Let me explain:
I really have no interest in being able to actually use my rear foglamps. In fact, I'm installing white taillights with the install kit harness so the top bulb will be on when braking anyway.
I just want to fill in that hideous empty toggle bank in my dash, so it's purely for aesthetic reasons that I would like to install the panel with a full set of toggles.
So my question is, if I simply order and install the full toggle panel and have no interest in actually activating the rear foglight switch can I avoid going to the dealer for the programming and still have all of the other switches (windows, locks, etc..) fuction just by switching out the toggle panel?
Also, if I get the CD 36 software flash to fix my stumble, will the rear fogs be automatically activated therefore causing problems with my white tail lights?
Thanks..

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You most certainly can install the toggles and forego the programming. The new toggle will simply not function. If you are going in to have the software updated anyway, let them reprogram the lights at that time, since it involves only a few keystrokes on their programming console.

All the other switches that controlled options you already had in the car will function as they did before, programming or not.

 

YES !!! You can do what you are saying! Everything will work the same and your one new switch will not do anything.

My friend ordered the full switch bank from Classic MINI (like $65.00) and he installed it himself. I believe he needed a torch (sp?) wrench to do it but said it was quite easy. He drove it around with the car's original programming for a long time before he had time to take the car to the dealer for the rear fog light programming. I believe my dealer charged him $45.00 to do it.

and as I understand it when you get the 36 upgrade it will not effect your lighting programming. It is performance upgrade as I've understood it. But you can be sure by telling them that you do not want any changes to your lights, unless at that time you do want the rear fog lights activated. and isn't MINI selling the white tail lights?? So they should know how to have both rear fogs and white lights at the same time.

and BTW - I do like my Rear Fogs! I have them wired with the brake lights so when I step on the brake the person behind me sees BRAKES ! ! !

 

Thanks for the info!
The reason I would be hesitant to have them activate the rear fogs along with my v36 software is that I have white tail lights installed with the "install kit" harness, apparently making it impossible to activate the rear fogs as the entire brake light would supposedly come on.
An option would be to eliminate the wiring harness and just install the diode mod which would take care of both the fogs and the upper brake light mod, however I've been told that the white tail light install kit harness not only activates the upper light for braking, but also increases the amps so that the white tail lights appear red instead of pink when lit.

Does anyone know if this is actually true? Does the white tail light install kit harness actually raise the amps and intensify the red light color or simply activate the upper light? If it only activates the upper light then I can remove it entirely and just install the diode mod, but I wouldn't want to eliminate it if my lights will now burn pink instead of red.

 

>>
>>My friend ordered the full switch bank from Classic MINI (like $65.00) and he installed it himself. I believe he needed a torch (sp?) wrench to do it but said it was quite easy. He drove it around with the car's original programming for a long time before he had time to take the car to the dealer for the rear fog light programming. I believe my dealer charged him $45.00 to do it.
>>

does anyone else think it's pretty ridiculous to charge 45 just to run the reprogramming software to allow the rear fogs to work? i mean even if the updating takes that long, isn't it no man-power really, just push a button and walk away. it doesn't seem like it should be any more to reprogram AND have then do the switch.. sounds like they're robbing us to me. i've been driving for about 4k miles with my changed toggle bank, but for looks only, as it has yet to be reprogrammed. i won't pay 45 to get it done either, since i only see myself using it in rare instances, and they're not even really doing anything for that money

-wags

ps please tell me if there actually ismore to the reprogramming of it all..

 

instead of running the fog lights you could have that new switch run a set of driving lights, which is something I'd like to do.

 

Calvin77....I am dealing with these very same issues....have you heard from the NAM community or other sources whether the wiring harness serves a purpose other than simply causing the tandem lighting of the upper bulbs upon braking as per DOT mandate? You mentioned that it may increase amperage to the bulbs as well causing them to glow a correct red rather than a pink/orange....I wish to know the right route to pusue in this matter as well.....a wiring revamp to restore original red tail lamp specs followed by a diode mod or something else perhaps. Still fishin' I guess. Thanks in advance. dave :smile:

 

>>does anyone else think it's pretty ridiculous to charge 45 just to run the reprogramming software to allow the rear fogs to work? i mean even if the updating takes that long, isn't it no man-power really, just push a button and walk away. it doesn't seem like it should be any more to reprogram AND have then do the switch.. sounds like they're robbing us to me. i've been driving for about 4k miles with my changed toggle bank, but for looks only, as it has yet to be reprogrammed. i won't pay 45 to get it done either, since i only see myself using it in rare instances, and they're not even really doing anything for that money
>>
>> -wags
>>
>>ps please tell me if there actually ismore to the reprogramming of it all..


The $45 bucks is a .5 labor hour charge. It is pretty much an industry standard minimum charge at any dealership.

If 45 bucks bothers you I cant see why you would spend 65 bucks for something that doesn't work (toggle switches).

I don't know about you, but when I'm driving ,I'm looking ahead and behind me, not down at that missing toggle switch. Let's get over it and move on.