What’s this?? Drivers side fog light wiring?

[Daryl]

Chasing my headlight/fog light issue and came across this:

Note: I have installed new fog light assemblies since I’ve had the car (2-3 yrs) and some of the old wires went unused/unnecessary. Mostly curious what that silver box is; it’s stamped “3 years” on it; and the yellow “Error Cancel” box are? And are they necessary anymore?

Thanks for any/all help!

 

[ttocs]

hid ballast

 

[Daryl]

hid ballast

Do I need ANY of that since I’m using stock headlight and fog lights?

 

[ttocs]

nope, not if you are not using HID lights you do not need them.

 

[07GtS197]

I wonder if the headlights are also hids.

 

[badass98svt]

With an HID headlight harness, it plugs into one OEM headlight harness, and then the wires run over the other side of the car to plug into the other light (passenger side)
A common issue is one dim/flickering bulb.

Pretty sure he posted a pic of his OEM harness/bulb in one of his other threads though. It's hard to keep up.

 

[ttocs]

yea I wasn't aware there was anything hid in there before this. it is possible the ballast is bad and maybe taking too much current and limiting what the light can get is all I could guess. Even if he used an HID harness and ran it across to the other side, the stock light should still get power from the original harness and the one that was plugged into it would have to be disconnected.

 

[07GtS197]

I just went back and looked and he’s using halogens.

 

[Daryl]

I just went back and looked and he’s using halogens.

Yes, good old 9007’s

 

[07GtS197]

Here’s another test. Turn the lights on with the bulbs in and back probe the harness. Check the voltage with the bulb on and if your meter has an amp function, which it should, check how many amps it’s pulling. The circuit should be tested with a load on it. Also, check battery voltage with the lights plugged in and turned on. It could be the alternator not putting out enough amps when the electrical system is loaded.

 

[ttocs]

Here’s another test. Turn the lights on with the bulbs in and back probe the harness. Check the voltage with the bulb on and if your meter has an amp function, which it should, check how many amps it’s pulling. The circuit should be tested with a load on it. Also, check battery voltage with the lights plugged in and turned on. It could be the alternator not putting out enough amps when the electrical system is loaded.

to measure amps/current you need to disconnect the circuit and put the meter in series with it or use a clamp meter. You can measure voltage like you say but if you do current like this you can blow the fuse in the meter.

 

[07GtS197]

to measure amps/current you need to disconnect the circuit and put the meter in series with it or use a clamp meter. You can measure voltage like you say but if you do current like this you can blow the fuse in the meter.

Gotcha. I’m not as experienced with electrical as I’d like to be.