Electrical Adding a rear Fog light, the DIY option
Adding a rear Fog light, the DIY option
I refuse to buy an expensive switch pack and take the car and pay the dealer to program that switch to work for a safety item. I decided to make the rear fog work the old fashioned way, a wire and switch.
I like only having the driver side work. I feel having 2 people just think you are riding the brakes.
The first and hardest part was running the wire. I used a long piece of 18GA and tucked it behind all the interior panels on the drivers side. It came out by the fuse box and inside the little panel in the driver side of the hatch.
I removed the dash piece under the steering wheel, I mounted a nice small rocker switch in the area where the factory driving light switch would go.
Connect the wire just ran to the back of the switch.
Now we need power.
In the fusebox is a 5 amp fuse for the rear fog light. Remove the fuse. Using a 1/4" spade connector I plugged that to where the fuse was. Then I added an inline fuse with the same 5 amp fuse and connected that to the switch.
Because I used a lighted switch, I ran the last pin of the switch to a ground.
Lastly back to the rear of the car, remove the taillight and wiring. Pin 1 was the wire for the fog. I believe it was yellow with a brown tracer on my 02. I cut that wire about 6" back from the taillight plug. This gives us plenty to work with on the plug end, and plenty of wire coming out of the factory harness if you need to reconnect them for any reason.
I then connected the wire I ran first to the end coming out from the tail light plug.
Put everything back together and be amazed at your accomplishment!
I'd like to replace the standard bulb with a LED one to help lessen the load on the switch and full circuit
Doing it this way, using the factory fog fuse as a power source, the light will only work with the ignition on. Using an illuminated switch, it'll remind you that it's on.
Total cost about $8.
I like only having the driver side work. I feel having 2 people just think you are riding the brakes.
The first and hardest part was running the wire. I used a long piece of 18GA and tucked it behind all the interior panels on the drivers side. It came out by the fuse box and inside the little panel in the driver side of the hatch.
I removed the dash piece under the steering wheel, I mounted a nice small rocker switch in the area where the factory driving light switch would go.
Connect the wire just ran to the back of the switch.
Now we need power.
In the fusebox is a 5 amp fuse for the rear fog light. Remove the fuse. Using a 1/4" spade connector I plugged that to where the fuse was. Then I added an inline fuse with the same 5 amp fuse and connected that to the switch.
Because I used a lighted switch, I ran the last pin of the switch to a ground.
Lastly back to the rear of the car, remove the taillight and wiring. Pin 1 was the wire for the fog. I believe it was yellow with a brown tracer on my 02. I cut that wire about 6" back from the taillight plug. This gives us plenty to work with on the plug end, and plenty of wire coming out of the factory harness if you need to reconnect them for any reason.
I then connected the wire I ran first to the end coming out from the tail light plug.
Put everything back together and be amazed at your accomplishment!
I'd like to replace the standard bulb with a LED one to help lessen the load on the switch and full circuit
Doing it this way, using the factory fog fuse as a power source, the light will only work with the ignition on. Using an illuminated switch, it'll remind you that it's on.
Total cost about $8.
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