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Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 8:06 pm
by MisterH
'Evening all
For a while now, the 3 switches on the side of the dashboard that operate the Front and rear fogs along with the heated rear window have broken, only the front fog switch works and even then when unrealistically pushing the switch hard.
can this be fixed?
it already has problems sitting comfortably in its slot with the clear light bar that sits behind sitting loose and the plastic guide cracked. Do I need a new switch or can this be fixed?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 9:47 pm
by jifflemon
its more likely a problem with what lies behind the dash that the switches themselves - happy to send you a spare switch pod if you want to test though.
The contacts sit on plastic towers that are part of the back half of the dashboard - very likely, they're all split or non-existent meaning that you're getting an intermediate contact at best.
However, the OTHER obvious thing to look at, is the tailgate wiring; just in case that's the reason for HRW not working...
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:50 am
by MisterH
jifflemon wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 9:47 pm
its more likely a problem with what lies behind the dash that the switches themselves - happy to send you a spare switch pod if you want to test though.
The contacts sit on plastic towers that are part of the back half of the dashboard - very likely, they're all split or non-existent meaning that you're getting an intermediate contact at best.
However, the OTHER obvious thing to look at, is the tailgate wiring; just in case that's the reason for HRW not working...
That would make sense with what I have seen with the dash out, so a spare switch pod would be very much apprieciated. What is the tailgate wiring you refer to? I did forget to mention that both the fogs and heated rear screen used to work fine, but stopped working after one of my dashboard out jobs
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 11:33 am
by jifflemon
Drop me a PM with your Address - Obviously it may be a bit delayed in these Viral times!
So, the areas I mentioned.... Pull the switch off, it'll look like this:
And with the dashboard out, it'll look like this
Those plastic studs that the self tapping screws go into, can often crumble into nothing, meaning that whole assembly is now just flopping around, held in only by the lightswitch.
The wiring loom at the rear, where it goes from Body to tailgate is also a known weakspot. it
should look like this:
It may not....
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 1:43 pm
by MisterH
jifflemon wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 11:33 am
Drop me a PM with your Address - Obviously it may be a bit delayed in these Viral times!
So, the areas I mentioned.... Pull the switch off, it'll look like this:
And with the dashboard out, it'll look like this
Those plastic studs that the self tapping screws go into, can often crumble into nothing, meaning that whole assembly is now just flopping around, held in only by the lightswitch.
The wiring loom at the rear, where it goes from Body to tailgate is also a known weakspot. it
should look like this:
It may not....
Ill get some pictures of my case soon, basically everything screw related when it comes to my dash is broken, and I presume new dashes are unobtainium?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 2:25 pm
by jifflemon
Completely unobtainium.
However, you could use something like
this to effect a fairly decent repair.
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:58 pm
by Alan 480
that's in fairly good nick, EVA is 'shredded' only the switches hold it in together
I thought you had used loads of two part epxy to re-build one?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:12 pm
by MisterH
Alan 480 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:58 pm
that's in fairly good nick, EVA is 'shredded' only the switches hold it in together
I thought you had used loads of two part epxy to re-build one?
this is the condition that mine is in, I am not sure if the issue is with the way the switch is slided in (it simply wont quite go flush with the rest of the dash) or the switch itself. I'm pretty sure that the tailgate wiring is not the issue as the front fogs work if the switch is physically pressed down Hard, but stop as soon as the hand is released
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:25 pm
by jifflemon
Alan 480 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:58 pm
that's in fairly good nick, EVA is 'shredded' only the switches hold it in together
I thought you had used loads of two part epxy to re-build one?
I've rebuilt them all I think!
Getting quite good at it now
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:27 pm
by jifflemon
Is your light Prism in correctly?
Looks back to front?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:39 pm
by Alan 480
I think that your holder is trashed, it appears to have lot sof splits where teh forks pass through the plastic
nearly impossible to repair in situ, epoxy? or buy some ABS plastic electrical cases to make some section up from? lots of work for little gain
not sure how well glue will hold it though ?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:43 pm
by Alan 480
jifflemon wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:27 pm
Is your light Prism in correctly?
Looks back to front?
too high up and should be under the plastic? ie teh large section of clear should nOT be visible?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:34 pm
by MisterH
Alan 480 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:43 pm
jifflemon wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:27 pm
Is your light Prism in correctly?
Looks back to front?
too high up and should be under the plastic? ie teh large section of clear should nOT be visible?
I thought it was looking a bit odd
Is there a reference photo of what it SHOULD look like?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:37 pm
by Alan 480
MisterH wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:34 pm
Alan 480 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:43 pm
jifflemon wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:27 pm
Is your light Prism in correctly?
Looks back to front?
too high up and should be under the plastic? ie teh large section of clear should nOT be visible?
I thought it was looking a bit odd
Is there a reference photo of what it SHOULD look like?
Jeff's 1133 post?
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:52 am
by jamescarruthers
In my last E-reg car someone had taken the trouble running wires from the front fogs to the rear fogs, I guess to pass an MOT years ago. I replaced the switch, plugged the original wiring on to the rear fogs and everything worked. So the switches do fail internally.
I would take Jeff up on his offer of sending you a new switch pack.
Try it without the light bar prism thing to see if you can get it to sit properly and certainly try putting it in the right way afterwards!
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:56 am
by jifflemon
MisterH wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:34 pm
I thought it was looking a bit odd
Is there a reference photo of what it SHOULD look like?
Pic above, but also, a view from the rear:
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2020 11:02 am
by MisterH
jifflemon wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:56 am
MisterH wrote: ↑Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:34 pm
I thought it was looking a bit odd
Is there a reference photo of what it SHOULD look like?
Pic above, but also, a view from the rear:
Thank you Jiff, Looks like the dash will be coming out at some point then!
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2020 6:17 pm
by MisterH
Well it wasn't the most dignified approach, but removing the ruined plastic actually allowed the front and rear fogs to work again, but the Heated window still doesn't play ball. However, given the success of this, some contact cleaner may be in order.
either way, I think I will see what the new switch set that Jiff is kindly sending will do
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2020 6:54 pm
by jamescarruthers
With the heater rear window, if you get the light on the dash but no heated rear screen at the back, then you will have the damaged wiring at the tailgate (like Jeff posted earlier with a pic) which most cars eventually get.
If you don't have the dashboard light, then it's either the bulb or the switch.
Re: Fog light and heated rear window switch busted - what to do?
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:10 pm
by MisterH
jamescarruthers wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 6:54 pm
With the heater rear window, if you get the light on the dash but no heated rear screen at the back, then you will have the damaged wiring at the tailgate (like Jeff posted earlier with a pic) which most cars eventually get.
If you don't have the dashboard light, then it's either the bulb or the switch.
If that is the case then it is the latter. I hope it's the switch, as I really don't want to extract that cluster again!
