Anyone know how to replace the stock Hella Fog Light switch light in the dash? The little connector/plug thing has two little wires in it, and no size bulb seems to fit into it. Originally I thought maybe it was like the plugs on the back of the instrument cluster, but that turned out to not true. I then thought maybe it's a plug unit light in one, but I can't seem to find those anywhere.
So long story short, how in the hell does someone replace the fog light switch lightbulb.
This is the best picture I could get. There wasn't a light in mine, so I really don't have much else to go on.
(http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr148/jpc647/DSCN0763.jpg)
very carefully, I think I have a spare new bulb that I can send your way.
if this isnt the bulb then you will need something like an LED with the 2 wires coming out of it to wrap back around the plug. if you cant find a bulb like that an LED should work and you can choose your own color.
That picture 88Turbo posted is the 197 ? bulb for dash lights. Too big. That fog-lamp switch bulb is tiny - "wheat bulbs" I think they are called. They'll have two bare, stiff leads comng out of the bottom that wrap aound the contacts in the base you are showing in your pic. If you ever changed a bulb in a set of minature christmas lights, its the same kind of deal. Although, as 88Turbo says, an LED might work.
this is a very tiny bulb not like the ones used for dash lights.... I am thinking it is the bulb for lighting the switch bezel around the headlight switch and such.
bulb is almost exactly the size of a dime..
Is there a number on it? I tried using one that would like be used in the radio output, but hte wires don't seem to be long enough. The wires are supposed to go through the holes in the bottom and wrap around "contacts", or the little pole things, right? They look like plastic tips, no metal on them or anything.
no numbers but if I remember correctly I bought them at autozone. I really dont think this is the bulb you are looking for.
I think its even smaller than that headlight bezel bulb you show 88, which is still a push-in "bayonet" style.
That is what I was stating...
Hmm. Well at this point I don't know, I called autozone, but I may have to go there. I tried CAP last night, they only had push in style bulbs.
So the black arrow is where the wires must be wrapped around? The red arrow shows where my wires from the light end.
(http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr148/jpc647/DSCN0770-1.jpg)
I pulled one from leftovers of my harness pruning....
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/gmby23/tech%20pics/7af4f8c7.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/gmby23/tech%20pics/4ba2e5f9.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/gmby23/tech%20pics/84282671.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/gmby23/tech%20pics/40c47fae.jpg)
In the third pic, you can see where the wires wrap over the bulb side of the socket. This is where the wires contact the portion of the switch that powers the bulb.
There are no numbers on the bulb. You might try a Ford dealer if you know of one with a good parts guy. They should have diagrams where they can look at an exploded pic and choose the bulb, rather than trying to figure out what its called in the system.
*edit*
Also might check radio shack.
http://doghouse.2y.net/gtp/steeringcontrols/
Credit to Tbird232ci for this link and possible source
I bought a couple of bulbs at radio shack today that looked similar, but I couldn't get it to work. I got frustrated after trying bulbs and wasting $10 I gave up and just resigned myself to the fact that the switch won't light up.
Is the bulb in the switch itself? If so,let me know. I think I may have an extra fog light switch in the garage. If so,I'll ship it with the TPS.
Don't give up! Burned out bulbs drive me crazy. The leads on the bulb have to pass thru that tiny slot in the holder, then wrap around the little peg in such a way that they touch the contacts in the hole in the switch as you give it that 1/4 twist or so to lock it in. Are you using the original pigtail? One of the leads on the switch is a ground which lets the bulb work. It should light when the switch is ON. Yea, its tiny, tedious work.
Vinnie, yes the bulb is in the switch.
I bought 3 new bulbs. The first one I cut the wires right off when trying to strip them back. The second one I tried I broke the red wire off trying to get it through the little hole in the bulb holder. The third one, I stripped successfully, got it through the holes, and made it 1 wrap around the little pegs but the pegs stick out from the switch, the pegs don't appear to actually touch anything that would conduct electricity. I dunno. Maybe the wires on mine are a little to short, of maybe they aren't thick enough. They don't look as big as the ones in the pictures above.
Do you have a picture of the part the plugs into the switch. The harness? I'm beginning to wonder if mine is wrong.
Which tabs are supposed to have power? The fog lights turn on when I flip the switch, but I'm wondering if something else could be the problem, besides a bulb.
(http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr148/jpc647/107_0049.jpg)
the flat metal parts on either side of the hole are the contacts for the bulb.
I didn't send it with the TPS. I'll find it and toss it your way. Hang tight.
Looking at that picture of the back of the switch, top-left is black (ground), top-right is tan/orange (to the fog lamps), bottom is blue (12 v)
You could probably solder in a resistor and LED in series pretty easily. The resistor is critical or the LED will instantly burn out.
Alright. I have those three wires, but the blue one connects to a black wire in about 4 inches, and both the orange/black(but it looks brown) come into one wire which I think turns into my power wire going out to the firewall to energize the lights. I think. I'll have to look more closely tomorrow when it's light out.