Fog lights not working

[AJ's 911]

I have a 1984 Carrera and I recently installed a headlight relay kit from JWest and replaced my h4 bulbs with 80/100 watt Osram/Sylvannia bulbs. Everything works (dash lights, park lights, high beams low beams) except my fog lights.
-fog lights worked before the relay installation, although the switch never lit up when pulled
-checked the fuses #20 and 21 and just replaced them just in case
-made sure the fog light relay is working by swapping with the horn relay
-checked the fog light bulbs and they looked clean with no dangling or discolored filament

I recently replaced the dash lighting so I was familiar with pulling the gauges and I peeked through the clock hole. I can see that the fog light switch had one prong that does not have anything connected to it. Does anyone know if the fog light switch should have all it's connectors utilized? I am thinking that maybe a connector got pulled.

Furthermore, how can I access the wiring behind fog switch area? By removing the stereo? Seems to be solid housing underneath.

Any help is much appreciated!

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by AJ's 911

I have a 1984 Carrera and I recently installed a headlight relay kit from JWest and replaced my h4 bulbs with 80/100 watt Osram/Sylvannia bulbs. Everything works (dash lights, park lights, high beams low beams) except my fog lights.
-fog lights worked before the relay installation, although the switch never lit up when pulled
-checked the fuses #20 and 21 and just replaced them just in case
-made sure the fog light relay is working by swapping with the horn relay
-checked the fog light bulbs and they looked clean with no dangling or discolored filament

I recently replaced the dash lighting so I was familiar with pulling the gauges and I peeked through the clock hole. I can see that the fog light switch had one prong that does not have anything connected to it. Does anyone know if the fog light switch should have all it's connectors utilized? I am thinking that maybe a connector got pulled.

Furthermore, how can I access the wiring behind fog switch area? By removing the stereo? Seems to be solid housing underneath.

Any help is much appreciated!

Here's the configuration for our '86.






^^^^^
Connections



^^^^^
And, here is how you can use your foglights independent of your headlight switch.

Good luck,

Gerry

[AJ's 911]

Gerry,

Thanks, I researched this topic in the forum and came across your pics and diagram which are very helpful. My relay setup matches yours. I may try extending the gray wire in the #20 bottom fuse panel to #11 and see if that works. I think my issue is originating at the fog light switch itself.

[fred cook]

That is most likely the wire that provides power to the trip side of the fog light relay. If you want the fogs with low beams only, just move the grey wire to the bottom (out) side of the low beam relay fuse. If you want fogs anytime, move to the out side of a fuse that is always powered. Don't worry about the load as it will only pull a fraction of an amp.

[AJ's 911]

Does anyone have experience with the fog light switch wiring? I am attaching a pic I found in an old forum. I am trying to find out if all the prongs should be connected? I also mentioned that my switch never lit up so I am assuming that the light bulb either burned out or got disconnected.

[AJ's 911]

Originally Posted by fred cook

That is most likely the wire that provides power to the trip side of the fog light relay. If you want the fogs with low beams only, just move the grey wire to the bottom (out) side of the low beam relay fuse. If you want fogs anytime, move to the out side of a fuse that is always powered. Don't worry about the load as it will only pull a fraction of an amp.

Thanks, I just did a quick fuse move of the gray wire to one of the parking lights and turned on the parking lights and headlights, but no fog lights. This confirms that it is not the fuse panel wires, but the interior fog light switch connectors.

[Synchro Joe]

Looks like all terminals on switch should have connection. On diagram for '88 the fog light switch shows the following on switch terminals, as shown above by '86 Targa:
#1-white wire -fog light relay terminal #86
#15 -green/white wire- light switch terminal 'J'
#31 - brown wire - ground
#58 - black wire - indicator lamp in switch

[AJ's 911]

Originally Posted by Synchro Joe

Looks like all terminals on switch should have connection. On diagram for '88 the fog light switch shows the following on switch terminals, as shown above by '86 Targa:
#1-white wire -fog light relay terminal #86
#15 -green/white wire- light switch terminal 'J'
#31 - brown wire - ground
#58 - black wire - indicator lamp in switch

Thanks Joe! I guess i should have paid closer attention to the diagram. Now that I know it is a problem with the interior switch, I am going to have to figure out how to access the wiring as the only possible way is potentially removing the stereo. My next hurdle is how to remove the stereo without the 2 removal keys. Life with a Porsche is never easy.

[wrxnofx]

I believe you have to remove the fresh air blower and plenum from the front trunk to get at the switch. Unscrew the knob and use a small needle nose pliers to unscrew the black retaining collar. You can then remove the switch from behind.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by AJ's 911

Does anyone have experience with the fog light switch wiring? I am attaching a pic I found in an old forum. I am trying to find out if all the prongs should be connected? I also mentioned that my switch never lit up so I am assuming that the light bulb either burned out or got disconnected.

You might have gotten the fog light switch picture from this thread:

Fog Lamp Knob: Fixable?

Maybe there is also some useful information about the fog light switch wire connections for you. I am not very knowledgeable about the wiring. But I remember in Germany there are restrictions on when the fog lights can be turned on. For instance they cannot be lit with the high beams together. Porsche the made the fog light wiring so that cannot happen. That situation could have something to do with your relay installation. Because the factory wired the cars in a way that fog and high beams cannot be on simultaneously. I am writing this all from memory. Maybe somebody else with fog light experience can chime in here.

[AJ's 911]

So I was able to finally get access to the wiring and everything looked fine. My switch has 5 connectors, and does not have a middle space for a bulb, so perhaps it never had a light. My switch looks like the first picture below and not like the second switch which has 4 connectors and a center light space.

I guess, I am back to square one in terms of diagnosing the problem. I might remove the headlight relay and see if i can get it to work like it did before.