Replace Factory Fog Lamps

Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog Lamp

Auto Parts Industrial Ltd

12/10/06

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This is one of the more bizarre "remove & replace" experiences that I have had in a while.  It started out that the Cherokee flunked inspection because the fog lamps were not working.  That seemed easy enough.  The bulbs were burned out.  So I went to Wal*Mart and Advance Auto to find the bulbs.  This is the first installment of strange.  The generic H-3 55w bulb was very hard to find but the Silver Star were abundant but four times the price!  How ironic that a lamp that is colored to give off a bluer light would command such a major price difference.  They're no brighter and even more ironic is that under fog conditions blue light is the last thing that will help...  I managed to find the less expensive bulb but it was an ordeal.

H-3 55w bulbH-3 55w bulbH-3 55w bulb specsH-3 55w bulb

Thinking this would be a simple swap, I bounced home and set about taking the covers off the lamps so I could swap the bulbs.  Very funny.  The housing on the passenger side was so corroded the bulb, leads, reflector and cavity looked more like the inside of a cargo ship bilge.  The parts were nothing but a corroded mass.  I managed to get the lead separated in one piece but the housing was rubbish - the reflector was completely gone with no way to fix it.  The driver's side housing was far better and I was able to get the lamp out in one piece without damaging the housing, reflector or leads.

At this point I figured the least expensive route was to go get the passenger side housing from the dealer.  Very funny.  The price for one lamp at the dealer was $120.  My KC's aren't all that elaborate and rugged but I got two for less money than this little housing.  So I declined to have my wallet raided and hopped over to Wal*Mart to see what I could see.

I found a set of lights that were just about the right size and I happily brought them home to install.  But as soon as I set them down next to the OEM units a problem made itself apparent.  The mounting bracket was oriented differently and would not work properly.  The lamps would not be located inside the chin spoiler as they should.  The Wal*Mart units were value-priced and probably would not last long but with the savings I could replace them four times before I reached the cost of ONE OEM unit so I was OK with that.  But since they don't fit, back they go.  Strike Two.

Jeep Cherokee OEM Fog Lamp compared to Wal*Mart wannabee - Click to Enlarge
Jeep Cherokee OEM Fog Lamp compared to Wal*Mart wannabeeJeep Cherokee OEM Fog Lamp compared to Wal*Mart wannabee

Next I went to the Jeeps Unlimited message board and checked in to the Cherokee Tech Forum.  I did some searches and found a few leads.  I posted a message and got some advice.  That lead me to eBay and a listing for some aftermarket OEM-copies made by Auto Parts Industrial Ltd (Part No API No: JP76-219S-2).  The price sounded great - $62 for BOTH.  Sign me up.  Then I noticed the shipping fee - $30.  Sheesh.  What's up with that?  Some surfing showed that the price with shipping was the cheapest on the web but if I didn't like the units I was going to be out $30 because the shipping is not refundable.  What a load.  But I wanted to fix this problem so I bought them and crossed my fingers.

Jeep Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog Lamp - Click to EnlargeJeep Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog Lamp - Click to EnlargeJeep Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog Lamp - Click to Enlarge

Auto Parts Industrial Ltd

Jeep Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog LampJeep Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog Lamp

Cherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog LampCherokee Aftermarket (OEM clone) Fog Lamp

They came pretty quickly and are fairly hard to tell from the OEM units though there are some minor differences.  I spent some time installing them and then for the moment of truth.  Nothing.  The lamp switch on the panel has a pilot light that should come on.  It didn't.  And the fog lamps didn't come on either.  Wow!  Are we having fun yet?  Strike Three.  But wait, there's more...

More surfing and I learn that the OEM fogs have several weak points and the lamps are only one problem.  The following are also concerns:

  • Overloaded wiring leads to wiring failure

  • Relays regularly fail

  • Fuses blow

  • Panel switches fail

Basically every component in the system is known for premature failure.  Great....  I checked the fuse box.  Oh this is fun.  The fuse panel on the cowl inside the vehicle is not labeled.  It refers the user to the manual.  The manual refers the user to the fuse box cover.  I guess the engineers and the documentation people never worked out who was going to document the fuse layout.  I found a legend online and the fuse for the fogs is not in the interior panel... 

Power distribution center (under the hood)

Looking at the PDC from the front of the vehicle, the bottom right mini fuse is #16, the one above it is #17, the top one in the column is #18.

Fuse #19 is to the left (of #16)

Fuse #26 power amplifier

 

26

Pwr Amp

22

Fuel Pump Rel

18

Coil rail/injects

25

Fog Lamp

20

Comb flasher

17

02 Downstr Rel

23

Brake Lt Rel

19

Hdlt sw & data conn

16

Underhood lt, trans ctl mod, radio, int lts

 

Now to the junction/fuse block (inside kick panel)

1

Pwr Outlet

15

pass pwr lk/wind sw

2

Cig Lighter

16

cargo lamp/sw, court lmp, rad, instr clust, underhd lmp, trans cont mod

3

Lt Hdlmp

17

radio

4

Lt Hdlmp

18

pwr mir sw, drv pwr wind/lk sw, heat seat

5

Rt Headlmp

19

start motor rel

6

Dash Lts

20

trailer harn & turn relays

7

lic lt & lt side turn, park, mark, tail lt

21

horn(s)

8

Spare

22

rr wipe sw & mot

9

compass, sentry key, hdlt delay mod, instr clust

23

rt sd marker, turn, parking, tail lts

10

trans rng sens, duty cycle evap/purge sol, rad fan rel, a/c clut rel, o2 sens up/downstr relays, back up lt switch

24

Spare

11

trans ctl mod, pwrtrain ctl mod, auto shutdn rel, fuel pump relay

25

shift lock sol, a/c heat ctl, abs ctlr, abs ctl rel, blower mot rel, blend door actuator

12

inst cluster, comb flasher

26

airbag ctl mod

13

Spare

27

airbag ctl mod

14

pwr mirror, rear defogr & sw

 

 

 

The relay and fuse are supposed to be located in the Power Distribution Unit under the hood.  I checked that and again, the fuses are not labeled.  But the relay was labeled so I swapped it with the A/C clutch relay and still no lights.  It's possible that both relays are bad so that test isn't conclusive but does focus me to the as of yet unidentified fuses and the panel switch. 

So even though the fuse check would be the first thing, I am going to get a new switch and see if that helps.

What a thrash!  More as it happens...

12/25/06

The fog lamp switch came in from the dealer.  I took a minute to snap the dash panel out, unscrew the switch panel and connect the wiring to the switch without installing it (why bother if it isn't the problem?) and to my pleasure, the fog lamps work!  Problem solved - the switch was bad too!

MOPAR 1-05080861AA

Interesting note on this - they had in stock the switch with the relay on the connector.  Big bucks and not needed.  That is a part for installing aftermarket lights in vehicles without the factory installed relay and fuse.  I saved a bunch of money (though the switch was way too expensive even alone) by getting this part!

 

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