I've got a 2005 MCS (U.S. no rear fog). I purchased the rear fog light and the toggle switch upgrade, but I'm having trouble installing the rear light. I looked at the Motoringfile.com install instructions for the complete 2005 rear light install, but it wasn't helpful for my problem.

When you remove the plastic piece that covers the rear fog light hole there is supposed to be a wire or wires in the hole with a connector to attach to the fog light. I see and feel the wires in there, but I cannot see a connector anywhere in there. Has anybody done this mod and if you have, where is the connector for the light?

Thanks,

Karl

 

I'm interested in this too....
I think I read somewhere that the wiring is in place only on '05s made after a certain date ????

 

I find it interesting that there was the whole big hooplah by owners that FINALLY convinced MINI to give us the rear fogs (I went ahead and installed them on my '03), then in '05 they just take them away again. Heck, it was even reported in AutoWeek! I wonder if AutoWeek knows about this...

 

tell me about it!! I signed that petition and waited and finally got rear fogs for my 03, but my 05 gets a missing toggle
(so the 05 retrofit kit is finally out -??)

 

Yes. It can be ordered in two parts - the toggle switch panel (different part nos. for cars with DSC or ASC) and the lamp unit (housing, lens, bulb). The wiring harness is there if your car has a build date after 10/14/04. Check this thread, especially the message by classicMINI:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=34873

You can email Brian Flick at Classic MINI (very helpful, and they give a 20% discount to NAM members!) at bmwparts@classicautocampus.com for more info.

 

I am guessing they have the retrofit kits for 04 modesl too right?

 

Right - the 02-04 MINIs have the foglights already built into the taillight assembly. All you need for these is the toggle switch panel - and programming at your dealer to activate it.

In the 05s, the reverse lights got moved up to the taillight assembly. Where the reverse light used to be in the earlier models - in the rear bumper above the tailpipes, there is now a black plastic blanking plate. That's where the new foglight retro fit kit goes. So 05s need the toggle switches and the lamp housing itself. And the programming.

 

So if your '05 was built BEFORE 10/14/04 what can you do ?

 

So theoretically you could just install the lamp unit and jumper it to your brake lights and have a 4th brake light just in case you are being tailgated by a gokart

 

Spoke to the parts individual at Classic and he said if your car was built between July and 10/14/04 you are SOL. Pretty annoying, but I put the light back there anyway. I guess it looks better than the black plastic part.

 

Just installed mine. Build date 10/22/04. I was sweating whether or not I was in the clear with the updated (post 10/14) harness. Found the plug taped to the wiring on the left hand side of the light. Didn't find it right away but all is good. :smile:

 

My build date was Aug 2 [2004]... My dealer has my rear fog kit on order, and they haven't told me there's any problem.... my Sirius antenna is in too...
F-I-N-A-L-L-Y,... geez, been waiting for so long...

 

My car was built 10-11-04 3 FREAKIN DAYS TOO EARLY I talked to brian the other day and he said pretty mych if your car was built too early there is no wiring or anything for th elights. If you dont get custom it isnt going to work.

I also bought the light assembly and will put it in in place of the block off plate, in So cal I would almost never need it anyway but I cant stand the block off plate.

 

surely it's just a matter of installing a post 10/14 rear wiring harness???

 

I can't seem to remember where to find the build day. The door jam label just says Oct. 2004.???

 

I think the last 2 digits of you production number are the week in which it was produced. That should narrow it down a little.

 

I installed mine yesterday. I took a bunch of pics and plan to do a write-up, but I'll put this pic up now because some people aren't sure if they've got the wiring or not.

I couldn't see the wiring from beneath the car because the heat shield on the S makes it difficult to see anything up there. But if you remove the blanking plate, you should be able to see it right away.

The blanking plate has two prongs that come out of the sides of it. (See pic below.) You can see where this clips into the bumper from below, looking around the heat shield. Press the ends of the prongs toward each other and the blanking plate pops out. In the picture below, you can see one of the places where these prongs clip in.

Once you remove the plate, you should be able to look through the hole with a flashlight and the wires will be right there. Mine had two pieces of white tape that were very easy to remove. The one on the right of my photo is where the wire was doubled back on itself, and the one on the left is the connector taped to the harness.

BTW, I was fooling around with it on the way home from the dealer, and my daughter who was following me said the light was really bright!

 

gosh your car is dirty....

 

Call your service advisor and give him/her your VIN number. (Or email Brian at Classic.) They should be able to tell you the exact day.

Or just remove the blanking plate and see if you have the wires. (See my post above.)

 

You been hearing about the rains in California?

 

Thanks for the pics Lombardstreet! I now know that my 2nd week august build car does not have that connector taped there (wasn't sure what to look for). It does however have that other wire there that goes across the bumper. Does your connector splice into that other wire? or is the connector on its own seperate wire? It would be great if the connector was connected to the wire already there then we may have a chance that MINI may come out with an add on connector harness... Here to hoping...

 

Ah Andy I think were just plain screwed After all, we don't get that much fog here, do we? Jimbo

 

I just installed my light, my car was built 10-11-04 and should not have the wiring BUT IT DOES! I plugged the light in and everything. Now I guess I need to get the switch bank and have it activated just so it will work. I really dont need it and really only got it to fill the hole but it would be nice if it worked too.

 

Hi All,

Since the 05 cars now have two orange LED lights (for the new waterfall lighting) on the bottom of the toggle switch panel (I'm not sure if they're attached to the panel or not as I haven't taken it apart yet), if you change the toggle panel (in order to accomadate the new rear fog lamp toggle switch), that won't cause you to loose the waterfall lighting under there now will it (i.e. are the LEDs part of the toggle panel itself, and if so, does the new toggle also have the LEDs)?

 

I'm psyched - just popped out the cover and looked behind it and found the connector! I hadn't tried to do that before and couldn't see it up above the spare last time I crawled under the boot. Now to order the required parts....

Interested to know about the downlighting LEDs being present or not though.