Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Front

FOG LAMP RELAY

DESCRIPTION




The front fog lamp relay is a conventional International Standards Organization (ISO) micro relay. Relays conforming to the ISO specifications have common physical dimensions, current capacities, terminal patterns, and terminal functions. This relay is contained within a small, rectangular, molded plastic housing and is connected to all of the required inputs and outputs through five integral male spade-type terminals that extend from the relay base plate.

The front fog lamp relay is located in the Junction Block (JB) on the driver side outboard end bracket of the instrument panel. Refer to Junction Block in the wiring for specific relay cavity assignment information. The front fog lamp relay cannot be adjusted or repaired and, if inoperative or damaged, the unit must be replaced.

OPERATION
The front fog lamp relay is an electromechanical switch that uses a low current input from the Body Control Module (BCM) to control a high current output to the front fog lamps. Within the relay are an electromagnetic coil, a movable contact and two fixed contact points. A resistor is connected in parallel with the coil, and helps to dissipate voltage spikes and electromagnetic interference that can be generated as the field of the relay coil collapses.

The movable common supply contact point is held against the fixed normally closed contact point by spring pressure. When the relay coil is energized, an electromagnetic field is produced by the coil windings. This field draws the movable contact point away from the normally closed contact, and holds it against the normally open contact. When the relay coil is de-energized, spring pressure returns the movable contact back against the normally closed contact.

The inputs and outputs of the front fog lamp relay include:
- Common Supply Terminal (30) - The common feed terminal is connected to a fused B(+) circuit at all times.
- Coil Ground Terminal (85) - The coil ground terminal is connected to a control output of the premium Body Control Module (BCM) through a front fog lamp relay control circuit. The BCM controls front fog lamp operation by controlling a ground path through this circuit.
- Coil Battery Terminal (86) - The coil battery terminal is connected to a fused B(+) circuit at all times.
- Normally Open Terminal (87) - The normally open terminal is connected to the front fog lamps through a front fog lamp relay output circuit and provides battery voltage to the front fog lamps whenever the relay is energized.
- Normally Closed Terminal (87A) - The normally closed terminal is not connected in this application, but will have battery voltage present whenever the relay is de-energized.

The front fog lamp relay can be diagnosed using conventional diagnostic tools and methods. Refer to the appropriate wiring information.