So I see that there are MANY people that are distraught about the current situation with the fog light system. Well worry no more. You need not go to the dealer/parts store and buy new switches for high prices. Simply go to the junkyard and REBUILD your switch. This is the short version. Now if you want to FIX the problem for good. Simply follow the instructions henceforth.

First you need to make sure that your factory switch is in good working order since even though they have a relay for the power of the fog lights, they put all the positive power going to them through the damn switch. So you need to take the switch out and remove the light bulbs from the case.




Then you undo the clips and pull the switch apart. Remember to keep the wire plug in facing up so you can see how it goes together. The contact portion usually overheats and melts the holder around it as seen here.




You can go down to the u-pull or any other junk yard and get a rear defroster switch or I think even a rear wiper switch for this contact part. They all come apart the same but they have like new internals. Put the new internals in the fog light switch, clean the contact plate, and bam. $30-$60 saved. If using a defroster switch, remove that white pin that you see in the moving parts. Just pull it out.





Also, if for some reason the relay doesn't fire like it should like in the white XJ, here is the easy fix for that. And this is also needed for the real fix.



Just a jumper from blade to blade and it's still fused on the factory fuse.

If you just want them working and don't mind rebuilding the switches every time they melt down, then you can stop here.

Now for the real adding of a relay fix. First you need to do the jumper and the switch rebuild then make your way over to the front light harness near the computer. When you are at it, you need to look at the body side section. There's a blue wire that is on the end of the connector. This is the output of the switch you just fixed.



Strip the tape off the bundle so you can get some room for splicing. When you cut the blue wire in two, the wire that comes from the harness will be the power wire that powers the relay contact. The one that goes in to the harness plug is the output of the switched power from the relay.




Add a ground for the relay somewhere close and bring you a fused power wire from the power block on the other side of the engine bay. Solder the wire splices and now you should have working fog lights.



NOTE: This makes them be fully manual. If you leave the switch on, it WILL drain your battery. This makes them no longer keyed with the ignition or the headlight switch.

Relevant pics.

 

Terrific write-up, great tips and very helpful pictures! Thanks for taking the time and effort to share this. Wish I'd had it two months ago when I was figuring out my switch issues.

 

You can also use this method to ADD aftermarket fog lights.

 

Since there's been a lot of interest in fog light switches and panels here of late, I figured I'd give this a bump.

 

sub'd...

I'm almost positive I can use this later when I add lights !!!

thanks for the bump and excellent write-up