Fog Lights E30

[ED1RTY 2]

Okay as some i know ive just had my car painted, while assembling it ive have some trouble with the foglights. All i did was unplug them and then when assembling, plug them back in, now they dont go.

I thought it may have been the fact i didnt have the VDO plugged in so i plugged it up and still no go. The green light on the VDO was on but the fog's weren't.

I turned the fogs on and opened the casing for them and put my circuit tester across the earth and power plug for the fogs, the circuit tester light glowed, but still no light from the fogs.

I dont know what the f**k is going on but im getting annoyed any help appreciated!

[330itis 15]

so wat your saying is that there is power coming through the wires all the way up into the fog light plug but the lightbulb doesnt come on?

[bravo 35]

turn them on but unplugged and put a multimeter accross the plug to see if you have power. If you do, somehow you have blown both bulbs i'd say.

[Palazzo 477]

Curious, have the same problem on the cab, power, but no light, bulbs are fine apparently.

[Guest Andrew]

check the relay - can't remember which one it is.

bmwe30.net should have it

[ED1RTY 2]

Curious, have the same problem on the cab, power, but no light, bulbs are fine apparently.

Have used multimeter, i have power, it is the plugs that plug onto the actual bulb.

Relay is fine.

Bulb looks sweet, no smokey/black tinge to the glass. Filament is sweet.

Its getting annoying!!

[ED1RTY 2]

also, the ones on the cab, have they been smoked or had anything sprayed on them?

Note: all other lights including rear fogs are going fine....

Edited May 5, 2006 by sakdbma

[jochen 4]

You may have a bad connection in your relay or fog light.

The multimeter/tester draws very little current, and will show voltage under no load.

Add the load of a foglamp (normally 55W, or 4 Amps) and the voltage may drop due to a bad connection, and thus the bulb will not light up.

You can check this by measuring the voltage on the bulb with a multimeter when the buld is on.

PS: I've had lightbulbs with filaments intact but crappy soldering of the filament to the bulb contact, and the bulb was open circuit.

Re-soldered the contact, then the bulb worked.

Jochen

[Chris_guy 0]

i havent read this whole post but i had the same problem, check the actual switch and even the buld within the instrument cluster as this has to be working aswell also check the relay but the switch is important as people dont suspect this

[Palazzo 477]

Cab lights are standard, maybe I'll try pulling the switch apart.

[topless 13]

If the green light is coming on when you select the fogs, (this suggests the switch is working), I would then put my money on either the relay being faulty or the power supply to pin 87 of the relay being faulty. This could be the fuse is blown or not making good contact too.

Also check your earth point at the front of the car just behind the passenger headlight is making a proper connection and that the bulb is actually getting an earth inside the light itself. Check this by disconnecting the fog at the connector and then applying 12v and earth to the plug and see if it lights up.

[Deftones 0]

Yea my drivers side foglight doesn't work because the earth has corroded due to a crack in the lens itself. I use a few spray on liquids such as Electroclean etc. Worked for awhile, but would be screwed again when it rained.

As said above, grab a multimeter and test the connection at the foglight.

To rectifiy my problem I've just gone and bought a second hand foggie off Brent.

Edited May 6, 2006 by Deftones