Burnt out wiring???

[Ragnarok2]

The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

 

[exdeath]

Could just be worn contacts that arced and over heated to the point of melting. You'll need to replace the switch (probably the whole lever as a single serviceable part) and check the fuses.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

 

[Ragnarok2]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

If the switch is truly burnt out and it's located behind the steering wheel the only way to get to it is pull the steering wheel off and remove it that way. There is actually a "switch ring" which comes off and includes switches on the right as well as left. The steering wheel is pressed on any you need a steering wheel puller.

But you need to see what's up and why it blew. If the switch indeed blow. Sounds like something was drawing too much current and if so why didn't the fuse blow.

 

[Ragnarok2]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

If the switch is truly burnt out and it's located behind the steering wheel the only way to get to it is pull the steering wheel off and remove it that way. There is actually a "switch ring" which comes off and includes switches on the right as well as left. The steering wheel is pressed on any you need a steering wheel puller.

But you need to see what's up and why it blew. If the switch indeed blow. Sounds like something was drawing too much current and if so why didn't the fuse blow.

Hmm...What I was thinking of doing was just completely re-wiring the headlights. I could install a switch on the dash somewhere...and I saw an auxiliary light wiring kit for $15 at advance auto parts which came with a 20 amp fuse and all that.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

If the switch is truly burnt out and it's located behind the steering wheel the only way to get to it is pull the steering wheel off and remove it that way. There is actually a "switch ring" which comes off and includes switches on the right as well as left. The steering wheel is pressed on any you need a steering wheel puller.

But you need to see what's up and why it blew. If the switch indeed blow. Sounds like something was drawing too much current and if so why didn't the fuse blow.

Hmm...What I was thinking of doing was just completely re-wiring the headlights. I could install a switch on the dash somewhere...and I saw an auxiliary light wiring kit for $15 at advance auto parts which came with a 20 amp fuse and all that.

Oh yeah. You can do that. I'm just nit picky about my vehicles and I try to keep everything as kosher as possible. Just make sure you put a fuse in between. Just if you ever sale the car it may turn people down.

 

[Ragnarok2]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

If the switch is truly burnt out and it's located behind the steering wheel the only way to get to it is pull the steering wheel off and remove it that way. There is actually a "switch ring" which comes off and includes switches on the right as well as left. The steering wheel is pressed on any you need a steering wheel puller.

But you need to see what's up and why it blew. If the switch indeed blow. Sounds like something was drawing too much current and if so why didn't the fuse blow.

Hmm...What I was thinking of doing was just completely re-wiring the headlights. I could install a switch on the dash somewhere...and I saw an auxiliary light wiring kit for $15 at advance auto parts which came with a 20 amp fuse and all that.

Oh yeah. You can do that. I'm just nit picky about my vehicles and I try to keep everything as kosher as possible. Just make sure you put a fuse in between. Just if you ever sale the car it may turn people down.

What kinda wiring do you think I should use?

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

If the switch is truly burnt out and it's located behind the steering wheel the only way to get to it is pull the steering wheel off and remove it that way. There is actually a "switch ring" which comes off and includes switches on the right as well as left. The steering wheel is pressed on any you need a steering wheel puller.

But you need to see what's up and why it blew. If the switch indeed blow. Sounds like something was drawing too much current and if so why didn't the fuse blow.

Hmm...What I was thinking of doing was just completely re-wiring the headlights. I could install a switch on the dash somewhere...and I saw an auxiliary light wiring kit for $15 at advance auto parts which came with a 20 amp fuse and all that.

Oh yeah. You can do that. I'm just nit picky about my vehicles and I try to keep everything as kosher as possible. Just make sure you put a fuse in between. Just if you ever sale the car it may turn people down.

What kinda wiring do you think I should use?

I would use copper twisted strand and make it a heavy gauge wire (not too thick). I would run two wires from the switch (one red one black). I would then run them to a fuse and finally the lights. I would run these wires inside of spiral loom tubing and electrical tape them before putting them inside the tubing to make sure there is not problems. Carefully mark it so the person who looks at your car in the future knows whats up.

 

[Ragnarok2]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: Ragnarok2
The fog lights in my car have recently stopped working. A day before they stopped working, I saw smoke coming out of the button that turns them on( It's on the turn-signal lever by the steering wheel) I'm assuming the wiring is screwed. Should I re-wire them, or should I just try and mess around the area where I saw the smoke?(kind of a pain in the arse to get to)

Did you make any mods to the lighting system (i.e. add higher wattage bulbs). The car came stock with fog lamps??? What's the yr/make/model your talking about.

It's a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus, it came with the fog lights, all I did was put some SilverStars in. The guy said those could be used with the stock wiring. This happened over a long period of time too...at first I had to switch my high beams on a few times for the fog lights to come on...but now I saw smoke and fog lights aren't turning on.

BTW, how much do you think it would be to replace the whole lever? I mean, the dealership wanted $300 for a new grille for my car(and it's 10 years old) so I can only assume they're gonna charge like at least $100 for the whole thing. I'd just rather re-wire the fog lights in that case.

If the switch is truly burnt out and it's located behind the steering wheel the only way to get to it is pull the steering wheel off and remove it that way. There is actually a "switch ring" which comes off and includes switches on the right as well as left. The steering wheel is pressed on any you need a steering wheel puller.

But you need to see what's up and why it blew. If the switch indeed blow. Sounds like something was drawing too much current and if so why didn't the fuse blow.

Hmm...What I was thinking of doing was just completely re-wiring the headlights. I could install a switch on the dash somewhere...and I saw an auxiliary light wiring kit for $15 at advance auto parts which came with a 20 amp fuse and all that.

Oh yeah. You can do that. I'm just nit picky about my vehicles and I try to keep everything as kosher as possible. Just make sure you put a fuse in between. Just if you ever sale the car it may turn people down.

What kinda wiring do you think I should use?

I would use copper twisted strand and make it a heavy gauge wire (not too thick). I would run two wires from the switch (one red one black). I would then run them to a fuse and finally the lights. I would run these wires inside of spiral loom tubing and electrical tape them before putting them inside the tubing to make sure there is not problems. Carefully mark it so the person who looks at your car in the future knows whats up.

Thanks a lot steppinthrax, you have been a real help!

 

[nwfsnake]

Looks like it is a pretty large combo switch assembly that is about $180 from www.rockauto.com.