So I see all sorts of photos of driving lamps, but I am curious about the switch. What does it look like? Where do you install it? Can you install it where the rear fog light toggle should be if you have a blank?

(and if you have 2011 driving lamp photos, would love to see them)

 

My switch is to the left of the steering wheel on the console. I would love to have someone figure out how to route it to a toggle in the rear fog light slot! Look at my gallery for 2011 MCS dealer installed OEM driving lights. I would include them here but I'm at work on my iPhone.

 

My dealer installed my Driving lights and put the switch on the left side of the steering wheel on the dash.

The picture of the light on the switch will light up when the headlights are on.

A led on the right side of the switch comes on when the switch is turned on.

When the switch is on the driving lights come on with the Hi-Beams.

 

Yep, that's it. Now if someone could figure out how to rewire that functionality to a toggle switch in the blank place where my rear fog light toggle would go, I'd be very appreciative.

 

Thanks for posting this romille. I'm hoping you get some responses with pics of aftermarket installs, too. I'm in the process of choosing which lights to go with, too.
Annette

 

I've installed both the factory and aftermarket driving lights for a few folks and offer these notes as to the whys and can yous:

- the factory switch is installed in a location provided for to the left of the steering wheel. This switch is a bit more complicated than a standard on/off switch as it provides a lite on when the driving lights are 'activated' such that they will come on with the high beams (the 'legal' installation). You can find the MINI install instructions for both GEN1 & 2 at MiniMania if you would like to review the details. Since this switch is not a simple toggle, modifying the install has additional complications but it certainly could be moved w/out too much problem.

- the additional functionality of the factory switch would be lost if it was replaced with most simple toggles, but it could be done. IMO if you are going this route you are wasting money buying the factory kit and would be better served by an aftermarket kit at less than half the price. The factory lights are nothing special and maybe not as good as most aftermarkets by a decent maker (PIAA, HELLA, LUCAS) - most of your cost is the fancier than neccessary switch and wiring harness.

- an aftermarket installation is typically much simpler and will use a simple on/off toggle to control the lights. I've put a toggles in the factory location, on the downtube and near the GEN1 mirror adjustment. A 'legal' installation should still tie the driving lights to the high beams but this is easily overcome (on anytime) and I've put them in both ways (also easy to by-pass in the factory install once you know where the trigger wire is, but again questions why buy the factory kit).

- placing an additional toggle in the factory set of toggle switches ('tween the downtubes) is complicated but if you search here on NAM I remember at least one thread of someone who did it successfully. The issue is that the bank of factory switches are not simple toggles at all. They are momontary contact switches that just send signals to the General Control Unit (GCU). Adding a simple switch to an empty location on the factory bank means very carefully cutting into the bank (sold as a unit) while not disturbing any existing circuitry, and placing a toggle switch (that looks like the existing switches) in the space available. {p.s. others have done the same thing and located the aux jack and similar connectors}. It CAN be done if you are handy. Note that while the fogs are controlled by the GCU, and you can buy the additional toggle bank for the fogs - you still need to reprogram the GCU which is not possible for all years; the driving lights do not go thru the GCU at all (I dunno why....)

- factory brackets for the GEN1 are available from various sources and at least at one time there were several 'light bars' as well. There is one type of aftermarket bracket I've seen for the GEN2 with no source of the factory brackets outside of the factory kit that I've run into, but I have not had cause to look hard either. Due to concers about not blocking airflow to the lower grill on the GEN2 there appears to be less interest in lightbars etc. Bracket for driving lights are actually a fairly easy thing to fabricate IF you have the skills and tooks for some simple fabrication (metal cutting and maybe welding)

hope it helps you decision process .... ANYTHING is possible .... but some things are harder than others.

 

There are plenty of lights to choose from. You can wire the aftermarket lights to a plain old toggle switch.

I personally like the Genuine Mini lights and I do like the switch and the way they are wired to only come on with the hi-beams if needed. They have a great beam and shoulder lighting. They also look great on my car.

I thought that the $719.60 I paid for my lights and installation was on the high side but when I see some dealers are charging $995.00 I do think that they are just plain greedy or stupid and do not want to do the installation. I probably would have lived without them if I was quoted over $750.00 installed for two driving lights.

 

I have the factory lights on my '06. I am using the factory switch but not in the typical place below the steering wheel. Found on this site once a mention of a wiring harness extension for these lights to put the switch opposite the one for TPS in the console. there is a blank there and the switch fits perfectly. It was a bit of a pain to wire but I think it looks cleaner as the factory switch fit oddly in the euro parcel*shelf.

 

This is a Hella driving light switch mounted in the usual oem position. The switch is illuminated when in the "on" position. I wired it so it controls both the driving lights and the oem fogs that I installed. When the switch is "on" it turns on the fogs with the low beams and the driving lights with the high beams.

 

Thanks for the photos! This has been really helpful!!

 

Bringing up a thread from a while ago.. buuuut this is what my switch we just installed looks like:


Please excuse the messy MINI. I've seen a lot of threads around saying that this is impossible, or really sketchy to do. We didn't have to drill a hole through the circuit board or anything.

 

I wish I had known where the usual position was.

 

The Factory position for the driving lights is on the dash as I have shown in above post.

SooperSara has her button where the "REAR" fog toggle switch goes. She has her non-mini lights connected perfect. The button looks good where she has it placed.

I only have the Mini driving lights installed. If I decide to add some hi-teck after market fog lights I will probably look into where she has her button installed.

 

Awesome! I'm looking to have a switch installed in my Countryman in the row of switches right below the toggles.
Please see link - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3405763

 

Nice! I like the green switch!