Fog Light Panel
 

My car is strange. It has fog lights installed into the bumper, but no way to turn them on inside the car. The fuse box has a fuse installed for them, and there a second wire for something plugged into the panel I have in the car. There are new ones available, like this one from Autozone, but there's no way I'm paying $90 for it!

Instrument Cluster Dimmer Switch Sw8750 - Duralast (SW8750)

I've included some photos of a panel being sold on eBay for $30. On the photo of the back side, this particular unit has a 6 pin receiver. This is for both trac control and fog light operation. Fog light only units have 4 pins. The unit in my car has no pins, yet a harness plugs into that socket.

So, the question is, do I have a complete harness to the lights, but the wrong panel in the car? Or are the lights not hooked up to anything and buying and installing a panel with the light switch in it will be a waste of money? Were SC2s standard with fogs or were they an option?

I don't really need the fog lights. One of them is hanging by one bolt. And the other is full of water. I'm happy to leave it be.

According to the VIN look-up, it does have fog lights included. So, a previous owner did not just put them in for looks.

So why don't I have the correct interior panel? Hmm.

Well, the specifics of what I said are to be ignored as 3rd gen coupe combined dimmer and other controls into one panel somewhere along the line vs 2nd gen coupe.




Is your current trim panel labeled with TRAC and the fog light symbols? If not, I suppose it is conceivable that it is the panel for non TRAC non-Fog cars. Not too many explanations for a switch panel with no connections.


Maybe prev owner had the dimmer go bad and replaced it w the wrong part on purpose b/c it was cheaper (as you see) and he never used the fog lights....(?)


Does the VIN indicate TRAC?

As far as I know, manual transmission cars weren't available with traction control; only automatics.

I've pulled the panel out and looked at the harness, fuse box and lights. Pictures below.

Looks like the story of replacing the dimmer switch with the wrong part is more believable to me. It appears as if I have lights, wiring, and fuse....but no button.

Looking at the lights, the driver's side looks to be in good condition, if a bit scratched/faded/pitted/etc. The passenger side is hanging down and definitely has water and alien life in it. If I'm going to go for full functionality, I'm going to have to replace those lights too.

And that's going to get expensive quick.

GENUINE GM FOG LAMP ASSY, RIGHT - 2002 SATURN SC2 (21112488)

Saturn Part - 21112488 | FOG LAMP ASSY, RIGHT

$52.93 with mounting bracket and bolt.

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GENUINE GM LENS & HOUSING, RIGHT - 2002 SATURN SC2 (21112488)

Saturn Part - 21112488 | LENS & HOUSING, RIGHT

$52.93 lens + housing.

Check yours to see which version you need

Bizarre as they share the same part # on this site.

Above is to show approx cost and availability.
You should be able to clean up the lens on the driver's side.

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Dimmer

TRAC was an option on M/T's; I have it on my 97 SC2
It was apparently still an option in 02 as there are available all the combinations of the dimmer + buttons/panels with and without TRAC and w and w/o FOG, + the panel with neither.

There are only 2 switches w a functional FOG button--one w TRAC, one without. See link below, and recheck the vin decoder to see if it has trac control. Or wet down your neighbor's lawn and do donuts, watching the Inat panel for an amber flashing "TRAC" light. Actually you might be able to tell during initial key on self test.

GENUINE GM INSTRUMENT LIGHT RHEOSTAT - 2002 SATURN SC2 (21024102)
Part Notes: SATURN; W/TRACTION CONTROL; W/FOG LAMP

Saturn Part - 21024102 | INSTRUMENT LIGHT RHEOSTAT

$71.59 (again I did not shop around)


so about $130, and you may be able to enable the TRAC control you never knew you had. Actually I can't remember if the default state is reset to on when the key is cycled all the way through and removed. If you absolutely cannot determine if you have TRAC, just buy the one w both buttons so that you at worst have a button that does nothing. Same price.

Before spending a dime I would check the electrical connectors to see if they are useable and receive current with the switch on.

Enjoy

Thanks derf! :)

My traction control defaults to on at each key cycle. Mine was unplugged when I purchased the car. I don't recall if it worked when unplugged. Crs setting in at my age. Lol

That sounds about right that you would have to manually disable it and therefore GM wouldn't liable for the accident you got in except for the fact that using traction control got you into teh mess where you had to turn it off......

Why push the button to turn it off when you can just disconnect it so that 1 extra arm movement doesn't have to be performed?

I wounder how many minutes of the previous owner's life were saved by disconnecting the switch and not having to push it to turn it off

I will guess that it didn't work with the wires disconnected from the switch, as the circuit was open.

Besides, we all know how much control those little lights have over us.....