL = daytime running lamps)?

I'm looking at the service manual and there are very few ways that the fog lamps in the bumper could be stuck on. The DRL, however, are (almost) always on by default. If those are the ones you mean, you can turn them off manually each time you start the car, but if you leave the light switch in "auto", they will always come back on. Also, those are the bulbs that get hot enough to melt the lens in front of them, so you really want to address that - search the forum for DRL and you'll learn all (and probably more) than you'd want to about the problem.

On the other hand, if your in-bumper lights are always on, let me know and I'll see if I can help you diagnose it remotely.

Good luck!

Note that on some foreign export vehicles (Canada for sure) the DRL’s can not be turned off.

 

[xlrlist01]

I have a 2008 and the fog lights are on all the time. I followed the manuals instruction to turn them off but that did not work, took the car over to the dealer they said that they are made to stay on all the time.

Does anyone know of a work around so that I can manually turn the fog light on and off?

Thx, Greg

Some owners modify their X to bring the fog lamps on all the time. Possibly yours has been modified by a previous owner?

 

[G Man]

Some owners modify their X to bring the fog lamps on all the time. Possibly yours has been modified by a previous owner?

Do you know how to reverse any modifications?

 

[G Man]

It's not a canadaian car.

Thx. Greg

 

[MPRCTCL]

You’d need to know how they did it, there are a few ways possible . Have you ever checked your VIN against the registry here? There’s always a chance the previous owner is a member here and could tell you more! Another option if you really hate having them on and won’t want to use them is to pull that fuse out. From memory, it is #22 under the hood, but I’ll look it up for sure if you’d consider that option.

 

[G Man]

You’d need to know how they did it, there are a few ways possible . Have you ever checked your VIN against the registry here? There’s always a chance the previous owner is a member here and could tell you more! Another option if you really hate having them on and won’t want to use them is to pull that fuse out. From memory, it is #22 under the hood, but I’ll look it up for sure if you’d consider that option.

Thx for your help.
Greg

 

[MPRCTCL]

Looking at the service manual now, and fuse 22 is indeed the fog lamp fuse. Relay 38 (also in the under-hood fuse box) is the fog lamp relay. If I were modifying mine to have fog lamps on all the time, I would remove relay 38 and install a jumper. If you're comfortable with it, you could look in the fusebox to see if relay 38 is installed or if someone has put a jumper wire in its place. It may be that simple.

 

[G Man]

Looking at the service manual now, and fuse 22 is indeed the fog lamp fuse. Relay 38 (also in the under-hood fuse box) is the fog lamp relay. If I were modifying mine to have fog lamps on all the time, I would remove relay 38 and install a jumper. If you're comfortable with it, you could look in the fuse box to see if relay 38 is installed or if someone has put a jumper wire in its place. It may be that simple.

Thank you,
Look at it tomorrow.

Greg

 

[G Man]

Looking at the service manual now, and fuse 22 is indeed the fog lamp fuse. Relay 38 (also in the under-hood fuse box) is the fog lamp relay. If I were modifying mine to have fog lamps on all the time, I would remove relay 38 and install a jumper. If you're comfortable with it, you could look in the fuse box to see if relay 38 is installed or if someone has put a jumper wire in its place. It may be that simple.

Looked at the relay in the fuse box and everything looks normal.
Appreciated your help.
Still looking,
Greg

 

[G Man]

Well looks like the problem is in the switch that is on the steering column. Hope that is the fix.

Greg

 

[xlrlist01]

Looked at the relay in the fuse box and everything looks normal.
Appreciated your help.
Still looking,
Greg

If you take that relay out, do the fog lights go out?

 

[G Man]

If you take that relay out, do the fog lights go out?

Yes. They do go out.

 

[xlrlist01]

Yes. They do go out.

Ok. There are I think three options (I have a 2004, wiring codes etc. might have changed):

1/ There is a permanent live into A4 on relay 38. Usually (ie OEM) relay 38 is commanded by the BCM sending a 12v signal to the relay's control coil. C3 is a permanent ground. The 12v signal enters the fuse block at C3, F11 and originates at the BCM on C1 19. It is circuit 1317. Have a close look around A4 and see if it has been wired to a 12v supply. Relay 38 A3 comes off fuse 22 and is a permanent 12v supply to the power side of the relay, ie, the power to the fog lamps. C4 (fuse block D10) is the 12v circuit to the fog lamps (circuit 34).
2/ The fog lamp switch is permanently grounded (or the circuit to the BCM is grounded). The switch grounds C2 16 on the BCM (circuit 192).
3/ The BCM has been reprogrammed in some way so that it always commands the fog lamps on, irrespective of the position of the switch. I don't know about options codes, but sometimes there are parameters that can be set into the memory of a BCM that cause different behaviors, usually for export markets or different legislation areas.

You might need to find an auto electrician willing to unpick the pins in the harness end at the BCM. It can be done if you find somebody who knows how. If you do that it will be easy to find out where the signal originates.

The workshop manual has a dedicated section to 'fog lamps always on', 8-500. After taking out the relay, lamps go off, it says: Step 5, with a test lamp (or volt meter), probe the fog lamp control supply circuit (ie relay 38 pin A4). If it lights the lamp, go to step 6, disconnect BCM connector C1 (relay back in). If lamps stay on, you have 1/ above. If go out, disconnect BCM connector C2 and reconnect BCM C1. Lamps illuminated? Go to 11. Replace BCM, ie 3/ above. Lamps out, go to step 8 instead. 8 is shorted fog lamp switch. The final alternative is defective switch or circuit, 2/ above. Following the diagnostics is a carefully worked out sequence of tests to find the fault at least cost and will be what a qualified tech follows.

Have a great 2019!

 

[G Man]

Ok. There are I think three options (I have a 2004, wiring codes etc. might have changed):

1/ There is a permanent live into A4 on relay 38. Usually (ie OEM) relay 38 is commanded by the BCM sending a 12v signal to the relay's control coil. C3 is a permanent ground. The 12v signal enters the fuse block at C3, F11 and originates at the BCM on C1 19. It is circuit 1317. Have a close look around A4 and see if it has been wired to a 12v supply. Relay 38 A3 comes off fuse 22 and is a permanent 12v supply to the power side of the relay, ie, the power to the fog lamps. C4 (fuse block D10) is the 12v circuit to the fog lamps (circuit 34).
2/ The fog lamp switch is permanently grounded (or the circuit to the BCM is grounded). The switch grounds C2 16 on the BCM (circuit 192).
3/ The BCM has been reprogrammed in some way so that it always commands the fog lamps on, irrespective of the position of the switch. I don't know about options codes, but sometimes there are parameters that can be set into the memory of a BCM that cause different behaviors, usually for export markets or different legislation areas.

You might need to find an auto electrician willing to unpick the pins in the harness end at the BCM. It can be done if you find somebody who knows how. If you do that it will be easy to find out where the signal originates.

Have a great 2019!

Thanks for all your help, And a GREAT 2019 to you as well

 

[xlrlist01]

Thanks for all your help, And a GREAT 2019 to you as well

I added some more to the end of the post with the workshop manual diagnostics.

 

[G Man]

I added some more to the end of the post with the workshop manual diagnostics.

 

[G Man]

Well looks like the problem is in the switch that is on the steering column. Hope that is the fix.

Greg

Replaced the light switch, now everything is back to normal.

Thx for the help,
Greg