anyone tell me how the hell to get to the back of the fog light switch?

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

I can't get either front or rear fog lights to work on my '88 and also the cigar lighter doesn't work. Because all three are out it looks suspiciously like the switch gear? I've checked all the bulbs and fuses, the obvious stuff but nothing looks out of place. I suspect that over the years as different stereos and alarms have been in and out that possibly the wires to the back of the switches may have been dislodged or re-directed? (just clutching at straws really as I'm new to the car). I guess I need to get to them from the trunk? It looks like I need to take out the cardboard sheet at the top?

Can anyone offer any better places to start please? Or any good advice?

Thanks

Matt

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

ps. gratuitous shot of my new pride and joy!!!

GeorgeK · 04-11-2005, 06:23 AM

Take your clock out and try to look through there. I once resoldered the feed to the cigar lighter through the opening.
The switches go out into the trunk. You remove the knob itself and then turn the ring out (a oair of pointy pliers in the holes)

RoninLB · 04-11-2005, 06:28 AM

big pia removing the vent system and squeezing in there.

JP911 · JP911's Garage

You could try removing the glove box to get to them. The entire box comes out once you have removed the door and the strap that holds it in place. Oh yeah, you have to remove the knee pad as well.

GeorgeK · 04-11-2005, 06:36 AM

The glove box is not in the same cavity as the switches. No access there.

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

ok, thanks. you can't get to them by ripping the radio out either. PIA is the perfect description! Maybe I should get myself on a keyhole surgery course?

GeorgeK · 04-11-2005, 06:44 AM

That would be a gynecology internship.

RoninLB · 04-11-2005, 06:46 AM

do you have a double jointed midget friend ?

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

I love this car and it has some great design features and it's a design icon in my opinion but which muppet designed the packaging set up for the switch gear?

Anyway, with that off my chest...
...so does any body know how to get to the back of the fog light switches and does anybody have any better ideas what might be the problem or where to look next?

GeorgeK · 04-11-2005, 07:00 AM

In fact that is not that much of a job to remove the heater blower. This is what you'll find there:

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

looks like you've pretty much done most things with one of these cars looking at the picture! did it ever go back together again?

Thanks for the help

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

don't suppose you have a closer picture do you? (anybody else?)

RoninLB · 04-11-2005, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mattyc
don't suppose you have a closer picture do you? (anybody else?)

Bentley '84-'89, p960-2 will get you going.

drl911 · drl911's Garage

You can only get to the back of those switches from the front trunk access. Definitely a job for small hands. Big PIA. I moved my rear defog switch to that area (after center console delete) and it took 3 hours to reroute a few wires.

Dan

GeorgeK · 04-11-2005, 08:47 AM

"did it ever go back together again?"

You bet!

Mysterytrain · 04-11-2005, 10:01 AM

After digging thru the trunk to get at my fog light switch so I could replace the lamp I couldn't help but feel this would be a perfect place for an LED..even though the original bulb lasted 20 yrs.

mattyc · mattyc's Garage

sweet car George, looks really nice. Hopefully I won't have to go that far to get the fog lights sorted out! Thanks for the help!

jax · 04-12-2005, 01:57 PM

Don't know if you solved your fog switch access problem, but, I wanted to activate fogs with park light power feed. There is no access to switch
from front trunk area, period. Pull out the clock & speedo, they pop right out with some gentle levering. Mark wiring as neccessary, pull fog switch
out thru speedo hole. Jax