400i Series 2 fog light operation

Just the rear lights mounted in the bumper.

Al
'84 400iA 50605

 

Yes, that is/was a requirement in Europe, at least northern Europe where it is foggy for 6 months per year. The fog lamps are as bright as brake lights and that is only light that is on unless you turn the running lights. A second requirement is that the fog light switch is illuminated so you do not leave it on when there is no fog. That is a real pain in the butt if you are driving behind a car when there is no fog.
Ken

 

Are you talking about these lights? In my case these lights come on with the highbeams.

Al
400i 50605
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Hey you all!!
I've been meaning to bring this up for a while now, but had to get a wiring diagram manual to verify what I was seeing through the magnifying glass in the owner's manual!!
I remember back in the 60's watching James Bond & other European movies that cars would flash their headlights or foglights at cars in front of them to warn them that they were going to pass.
Here in the states, nowadays, nobody except grandmoms & some other wildcards out there keep the one car/10mph spacing. I could only figure that the only way someone in front of you would see your daylight flashers(as low as they are mounted)would be in their side rear view mirrors(personally, my side mirrors are angled to pick up where my rear view mirrors leave off, to better my blind spot visuals , so I wouldn't see the flash in my side mirrors), and it does not seem that people look in them very often(which you should often, in the event you have to make an evasive move, you know your range).
With that being said, I figured that the daylight flashers would be more useful as foglights, though I don't want to change them over to 'just' foglights. I'd like to put the switch for them at the lower console behind the window lift switches(where the blank-off switch is). I planned on taking the 12v. feed to the daylight switch at the connector(under the dash@steering column-there are 3 connectors in that area that wire-in the 3 column levers)to the lower console location, and bringing a return(12v.)back to the same connector to the terminal that signals the relay. I have to find that switch to fit that slot(lighted, of course)as I don't want to bastardize the install! For those of you who don't have the schematics and need the pin #'s of the connector, I can reply. Any thoughts out there?

 

I was thinking about using the rear fog lights as brake lights as well. I was going to use a diode (large) to jump from the brake circuit to the fog light circuit. They would work as brake lights and I could use them as fog lights with the switch. I guess you could do the same with the front fogs.

 

Dave,
Do you mean the switch above the console ash tray? This switch operates the rear fogs only, and only when the running or headlights are on. They won't work if lights are off.
Come to think of it, I should use this switch to activate the fogs. I had this switch out several months ago--Has an 8 pin plug into it...
Pin 1--to rear fogs (orange/red)
Pin 4--has continuity to Pin 1 & Pin 7 with switch 'ON' (gray)
Pin 5--12v.(yellow)
Pin 8--??(black/purple)
I'll check wiring diagram to verify all this and to figure out #4 & #8. It makes sense(to me anyway) to utliize this switch for front fogs as well, Pin 7 looks like the likely candidate.
Bruce

 

The front lights are set up as "flash to pass" only since the regular headlights are recessed. Seems like a waste of lights to me, but what do I know?

John

 

Bruce,
Thats sounds like a good idea. Use the switch for the front fogs and hook the rear fogs to the brake circuit.
Any idea if the front fog fixtures can take the heat of being on for more than a flash?

 

My 1980 400i #28903 has an unconnected yellow/blue wire that is just dangling loose at the connector on the switch side..there is already one yellow/blue wire (parking) inserted into the connector and I can't figure out for the life of me where ( if anywhere )this second wire belongs..I have the diagram blown upto to 24"x36" and still can't figure it out..any ideas out there..by the way..if any of you guys would like a larger copy of this..let me know..and I'll make some up ant my cost plus shipping..I also have the1985 schematic in a larger size..thank you all ever so much..Jacques...over..

 

Jacques,
My exploded wiring diagram(pub. 291/83) shows a lt. blue/yellow(AG color code) coming from the 'Main/dipped beam changeover and flash switch', through a 6 pin connector, and going to Relay C in the fuse box which powers the headlamp lifting motors. Be sure that there is a lt. blue/yellow wire on each side of the connector(adjacent to the steering column/under dash). First check to see if the lights pop up when you turn the headlight switch on---if they don't, you'll probably find that the connector has a lt. blue/yellow on one side of it only.
Bruce

 

I assume that my wiring pub. 291/83 applies to the series II 400i's, but the switch terminals and leads don't match up to what I have in the car. I was able to verify in the owner's manual wiring diagram that Pin 5(yellow) is for 12v. illumination, and Pin 8 is the ground for illumination. Also determined that I can't use this switch to power up the front fogs because the wire guage serving the switch is not heavy enough(1.5mm required) to power-up the front flasher relay(no relay used for rear fogs, just current). Back to the original switch idea.