[toothfairy]

I have replaced the driving light switch twice on my 2009 Wing.
It has quit working again.
Any ideas why the switch would keep failing?

 

[Rocky]

Do you run your fog light on all the time? if so thats why!

Honda never intended to have people run them all the time .The wiring/switch can't handle the heat from them being on all the time.

You need to add a Relay that uses the stock switch as the relay trigger.This takes the heat out of the equasion.via the relay that goes right to the battery.

No more melted switches.

You need these two items.
Switch:
http://www.electricalconnection.com/power-distribution/switch-gl18fog.htm

Harness w/relay:
http://www.electricalconnection.com/wire-harnesses/hrns-gl18-foglight-upgrade.htm

 

[Sandy]

More details

Do the contacts burn up or does the mechanism fail to hold the switch on or off?

 

[toothfairy]

Fog Light Switch Trouble

Thanks for the info. I will order harness ASAP

 

[jomamma1]

The fog lights on my 2005 are on all the time via the switch. It has failed on me twice, but the failure had nothing to do with being on constantly. The lube in the switch just dried up causing the switch to stick. Both times I pulled the switch apart to lube it. The electrical contacts showed no sign of arcing, pitting, or burning. In fact they were clean bright copper.

My hazard light switch has failed in the same manor as the fog light switch, and it has never been used except to test it about once a year or so.

Joe in Modesto

 

[LarryM]

There is a little bit of misinformation being stated here.

If this setup is the OEM Honda foglights, Honda did a poor job of engineering this circuit. They do not turn their foglights on with a relay like every other foglight setup on the planet. They drive the lamps directly through the switch. I guess they figured since they were using only 35 watt bulbs that the switch could handle all the current. They were wrong.

Yes, the switches are known to stick. But with the OEM wiring, what typically happens is that the switch contacts get resistive and start to heat up. When that happens, it melts the surrounding plastic. With the plastic supports melted, the insides of the switch just fall apart.

It has nothing to do with running them all the time. Running them all the time will obviously cause the switch to fail sooner.. But no manufacturer would ever build a foglight circuit with the intent of the lights only being run occasionally. The current being drawn by the lamps is just too high for the switch.

The bypass harness from Electrical Connection will fix this problem. But it is only for the OEM foglights.

 

[Ed_S]

The fog lights on my 2005 are on all the time via the switch. It has failed on me twice, but the failure had nothing to do with being on constantly. The lube in the switch just dried up causing the switch to stick. Both times I pulled the switch apart to lube it. The electrical contacts showed no sign of arcing, pitting, or burning. In fact they were clean bright copper.

My hazard light switch has failed in the same manor as the fog light switch, and it has never been used except to test it about once a year or so.

Joe in Modesto

The hazard light switch on my '05 sticks in the on position, too. I fiddled with it enough that I got it to turn off, but I hope I won't ever need the hazard lights because I don't think they'll turn off again without considerable button-pushing. Can I just shoot some WD-40 into this switch like the Cruise Control and Reverse switches, or is this a different style of switch?

 

[firefly]

Just wondering....will you get the same heat build up using the LED driving lights.

Ray

 

[Rocky]

The bypass harness from Electrical Connection will fix this problem. But it is only for the OEM foglights.

EC's harness will work on all of them.I have installed many sets this way.

I have the EC lights on my own bike set up this way.It's 2004 with the same switch that was installed in 2004.

Just wondering....will you get the same heat build up using the LED driving lights.

Ray

Ray.LED lights use far less current to run.EC should be able to tell you what their lights draw as far as current goes.

So No-I don't think LED lights would require the harness,But I'd rather be safe than sorry,and suggest you talk to the people who sell them at EC.

 

[Bvanor]

I recently purchased and installed the "Electrical Connection" Fog Lights and was impressed with the complete system, wiring harness with switch, relay, fuse, etc. The cost was significantly less than Honda, and other after market vendors.
Here is a link to their Goldwing fog lights. http://www.electricalconnection.com/driving-lights/dl_gl1800-perf.htm

 

[firefly]

Thanks Rocky,

I will look into the need for the harness.

Ray

 

[NRA Life Member]

There is a little bit of misinformation being stated here.

If this setup is the OEM Honda foglights, Honda did a poor job of engineering this circuit. They do not turn their foglights on with a relay like every other foglight setup on the planet. They drive the lamps directly through the switch. I guess they figured since they were using only 35 watt bulbs that the switch could handle all the current. They were wrong.

Yes, the switches are known to stick. But with the OEM wiring, what typically happens is that the switch contacts get resistive and start to heat up. When that happens, it melts the surrounding plastic. With the plastic supports melted, the insides of the switch just fall apart.

It has nothing to do with running them all the time. Running them all the time will obviously cause the switch to fail sooner.. But no manufacturer would ever build a foglight circuit with the intent of the lights only being run occasionally. The current being drawn by the lamps is just too high for the switch.

The bypass harness from Electrical Connection will fix this problem. But it is only for the OEM foglights.

I agree completely with this post and not just because my name is Larry too. My switch did exactly this and as a quick patch, I put my switch in the ON position and ty-wrapped the crap out of it until it stayed on and I limped it home. It's been working so well that it's been that way for the last 25000 miles. I tried to buy a new switch today but the Honda shop gave me the wrong one. I may just upgrade to the EC lights, harness, relay and switch and call it good.