Fog light switch wiring problem!

[essendon22]

I finally decided to tackle hooking up my PIAA's to a factory fog light switch I bought off ebay. I followed this write up http://www.mysporttrac.com/mysporttrac/projects/SecondFogSwitch/SecondFogSwitch.htm and everything works except one thing. The switch itself does not illuminate.

Had to make room for the switch myself since I can't seem to find a bezel anywhere. Excuse the bad cut job. A dremel doesn't cut a square very well.
You can see the "on indicator" works when the lights are on.

But it's the backlighting I'm talking about.

I tied it into the same color wire on the rear window switch, and I've checked several diagrams and saw that it's the illumination wire. I've respliced the connection twice making sure it was good.

Am I missing something? Is there another wire that should be spliced into this group? The window switch still illuminates, so I didn't mess that up. Maybe my switch is bad? Argh I hate wiring!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I'll go check my swith to see if it illuminates or just the on light is on. I have the factory silver bezel with the foglight whole in it I could possibly sell but you can get the whole bezel, switches and all for $15-30 from the junkyard, probably cheaper then shipping one. I installed a 2nd Gen Explorer bezel for a factory 2nd foglight switch uprgade (check out my thread on that).

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Ok so I went out and checkEd the switch on my wife's '97 V8 AWD Mounty (same switch) and only the "on" light lights up. I'd check my Trac's switch but it's at the doctors getting surgery.

 

[OffTrac]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't light up. It seems you did everything right.

 

[theluke19]

Nice work, I don't think it looks bad at all! Maybe take a file or light grit sandpaper to bevel the hard edges of the cut out square to make it look a little more factory? I don't know if that would work, but maybe

 

[interscope8]

Ya mine only lights up when lights are on... doesnt illuminate... good work

 

[essendon22]

Sorry, I linked the wrong project that I followed. It was actually this one. http://www.mysporttrac.com/mysportt...ToFordOEMSwitch/PIAAswitchtoFordOEMswitch.htm

Here's the pic that shows them illuminated. If none of y'alls are lighting up then there is something wrong with yours too haha.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I'll have to check the switch on my ST when I get it back from the shop.

 

[essendon22]

Thanks. You mentioned the mounty doesn't do it, and that is actually what my switch came out of. Thought they were all the same, but maybe the problem.

 

[OffTrac]

If none of y'alls are lighting up then there is something wrong with yours too haha.

Don't tell me that! Everything is just as I want it right now. I'm not supposed to be doing any more projects for a while. I have papers to write. I have too much work to do. I'm trying to hold onto all extra money. I do not have time for electrical gremlins.













Dammit! I gotta go check that out now.

 

[essendon22]

I do not have time for electrical gremlins.

LMAO Sorry! I've been messing with this crap for 4 days after work trying to figure it out. I swear I didn't feed it after midnight!

I would just go to the local junk yards, but I can't ever seem to find any ST's there. I guess that could be a good sign as there are TONS of explorers. I just figured the parts were the exact same. Prob is I can't verify that they work before I get them. Wanted to make sure I had all the wiring right before I get another switch.

 

[essendon22]

Not to bum anyone out further, but just found another pic of one illuminated. I think this is actually a Ranger though.

 

[interscope8]

If my truck wasnt so far away Id check it now...

 

[essendon22]

Well I just got back from the junk yard. Pulled a few out the explorers they had there. The guys let me check them out first and none worked. Even hooked them up directly to a battery they had. We took it apart, and when you take the cover off the push button you can see there is a clear area behind the light picture where it can be illuminated

Finally we found a led light on top that can be replaced

You can see where it will illuminate the inside from this pic. Just to make sure it wasn't the top light I had found, I hooked it up while having the led out, and the "on" light still works separately.

So now all I have to do is find one of these led lights and swap it out! Should be an easy fix for anyone else that needs to fix theirs. Any idea where I might find one? Maybe a radio shack or is the something an advanced auto would have?

 

[essendon22]

Got the little green cover off. Definitely blown.

 

[essendon22]

That was so easy. Went to Radio Shack and in their flashlight bulb drawer it's Micro Lamp #7219. Package # at the top is 272-1092. Comes with 2 in the pack for $2. Was as easy as changing a christmas bulb. Works perfect now!

 

[OffTrac]

Great info. Thanks.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I thought the switch should be lit up but couldn't remember.