I've just finished fitting some genuine fog lights to the front of my Landrover Discovery. The kit came with lights, replacement bumper pannels, switch and relay. The accessory brochure said wiring already in vehicle. The instructions were simple, bolt in lights behind bumper,plug into wiring plug nearby, replace blanking pannel with new pannel, replace switch 'blank' with switch and plug in wiring from behind the blank, fit relay into fusebox in the place marked front fog.
All went well until it came time to try them. No Joy. I checked the bulbs which were OK, I used the rear fog light switch to illiminate that, still no joy, I swapped the relay with the air con relay which are identicle, still no joy.
I decided to ask my "friendly" local main dealer as to whether i could have faulty wiring in my vehicle and should I be booking it in under warranty. The only help they seemed to want to give me was "are you sure there are bulbs in".
I then phoned the Dealer in the Lake District that I bought my car from who informed me that they also had the same trouble and found that the ECU had to be told to activate the wiring even though there is no mention anywhere in Land Rovers information. They would do it for me free but with it being a 160 mile round trip suggested trying a nearer dealer to avoid the fuel costs.
I then rang a different dealer to the first one i tried to ask how much it would cost. The reply about an hours work, £56 plus VAT.
My point - why include wiring when it's obviously no DIY job and why not put something in the instructions.
Looks like the way of the future, making things too complex to ensure work for the dealers. God help me when a headlight bulb goes and I nead to go to the garage to reset the system.
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Mart,
I Think this is a prob that you (or HJ) should take up with the lads from Sillyhull.
You don't mention the cost of the kit, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap ...
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I had exactly the same problem ,I took a live wire direct from battery put an in line fuse in .Wired it to the switch and of course it worked .But my associaton with discoverys did not last long the built quality was diabolical and trying to drive down the Autobahn in a straight line was almost impossible .They tell me the latest models are better but having tested one I have my doubts .My explorer leaves a disco for dead in every respect except fuel consumption
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Martin
I had a pair of safari spots (rabbit dazzlers) put on mine by an Independent LR
Garage using all LR wiring loom,switch etc.
Suffered for ages after that with battery going flat despite new batteries and alternator. Eventually found that they had been wired wrong and despite being switched off seepage was taking place from battery because of this. Took over two years to sort out.
Get it right for your own sake.
DVD
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It's cheaper for the manufacturer to make one wiring loom to suit all the model trim levels offered. ie, all possible permutations are catered for whether accessories are fitted or not.
It's not done for the convenience of retro-fitting accessories, but for manufacturing economy.
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I can understand the reason PDP but why bother selling the lights as a DIY fit, or why not mention it in the instructions or better still have the wiring work, all they need to do is miss out a fuse?
After spending £160 plus vat, the last thing i need is another bill for over £60.
Looks like I'll be going to the Lake district for a weekend and still have change, even after a B&B.
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I take your point Martin.
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The inability to carry out even the simplest home servicing is getting ridiculous.
The manual for my humble VW Lupo informs me that bulbs should be changed by a main dealer, as fitting involves the removal of other componants. Unfortunately, my nearest VAG agent is 20 miles away and does not open at night. Thats going to be a real laugh.
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There was a time, just before these new-fangled Pennies came out, when a dud, or even a cracked headlamp meant a trip to Halfords where a sealed "beam" unit was stacked up on the shelves, cost thirty five bob, and fitted fuor out of five cars on the road.
Even better than that, it was as easy as undoing one pinch bolt to remove the chrome rim, and three screws to remove the disposable reflector/filaments.
How oldfashioned it seemed, the procedure with older cars then were one had to open the bonnet and fiddle about changeing bulbs!
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Martin, I think you will find the fog lights make no difference anyway whether they work or not. They may have been better 25 years ago when the alternative was the old lucas 7", but modern headlamps seem to cut through just as well. Having said that, I've not seen proper fog for about 20 years anyway!
Regards
Mike
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Mike,
Nor have I, and I must admit to being slightly confused as to why anyone living in my area would bother to fit fog lights (apart from conforming to the latest fashion).
However, maybe Martin T. lives in a very foggy area, or goes off-road a lot, or uses remote lanes and back roads.
I just hope that he didn't spend the money to dazzle all us city dwellers when there isn't even 'Scotch Mist' in sight!
Martin.
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I really wanted them to dazzle others with either front or back foglights on.
Them and my 100watt spots that is.
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Are those for genuine fog, then? :-)
Can't see how programming the ECU would be an hour's job, unless they don't know how to do it (and the other guys wouldn't be offering it for free if it wasn't trivial). Annoying though, and the kit is not of merchantable quality if it doesn't allow you to accomplish the task. Trading Standards?
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Even if it did take an hour. £56+VAT, I'm in the wrong business. Mind you I'm sure the mechanic that presses the 'Activate' button won't see much of it.
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