i have an 03 R53 with the factory fog lights, i can only turn on these lights when im using my high beams. what i would like to do is get them to turn on with my driving lights. what would i have to go to do that? and if posible could i use the button thats use to turn them on with the high beams as an on and off switch with my regular driving lights? has anybody done this already? thanks for the help

 

I think you meant to write that the OEM lower bumper fogs only come on with "low beams" right ?

OEM front fogs are operated through the MINI's BCM from the center toggle bank and cannot be re-wired the way you want. Originally mine would only come on if I had my low beams on, and I wanted the ability to activate them with just my parking lights. So it meant a trip to my dealer and 40 dollars to have that adjustment made in the BCM. It manages everything from door locks, windows to your sunroof and front and rear lights.

Besides, given what you already have for lighting, other than looks I doubt they would make any appreciable difference in night time visibility.

 

thanks but im talking about the OEM lights that are attatched to the grill in between the head lights. i dont have the lower bumper fog lights.

 

Got it......

You want the OEM Aux driving lights to come on with your parking lights correct ?

 

how would i check that? im pretty sure these are the ones that are on my car now (i bought my mini used) http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...light-kit.html

 

oh my bad i didnt see your post sorry, yeah those are the ones i want to be able to turn on with my main head lights. and would it be posible to make them turn on and off with the button thats already installed in the car?

 

Yes. It would require swapping a wire off the relay. Switch stays the same

But first I would caution against it. First, in my state and many others, it would be cause for flunking your manditory state inspection. Second the lenses on those lights are not designed to disperse the light evenly to both sides of the road like the fluted lens of an actual fog light. That said, you would just end up blinding the on coming traffic if left on with your low beams......

Right now, if wired correctly with a relay, your lights are supplied power directly from your battery.

The relay is basically a switch, and the circuit is closed (on) when the relay receives power from hot lead of your headlights closing the circuit. It doesn't actually receive 12v power from your oem lights at all.

What you need to do is swap where it receives that power from to that relay terminal. From your high beams to your low beams. Then they will work only when low beams are on.

 

thanks alot, now since there is nothing i can do about the lenses, would i be able to move and ajust where the fog lights are pointing and make them point lower?

also since its posible to change them from the high beams to the low beams, would it be posible to make the button it comes with act like and on and off switch compleatly, as in to be able to turn on those two lights without having to turn on my lights at all?

 

Arg, typed up a long reply and then accidentally close my browser.

Long story short, They aren't naturally height adjustable. Options would be bending the brackets, though i don't like the idea.

I'd heed Gray Raven's word about the State inspections. And furthermore, If a policeman sees you with those on with oncoming traffic, you are liable to get pulled over. In a lot of states its illegal to drive with High's on in within 500ft of anyone. and OEM Driving lights are well bright enough to be recognized as high's.

 

There is a wiring diagram in this document: http://www.motoringfile.com/howto/Dr...Lights_902.pdf
Cut the yellow/green High Beam Signal wire that goes to pin 4 of the Driving Light Relay. Instead, feed a constant +12V signal to that pin. This should make the circuit behave as though the high beam is always on, and enable you to operate the switch at any time.

That said, the auxiliary driving lights are meant to function as an extra set of high beams. You shouldn't use them except in situations where you would actually use high beams. The low beams have a horizontal cutoff to keep the light away from oncoming traffic. The auxiliary lights have no cutoff and will cause glare even if you try to adjust their aim. They will appear to oncoming traffic the same as high beams.

 

You have driving lights. Sounds like what you want is fog lights. If you make the wiring change that rkw identified, you really should swap out the driving lights for fog lights with a similar form factor.

 

I have been searching and searching to see if its possible to gut my OEM xenon headlights and use the xenons/ballast in my stock foglight housing for my R53. Does anyone know where I can find a "how to" on this?

 

If I don't already have fog lights in my car, is there another part or harness I need to do this beyond the housings and HID kit ? I don't want to wire it up through the switch bank on the console, just through an on/off switch on the knee panel under the steering wheel.

 

shouldn't be a harness issue. Fogs work on a simple power/ground/switch relay system.