Rear fog light stopped working.

[PhilW]

My rear fog light has stopped working, in fact it wasn't working when I got the car a few weeks ago.

Am I right in that it is an MOT requirement even on a 'F' reg (1989) car, so I can't just remove it ?

It looks like a wire has dropped off the back of the switch and disappeared in a spiders web of wires. Access to the 'mess' is next to zero.

[richyb66]

Rear fog lamp is mandatory after 1st April 1980 so it needs to be working. If it's not there, they should still fail it. 

[theduck]

Worth speaking to the MOT station, as Richy said, they should fail it, but worth checking.

[fry61]

Bite the bullet & fix this safety critical lamp.  Our cars are difficult enough to see as is.

[PhilW]

Yes................ 'key-hole ' surgery has only pulled out dried up insulation tape and the centre console panel has been glued in, removing it will disturb even more wiring, so I will run new wires and a new switch.              MOT is in August so I have plenty of time to find a route through to the rear.

The fuse boxes are buried deep under the wiring 'birds nest' so a seperate fuse will be best.

[fry61]

Can understand your reluctance ---- not exactly "plug & play"

[geordie40]

10 minutes ago, fry61 said:

Can understand your reluctance ---- not exactly "plug & play"

More like plug n hope 

[AndyW]

My Superspec wiring nest was like that. I bit the bullet last year, removed the dash and scuttle and rewired the whole lot. A week or two’s work but I now understand the wiring and everything is on separate circuits with fuses and relays. 

[fry61]

With our 12 volt electrics the shorter the wiring & the fewer the switch contacts between battery & load the better plus with a relay larger gauge conductors can be used --all the above aids getting the volts & amps to where they're required.  Fuses are also very good --- helps prevent "Lucas Smoke"

[magh]

Wow that’s a mess. So glad I wired all mine myself and inserted separate ignition and permanent live fused boxes for future upgrades. Makes life so much easier.