Working lights in your vehicle are extremely important. When something doesn't work, your car may be not visible on the road. This may lead to huge problems like car accidents, poor visibility, bad understanding of road conditions.
Electrical circuit problems highlights
- Level of urgency:high
- DIY inspection:possible but very complicated
- DIY repair:mostly impossible
- Can you drive?yes
- Price for repairs:$150 - $350
- Symptoms:all kinds of different symptoms with all possible equipment
- Ways to solve:diagnose wiring and connections, inspect electrical equipment
What are the possible reasons for fog light failure?
Well, if one of the lights is dead, you can easily guess that the problem is in the light bulb. Just get another bulb in the nearest shop and install it into the light. But if both fog lights aren't working, this shouldn't be the light bulb, right?
Here are the most common reasons why both fog lights are dead in your vehicle:
- Light bulbs. Anyway, you should check the bulbs first. Maybe, one of the bulbs went bad a couple of weeks ago and you just didn't notice that before. Check the bulbs first because this is the easiest repair you can come up with.
- Wiring. Again, this shouldn't affect both fog lights at once, but it's still worth checking up on. Use multimeters or at least visually control the wires from your fog lights.
- Fuse. One of the most common reasons is the blown fuse. In some cars, there is one fuse for both lights while in other vehicles each light will have its own fuse. So, read the manual first.
- Fog light switch. Another common issue that can lead to the failure of both fog lights is the bad switch. Checking this part is not as easy as with light bulbs, so you may need professional help.
In some cases, vehicles may have other problems. For example, if your fog lights are controlled by some computer like the ECU or a separate control block for lights, this part can also malfunction because of damage, software issues, water intrusion, etc. But in this case, you aren't likely to be able to repair the problem by yourself.
In some cases, you will have to let a specialist diagnose the vehicle and find the actual problem.
Is it easy to replace the fog light bulb?
In most cases, it's not that easy. It may seem easy when you see a video guide on how to do it, but when you start doing this, you will understand that to successfully complete this task, you will need some special tools and also an appropriate place for doing this. In most cases, you will have to take the whole light off the vehicle. This may also lead to damage of paint on your bumper and some other issues.
If you never did this before, the best solution is to go to any repair shop and ask a mechanic to do that for you. This will cost you almost nothing and will take 5-10 minutes of time. But it will save you a lot of time and nerves.
What kind of bulbs should I buy for the fog light?
If you finally know that the reason for your problem is the light bulb, you can solve the problem without a lot of investment. First of all, you should buy the bulb. You can do it online or in the nearest shop with car accessories and parts. But here comes the first big question - what kind of bulb do you need?
Here are some of the key factors for buying the appropriate light bulb for your fog light:
- check the slot type - there are 5 or 6 types of slots that are used in fog lights and you should check it online or in the manual for your vehicle;
- check the voltage - in most cases, this light bulb will have standard voltage in your vehicle, but there are some exceptions;
- check the watts - your light bulb may have different intensities of light, better check and buy the same type of light bulbs you had in the fog lights;
- choose the light color - it may be white, yellow, blue, etc. Be careful and better choose standard white options for fog lights;
- look at the size. Some fog lights are so compact that only some types of bulbs can be installed in them.
Now you know what to do if both of your fog lights are dead. Also, we've told you how to diagnose the problem and how to choose an appropriate light bulb. Hope you will be able to solve this problem without any complications.
About the authors
The CarAraC research team is composed of seasoned auto mechanics and automotive industry professionals, including individuals with advanced degrees and certifications in their field. Our team members boast prestigious credentials, reflecting their extensive knowledge and skills. These qualifications include: IMI: Institute of the Motor Industry, ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technicians; Coventry University, Graduate of MA in Automotive Journalism; Politecnico di Torino, Italy, MS Automotive Engineering; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mechanical University in Skopje; TOC Automotive College; DHA Suffa University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
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