Club 80-90 Forums

Lots of folks seem to have issues with relay 292 headlight buzzer...
here's my story.
If you just want an easy solution read the red bit below.

I got myself a relay 292 headlight buzzer and plugged it into position 7.
It didn't work, (yes I have a relay 99 fitted)
And my rear fog light didn't work.

So I dug out the wiring diagrams to figure out what's going on.

first off, the pinout for relay 292-

pin 86-ignition + (detects ignition on)
pin 85-ground
pin 58-light switch (detects lights on)
pin R- works the same as pin 58

When you pulg it into position 7 it is connected like this...

pin 86 to foglight switch,
pin 85 to ignition + (x relay contact)
pin58 to lights
pin R to ground (ie: not used.)

So it works like this-
It detects lights-on via pin 58,
pin 86 is basically open circuit so it thinks ignition is off all the time.
and for it to buzz it needs to ground it's pin 85 via relay 99 when x relay is off, ie: when ignition is off.
This is not quite how it was designed to work but it gets away with it if you're lucky.
BUT the rear fog light will never work, there's no power getting to the fog light switch.

To get the rear fog light to work you need either a proper relay in position 7 or the little brass jumper that connects pin 4 to pin 3 on the relay socket to get power to the fog light switch.
If you have front fog lights you need a proper relay in position 7.

My solution was to forget plugging it into position 7 and wire it separately.
like this-

Pin 86 to fuse box terminal G2. (or G5)
pin 85 to a chassis screw. ( I used one of the glove box bracket screws)
pin 58 to fuse box terminal G9.
Pin R left disconnected.

It works.
And so does my fog light if I leave the little brass jumper or a normal 4 pin relay in position 7.
And it doesn't rely on relay 99.

I have another solution which involves rewiring buzzer 292 internally so it will work properly in position 7 and work a rear fog light too.
But is it really worth it?

I wonder if your van has different wiring to mine.I have had the buzzer relay on my van for years with no modifications needed.

Thanks Rob.
Does your rear fog light work ok?

It does mate..

Cheers mate.
Maybe I and others who've had issues have different wiring right enough.

And I thought it was me, it doesn't work in my van either but never bothered to find out why !!

you can buy a buzzer for a few quid on ebay, wire it from the sidelight feed to the cab door switch.

bigbadbob76 wrote: I have another solution which involves rewiring buzzer 292 internally so it will work properly in position 7 and work a rear fog light too.
But is it really worth it?

Go on go on go on go on. You know you want to!

RogerT wrote:Go on go on go on go on. You know you want to!

Well... I did... and it now works fine in position 7, rear fog light works too.
A bit of surgery to re-route the connections on the little pcb in the 292 and all works as it should without needing relay 99.

I didn't want it wired to the doors Paul, as I often go through the back when I stop, without opening a door.

bigbadbob76 wrote: I often go through the back when I stop, without opening a door.

ohh err

come on what's the mod, piccies please

I'll have to pop the 292 open again to take pics but you just have to cut two tracks on the pcb and make three links.

the ground track going to pin 85 needs cut and linked to pin R instead (so it's earthed properly, not through relay 99)
the ignition sense track to pin 86 needs cut and linked to pin 85 instead (so it gets connected to the X supply)
pin 86 then needs linked to pin 58. (to route lights power to the fog light switch)
Simples.

So I got a relay 292 just before lockdown ‘life’ began and forgot about it until this week (!) when I found it again and fitted it. Not surprisingly having re read the Wiki, because I have relay 19 fitted, it doesn’t work or rather it works randomly and therefore unreliably. I’d like to wire it outside of position 7 as described (in red) in the OP:

My solution was to forget plugging it into position 7 and wire it separately.
like this-

Pin 86 to fuse box terminal G2. (or G5)
pin 85 to a chassis screw. ( I used one of the glove box bracket screws)
pin 58 to fuse box terminal G9.
Pin R left disconnected.

It works.
And so does my fog light if I leave the little brass jumper or a normal 4 pin relay in position 7.
And it doesn't rely on relay 99.

But how exactly please do I find/access the fuse box terminals G2 or G5 and G9 ?!

But how exactly please do I find/access the fuse box terminals G2 or G5 and G9 ?! 

they are on the back of the fuse box

Ah thanks; and thanks too for the diagram. Wired it up today and it works End of flat battery worries from leaving the lights on ~phew !

I know it is a few weeks since the last post, but I thought that I would put my spin on this.

I will be using a non-VW part for my lights on alarm.
(Boo hiss from the puritans...)

I am using a GM lights on warning two-tone "warbler".

The sound is not as harsh as a standard buzzer, and also less likely to scare you into thinking that the buzzer of doom is sounding.

And the bonus is, it only sounds with the ignition off.
So it will stay quiet when opening and closing doors with the ignition on / engine running, such as on the school run or letting a passenger out to have a pee on the hard shoulder of the motorway. - you get the idea...

The relay is quite tall, but otherwise fits a standard slot.



Only three wires needed.



1 - Pin 15 = Ignition live, such as on plug G pin 2. (black wire).

2 - Pin 30 = un-dimmed side / tail / number plate light such as on plug G pin 9 (grey and green wire).

3 - Pin 31b = to the driver's door "dip switch' in the A pillar (brown and white wire).

Job done - and no faff with the other van relays or their wiring.