Driving Lights Don't Work - Help Please

[edaddy]

I installed the factory driving lights today with the assistance of the great write-up by TimMullen Install Article and the addition of wiring the extra switch, since my Elise is a slightly later build and was "pre-wired" (for a switch). Everything went perfect. All wrapped and ready to aim and.... nothing. They didn't work! A part of the instructions for installation for "pre-wired" cars is to change the relay (on the "scuttle beam" - don't you love brit-speak). My first step in trouble shooting was to pull out the new, replacement relay. Looks OK. I was going to put the original back in for kicks to see what would happen but when looking at the Bosch part numbers and other markings on both relays, they were exactly the same! I'm thinking that maybe the person putting together the kit at Lotus included the wrong relay.

Question: does anyone know the Bosch part number for the Lotus driving light relay - shown as p/n C079M6141F in the Service Bulletin? My relays (both) have a Bosch number of 0 332 209 159 on the top and 1626239 on the side. I know it's not the easiest part to reach or see, but if someone with "pre-wired" driving lights could post the Bosch number for their relay, I would really appriciate it.

[GetBoost]

The Driving Light relay is just a regular relay. I'm just using the ordinary relay bought at an autostore for $3 and it works fine. The lights will only come on when you have your high beam on and the switch activated. Does the light on the switch button lights up when your turn it on?

[edaddy]

Thanks GetBoost. I don't understand why Lotus would instruct a change when installing driving lights if it's the same part....

All the regular lights work fine and I knew that the driving lights should only come on both when the new switch is turned on and the high beams are activated. Neither they, nor the green light on the third switch are coming on though (with the high beams).

Do you have factory driving lights? If so, it would be great if you could relay the relay part #

[TimMullen]

Obviously it wasn't used on my car, but the relay is in a package with the Lotus part number C079M6141F. the relay is a gray Bosch with the numbers 0 332 209 159 on the top (under the info: 12V 20/30A). The side of the relay has the number 1626239 on it. The other side has 492123 P3 on it. All the same as what you wrote in your message.

Are you sure that you were supposed to remove one relay and install the new one? I was under the impression that you were supposed to install the new relay in a blank socket...

The "instructions" include the step:
8. Locate the new relay base fitted on the front side of the scuttle beam above the passenger footwell, and insert the new changeover relay.

It doesn't sound like you are supposed to remove and replace a relay, just add a new one. Can you check under there and see if there is an empty socket?

[Dave]

Just an FYI the fuse, as I remember, is located under the dash, near the center & OBDII. It is the only fuse in an inline block of 4 (other 3 are empty). 15A I believe.

[GetBoost]

Tim's correct. There should be a blank relay socket that you add the relay to, not replace. There are 2 relays beneath the passenger side which contains existing relays and isn't it. The driving light relay socket, at least on my Feb 05 built, is towards the center and by itself. The socket is screwed into the aluminum "scuttle beam" which is bascially the back of aluminum tray (in which you can put thing in and gets sliding around when you turn).

I'm curious on why the blue indicator light on the 3rd switch isn't turning on with the high beam and the switch being activated. It might be related to the relay to close that circuit.

I didn't get the Lotus Driving Light so I don't know the specifics. I installed a set of fog lights using the pre-wired harness and relay, made my own switch and used the "illumination" output on the stereo deck for source. This way I can turn the fog lights on independent of the high beam, yet it turns off when I turn off the indicator lights switch.

[edaddy]

Tim, You're the man

Now that I've been intimate with the scuttle beam for some time, I see that there is a second slot on the passenger's side above where I had swapped the relay's originally. Unfortunately, it had a relay in it already too (same Bosch #)

I tried no relays, two relays (which was failed originally) and one in each slot with no success. It's pretty simple under there, and there were no other places for a relay on the passenger's side - though there were two small fuse blocks, one with just one fuse.

So I looked some more and guess what.... there's another open relay socket hiding behind the heater control cable, more on the drivers side (at least that's my excuse).

So with three relays in total the lights work great now.

Thanks all!

[Martin F]

Considering the crappy directions, you did well. I had the same problem and I installed them this morning. Now I just need to figure out of I want to allow them to turn on anytime vs. with just the high beams.

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by Martin F

Considering the crappy directions, you did well. I had the same problem and I installed them this morning. Now I just need to figure out of I want to allow them to turn on anytime vs. with just the high beams.

You shouldn't want them on without the high beams - the driving lights are very bright auxiliary high beams, so you shouldn't drive around with just them on. It be the same as driving around with your high beams on.

The Lotus Driving Lights are not the same as fog lights that are on most cars.

[Martin F]

I understand. That's why I didn't do it to begin with. I have a co worker with them wired so he controls them. I wanted to see how bright they were alone.

Interesting thing with mine is one seems to be much more yellow then the other. May need to replace both of them to make them match.

[tvacc]

Hello all.

Just finished installing my lights...last night I did the light part and tonight I did the switch panel and put in the relay. With the car off I tested the lights.

With the high beams on...I pushed the Driving light switch on and the lights come on..but when I let go they go out. I have to keep it pushed to have the driving lights.

Is it because I dont have the car turned on? What am I missing here...

I could not see the relay socket...I assume it only goes in one way...I fumbled a bit and it went in....

Please help..

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by tvacc

With the high beams on...I pushed the Driving light switch on and the lights come on..but when I let go they go out. I have to keep it pushed to have the driving lights.

I think someone else had a similar problem.

Could you have swapped the switch with one of the other light buttons? The other light buttons are momentary contact buttons - they are closed only when pushed. The driving light switch is a "latching" push-on, push off switch. You can feel the difference when pushed - the driving light button will stay "down", and when pushed again, will be pack "up".

If you didn't swap the buttons/switches with the other light switches, they may have supplied the wrong one in the kit (I think that was the other person's problem).

[tvacc]

I do not think I swapped the switches..

As I was installing the switches...I did notice a difference in the switches when pressed.

As I have no other car to look at....Are both the Parking/Side marker switch and the main beam switch BOTH momentary contact?

I seem to remember that one of those was a push...indent...on...push indent off ....type of switch...

Tony

[tvacc]

Ok...

I just looked at mine. the top switch...parking lights is a push in...click and the lights go on. Then push.....click and the lights go off. There is a "height" difference between on and off. You can feel the diff.

The middle or mains switch is I believe a momentary. Because you push it and the lights go on (stayon)..push and the lights go out. There is no difference in height.

Of course the bottom one for the driving lights is a momentary...push and hold..lights stay on....take finger off...lights go out

Can you tell me what you have in your car?

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by tvacc

I just looked at mine. the top switch...parking lights is a push in...click and the lights go on. Then push.....click and the lights go off. There is a "height" difference between on and off. You can feel the diff.

Well, Tony, since you are such a nice guy...

I hiked all the long way out to the parking lot and back on this hot day and checked my car (does that make you feel bad for putting me through all that effort ).

Both the parking light and headlight switches are momentary push buttons. Which makes sense now that I think about it - they are "signals" to the switch pack. When you push the parking light button the parking lights come on, and push it again, and they go off. But if you push the headlight button, the headlights and the parking lights both go on. Push the headlight button again, and only the headlights go off. You then have to push the parking light button to turn them off - so the parking lights are turned on "automagically" without pushing the button but still require you to push the momentary button to turn them back off.

I suspect that you have the driving light and the parking light buttons switched (pun intended ).

By the way, both the parking light and the headlight buttons have a green light (LED?) in the middle of the button. I don't know what color the driving light should be because my car isn't wired for the switch...

[goelise]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

By the way, both the parking light and the headlight buttons have a green light (LED?) in the middle of the button. I don't know what color the driving light should be because my car isn't wired for the switch...

It's blue.

[tvacc]

Thanks to Tim and all the others. I must have switched them without realizing it..Will swap them out today...and let you know.

[tvacc]

All Set....that was the problem. I must have swapped the switches during the install. Yes..my Driving light switch is blue..

Thanks to Tim, GoElise and everybody else.

[LotusLust]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

You shouldn't want them on without the high beams - the driving lights are very bright auxiliary high beams, so you shouldn't drive around with just them on. It be the same as driving around with your high beams on.

The Lotus Driving Lights are not the same as fog lights that are on most cars.

very bright indeed. i rounded a corner the other night and there was a car coming towaqrd me a block ahead. i dimmed. he U turned and then lit me up. i pulled over and he proceeded to tell me "all those lights you have on that thing are illegal"

i told him i thought he was wrong and that they switch with the brights. then he questined the legality of the side markers. then i asked him for his badge number. after that he gave me my license and let me go on my way. i really think it was just a random stop in downtown to sniff for drinking. that has now happened a couple times in teh last month. (i assume he COULD have ticketed me for the burned out headlight but he didn't)

[sentino]

Originally Posted by LotusLust

very bright indeed. i rounded a corner the other night and there was a car coming towaqrd me a block ahead. i dimmed. he U turned and then lit me up. i pulled over and he proceeded to tell me "all those lights you have on that thing are illegal"

i told him i thought he was wrong and that they switch with the brights. then he questined the legality of the side markers. then i asked him for his badge number. after that he gave me my license and let me go on my way. i really think it was just a random stop in downtown to sniff for drinking. that has now happened a couple times in teh last month. (i assume he COULD have ticketed me for the burned out headlight but he didn't)

Stupid question. . . A U.S. issued Elise would not come with fog lights (optional)? And I read that they are not really "fog lights" but high beam auxiliary? I've seen pictures with these lamps installed, and look really cool. I would like them on my first Elise. Can someome clarify? THANKS!!