10 replies to this topic

[The_Mistro]

Model: Sprite
Year: 1996
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

Monday i fitted my new carpet and door cards that i brought from malvern, and when fitting the carpet we obviously tucked cables out of the way, but all the lights still worked fine afterwards and i still cant see anything wrong with the wiring here, everything is all connected up and covered properly, they worked all that night when i drove back after a night out with friends and the next day untill around 11pm when i turned my fog lights on going up a country road to light up the pot holes and my spots cut out and fogs followed about 0.1 seconds later! the relay is making a funny noise, so this is going to be replaced, and the only thing i can think of is that the spots have shorted out! but i find it very wierd how my fogs take a live feed from the ignition so work independantly from the spots and headlights, but seems that me turning them on have caused the spots to fail! both have failed together before, so what could be causing this! the spots are wired in taking a feed from the main beam! so just to clarify

Fog lights - take power from permenant ignition feed so always have power, independant to headlights
Spots - take power from main beam line - work in sync with main beam obviously!

the other thing is that i have an MOT on friday, if i dont have time or manage to solve the problem in time, if i take the bulbs out of the spots and fogs, will they still come under the MOT test?


Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem? Wipac 5.5 inch spot and fog lights

[Cooperman]

They are not mandatory fittings so don't come under the MoT test. If they are working they may be deemed to have to comply with C & U regulations, the spots going out when you dip, but if they don't work, no problem. No point in taking the bulbs out if there is no power getting to them anyway.

[Dan]

Auxiliary main beam lamps are optional, the only way any main beam lamps ever feature in the MOT is to make sure they all switch off together as said above. The beam angle of fog lamps should be checked but rarely is because again they are optional. If the angle of fog lamps is off I don't believe it's a failure anyway.

Do your lamps use the genuine harness and switching?

[The_Mistro]

thanks guys! shouldnt cause any problems then!

nah it doesnt dan, the spots and fogs are both chrome backed wipac aftermarket ones, and i used the wipac wiring kits offered to me with the lights, so none of the parts are genuine rover parts!

Edited by The_Mistro, 07 April 2010 - 10:11 PM.

[Yoda]

Check the common denominator here. sounds like a bad earth somewhere affecting both lamps.

[IainR]

Might be worth checking with your MOT station before you go.

My understanding is that if you have lights they must work, only way out would be to cover the lamps with covers like rally cars, this effectively makes it not a lamp.

[Guess-Works.com]

possibly nothing to do with the failure of your lights, but can you explain where the 'switched feed' and the 'source current' comes from for both your fog's and spot's... from your description the setup sounds a little weird and could be overloading your mini loom and fuses...

[The_Mistro]

we thought it could be a bad earth or could be shorting out somewhere, so im going to get it all checked, my MOT doesnt run out untill the 16th, so if it does fail i have a week to get it sorted! would just be a pain!

sorry guessworks im not great on wiring and not sure i get what you mean exactly!

the spot lights take their power from the full beam power cable to the head lights, so whenever the full beam is on, the spot lights are on!

the fog lights take power from a constant live cable, i cant remember exactly which one, guessing the constant live from somewhere inside the car like the ignition or something! these run on a rocker switch and run completly independant from any of the other lights!

is that what you mean or am i completly missing the point of the question!

all other lights and electrical things work on the car still, so it hasnt blown any fuses or anything! i have used all 4 lights before with no hastle!

[The_Mistro]

Found the problem! was a dicky inline fuse! grr, swapped it now for a pin fuse and they work perfect again!

[gregh55]

dude, lost your number. .

i got ones of those things but it has a small dent in it when its had the crash. . .

[stocky]

You using relays? the extra juice the spots use is enough to blow the fuses