Weird fog light issue..
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,194
Likes: 65
From: DC
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
Weird fog light issue..
I added fog lights to my z06 last year. One day they just turned off. Both ballasts at the same time wouldn't turn on. I've noticed that every once in a while when I unlock the car, they'll come on. It's always both ballasts though, never one or the other.
Fuse looks fine. Wiring seems fine. Any thoughts?
Fuse looks fine. Wiring seems fine. Any thoughts?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
How do you know it is the ballast and not the lights or something else?
Post the design of your system and whether you bought the lights and ballasts as a "set" of not. I need to know how it is wired like where the power is fed from and whether you have any interface with the BCM. I can't diagnosis without any information.
Post the design of your system and whether you bought the lights and ballasts as a "set" of not. I need to know how it is wired like where the power is fed from and whether you have any interface with the BCM. I can't diagnosis without any information.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,488
Likes: 1,743
From: Knoxville Tn
The fogs will 'flash' when the car is unlocked using a remote.
If this works every time we have a starting point. The lights and ballasts are good.
The other thing is, the multi purpose switch (light switch) must be in an on position and high beams not on for the lights to work when driving.
If this works every time we have a starting point. The lights and ballasts are good.
The other thing is, the multi purpose switch (light switch) must be in an on position and high beams not on for the lights to work when driving.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
The fogs will 'flash' when the car is unlocked using a remote.
If this works every time we have a starting point. The lights and ballasts are good.
The other thing is, the multi purpose switch (light switch) must be in an on position and high beams not on for the lights to work when driving.
If this works every time we have a starting point. The lights and ballasts are good.
The other thing is, the multi purpose switch (light switch) must be in an on position and high beams not on for the lights to work when driving.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,194
Likes: 65
From: DC
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
The wiring for fogs is all there on the z06s. Its just not hooked up. I just purchased an aftermarket fog kits and hooked the relay up to the stock harness and the power directly to the battery.
I'm thinking that maybe its a grounding issue.
I'm thinking that maybe its a grounding issue.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 355
Likes: 7
From: Cherry Hill New Jersey
I dont know if this will help, but also as most know that if you push the switch in the dash for the foglights you should hear a tick sound coming from the fusebox under the hood when you turn them on and off, regardless if the lights work or not, if you dont hear the tick that usually means the fuse is bad, and If you have the stock type switch if the fuse is good, the light on the foglight switch should come on along with the tick sound.
I know this cause I installed foglights on my c5 (non z06) and following the forum mine didnt have the wiring from the fuse box to the locations, only from the switch to the fuse box, all was working fine, and then about 2 weeks later they wouldnt turn on at all, after back tracking and making sure everything was right I remembered about the tick sound when turning on and off the lights, didnt hear it, when I checked the fuse it looked fine, but I changed it anyway, and when I did they came back on.
I know this cause I installed foglights on my c5 (non z06) and following the forum mine didnt have the wiring from the fuse box to the locations, only from the switch to the fuse box, all was working fine, and then about 2 weeks later they wouldnt turn on at all, after back tracking and making sure everything was right I remembered about the tick sound when turning on and off the lights, didnt hear it, when I checked the fuse it looked fine, but I changed it anyway, and when I did they came back on.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
Likes: 302
From: Columbia SC
You would have the first Z06 I have heard of or I have actually worked on to install fog lights with all the stock wiring in place. Some wiring is there. I still don't know what you did.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,550
Likes: 903
From: Republic of Texas
IIRC, There are two circuits that activate the fog lights: Approach lights and the actual fog lights. Check under hood fuses #6 AND #2 and see if either is out. If not replace both anyway as a fuse may fail in such a manner that it's difficult to see.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 5
From: Germantown, TN
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,194
Likes: 65
From: DC
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
So it ended up being a relay issue. This is probably not a good thing:
Fortunately I have an extra automotive relay. Once I replaced it my fogs went back to normal.
Fortunately I have an extra automotive relay. Once I replaced it my fogs went back to normal.