Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,780
Likes: 184
From: Lineville, AL
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
OK, I am at a loss. Tried searching but found nothing to tie this weird thing together. I was at breakfast with the Mrs just after the funeral of a close friend, and I looked out of the window at my XF. The fog lights were flashing. Steady pulses of light just flashing along. No siren, no other lights. Just the fogs (left and right side). I went ahead and dug the key fob out of my pocket, and unlocked the doors. The flashing stopped. Before you suggest it was a 'butt dial' of some sort, I tried to replicate the flashing fogs but no sequence of button pushing would result in just the fog lights flashing constantly. I am at a loss, and the forum search wasn't helping any (or that I could find). Never heard of this one either, that I can remember. Only thing I did was I just yesterday installed the 18 segment license plate light sets. There doesn't seem to be any link whatsoever in that install and the fog lights. Neither in the circuit or the wiring, and I cannot imagine any component or glitch in those lights that would set off the fogs. 
Ideas anyone? I can only think of the timing circuit thing that the fogs do when you park and turn off the headlights - could that be related ??????
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 14,601
Likes: 36
From: IN
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
you have to stop drinking your breakfast..... I use to have wig wags on my fog lights on the Camaro.... it was cool.... I had them on the headlights too...and a few other colors in the grille...and ....well, you get the picture...sober up......
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 25,432
Likes: 647
From: Ontario
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
If it happens again you should not stop it but look for a relay that is causing it, hopefully you can hear a click click from somewhere.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 9,595
Likes: 26
From: Kellyville, Ok
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
She starts with a quick (and I do mean quick) turn/release of the key. Maybe three rur rur rur (gears on flywheel) before starting real strong! I would not suspect the battery as I just last month removed and totally cleaned up the battery and below, with complete cleaning of all 4 clamp/post contact points (and correctly tightened). Ditto on my 04 Varta..
Then stopping at the Quick Trip store for the enroute to work breakfast.. No more starts left.
The only clue was a maybe half second longer crank cycle for about a week. Might just want to tape an envelope on the battery with $140 bucks in it... Then your ready just in case..
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,780
Likes: 184
From: Lineville, AL
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Here is a thought... I used to own a 1999 Olds Intrigue with a 3.8L GM transverse mounted front wheel drive workhorse. Every time I drove up to the closest drive through window at my local bank branch (only the one branch and just the closest stall to the building, none of the other branches/main office) the rpm's would go up to @ 2500 or so all by itself. I never could figure that out except to think it must be some sort of EMI that the banks security systems was leaking/interfering with something in the ECU or such in the car. Could being so close to the AF Base (and the jets were flying at the time) or something emitting high EMI have temporarily affected the car systems? I tried looking over the schematics and being so many systems/subsystems are interconnected, it could be a stray burst of EMI along many different routs as to be near totally impossible to trace. Any other electronic techs care to jump in? It is feasible, just far reaching. I cannot even imagine how to monitor it without staring at the front of the car in the garage 24/7 (my wife would love to keep me occupied constantly doing that, thats for sure). So, anyone else ever experience something like this that is just as quirky? It was the Mayan prophecies fizzling out ......
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 698
Likes: 3
From: Chicago
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Hey George, I can think of quite a number of other 'things' that I would rather have flash me, other than my fog lights... Hasn't happened again yet, as far as the random glances out to the garage at night. If they go off when in the garage, the whole window set will light up. Been trying to catch em if they ever do go off in the garage. For sure I am not going to sit and stare at my fog light all day n night. If I start watching them lights, I might as well check myself into the VA hospital and tell em to hold onto me for a while. There is nothing wrong with staring at a beautiful car all day long hahahah.
Then again, others around you might not understand how a car can move the soul, so to say :P
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
From: Derby, KS
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Here is a thought... I used to own a 1999 Olds Intrigue with a 3.8L GM transverse mounted front wheel drive workhorse. Every time I drove up to the closest drive through window at my local bank branch (only the one branch and just the closest stall to the building, none of the other branches/main office) the rpm's would go up to @ 2500 or so all by itself. I never could figure that out except to think it must be some sort of EMI that the banks security systems was leaking/interfering with something in the ECU or such in the car. Could being so close to the AF Base (and the jets were flying at the time) or something emitting high EMI have temporarily affected the car systems? I tried looking over the schematics and being so many systems/subsystems are interconnected, it could be a stray burst of EMI along many different routs as to be near totally impossible to trace. Any other electronic techs care to jump in? It is feasible, just far reaching. I cannot even imagine how to monitor it without staring at the front of the car in the garage 24/7 (my wife would love to keep me occupied constantly doing that, thats for sure). So, anyone else ever experience something like this that is just as quirky?
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
From: Derby, KS
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Not exactly sure what your meaning. Is the siren randomly going off? There are a number of folks who have just unplugged the siren module plug until they could find the replacement siren that was going wacky so maybe just unplug it would stop the alarm. If the siren is at its limit for its life, it might be your problem. My problem was the fog lights were just flashing. No siren, nothing else lighting. Just the fogs flashing. I went out to the car and opened/closed the car doors (I have the chirping siren and the OEM one installed) but never had a siren/alarm activation I didn't cause or set off. Anyway, if the siren is going off, maybe you should try unplugging it. Let us know if it is just the siren going off, or what. Oh, BTW, my fog lights have yet to go off again as far as I can tell. So, a quirky glitch? Or maybe EMI from something local to my car that day? 
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,502
Likes: 1,131
From: St Louis MO
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
Let'sface reality here. These cars have a host of computer driven issues. Almost schizofrentic topschotic episodes of madness.
It is not the technology but the result of the break up of their parents while they were so young.
Our cars are just mentaly damaged kids. Drugs and Pshyciatry are the only hope of coping. You have two choices.
See a qualified doctor for you
,,,,,or for the car.
Or just replace the battery.
Five years? OMG man!
It is not the technology but the result of the break up of their parents while they were so young.
Our cars are just mentaly damaged kids. Drugs and Pshyciatry are the only hope of coping. You have two choices.
See a qualified doctor for you
,,,,,or for the car.Or just replace the battery.
Five years? OMG man!
Last edited by Franc Rauscher; Jan 21, 2013 at 07:59 PM.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 711
Likes: 4
From: Ontario
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
I never could figure that out except to think it must be some sort of EMI that the banks security systems was leaking/interfering with something in the ECU or such in the car.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 25,432
Likes: 647
From: Ontario
Re: Fog lights flashing steady this afternoon.
In another life I was a sound engineer for a television network and had to deal with EMI and RFI all the time when running wireless mics etc..and your suggestion of EMI interference is a very real phenomenon that exists, not sure if applies to this however. You reminded me of a road trip I took many years ago, driving a '94 Volvo 850. I returned to the car with the entire family and the doors wouldn't open with the key fob. Odd I thought. Why the sudden failure? Then I looked up and realized we were parked directly outside the doors of a television station with a huge transmission tower on the roof. I just smiled and drove away pretty much knowing what had just happened. I drove away and the problem never returned....