My 1996 Sovereign is having an off day, or should I say night! Last evening as it became dark, I switched on my lights including the dipped headlights. To my surprise the front and rear fog lights warnings came on and will NOT go off by selecting the push buttons. If all the lights are switched off, then the warning lamps and the fog lights go off. But on putting on the headlights, the fogs illuminate. Where do I start to try to fix the problem? Since it is illegal to drive with fog lights on, when there is good visibility suggests that sooner or later, the arm of the law will descend upon me!

 

I would look at the relays first. Corrosion can cause the problem.

 

I understand that the appropriate relays are under the bonnet/hood on the left hand side. There are a number- all black - but I cannot see how to release them since there is a metal bar/pressing preventing their removal. I cannot see how to remove said pressing! The only fastener around seems to be a star headed screw that would release the whole block of relays. Getting a bit and a small wrench on that screw with the small space available seems problematic since as you begin to unscrew the fastener, you quickly use up all the available space come to a complete stop!

 

Your car is a bit different to mine which doesn't have the separate relays at the front (I have a bulb control module instead) so I can't picture the issue you have removing the relays - can you post a photo? The other relay sockets just pull off their mounting when you release the tang.

In any case, I would suspect your issue is more to do with BPM. But access to the relays/pins may be needed for testing (and you can pull the fog light relay to disable them).

You can buy a BPM on ebay for about £20 and even if it isn't the problem, it's a great diagnostic tool to have a spare one.

 

I have now discovered that the relays behind the headlamp do NOT pull out, but have to be pushed down to remove the relay plus associated wiring. Then the assembly can be separated! Now to find the correct one and try to fix it!

 

Fixed it! Managed to remove all the relays behind the headlamp and treated them to a good dose of electrical switch cleaner. On re-assembly all is back to normal. However, the washer motor still did not operate although the wiper did. So, off with the nearside wheel, off with the undertray and off with the under-wing wheel liner. Removed the motor, replaced with a new one - it works. Re-assembly was not without its problems since some of the plastic fasteners have seen better days. I now need to acquire a few new ones. E-bay here I come. On checking the removed motor, there is no electrical continuity between the two contacts. Kaput!

 

Littlelic, if you look at the windscreen wash motor, where the input socket is, you will see that there are a "+" and "-" sign on the top of the socket. Get a pair of pincers type pliers and gently rock this socket away from the motor body until it pops off. The brushes for the motor are the other side of the socket. Be careful not to bend these although if you do, careful re-bending can and does work. Use some cottonbuds with switch cleaner to clean carbon residue from the commutator and pop the socket back in. I was damned if I was going to pay £80 for a new one and scrapyard motors were just as bad.

The removal of the socket was good for at least 3 or 4 goes, just make sure you replace with the "+" and "-" on the top of the motor.

 

overtheatlantic, When I inspected the defective pump motor, I discovered a small, 10mm, crack going from the intake spout upwards toward the top of the pump. I imagined that it looked slightly swollen also. So, I removed the electrical contact sleeve with some considerable difficulty and lo and behold was met with evidence of considerable minor devastation. Clearly water had invaded the body of the pump and caused significant corrosion and the bearings had seized. This pump is beyond redemption. I do intend to strip it down to its component parts somehow - possibly with a dremmel, to see how it went together.