I just noticed this rear light doesn't turn on. Well actually neither side does?



The red part has bulbs in the assembly. I know the white is reverse obviously.

Are these rear fogs? I flip my toggle switch but it only turns on the front fogs and not the back.
Am I having some wiring issues?

 

I don't have a Coupe, but with the Hardtops, some of the lights aren't active unless you paid extra for them I think. Like, rear fogs. They might be there, but they don't work... you can have them attached later... just guessing. Your manual might say?

 

Front and rear fog have separate switches (left and right of the lock switch). Do you have both?

 

The manual showed a separate toggle switch for the rears. I never really noticed there was an empty toggle switch in my car till now.

Why wouldn't they just include the switch if everything is pre-wired? That's lame.

 

$$$$$
Some things are options. Options make money. :-)

 

I gotta agree. It's a bad attitude towards the customer. It's already prewired, the lamp is fully functional and even includes the bulb. Programming costs nothing. MINI would even save a bit stocking only full switch panels, instead of separate inventories with/without the toggle. It would have cost MINI nothing to simply make it work.

 

Mini is a for profit company. I'm surprised your MA didn't tell you? Mine did thus I avoided the empty toggle switch look.

10 million combinations. You don't get that (or extra margin) by including something for free.

 

Nope didn't tell me squat. Probably just wanted to hurry up and meet their quota.

I understand its a business, I'm not angry about that. I just don't get why they'd have everything there for the most part, and not just finish it off with the switch and programming lol.

Anyway, I probably don't even want to know how much it would be to have the dealer install the switch and program it.

Has anyone been able to just re-wire it to be used as break lights? Or possibly be activated all together with the front fogs using the same switch for those?

 

If the Coupé's rear fog lights are as bright as the R53's were, you don't want them running constantly with your front fogs. They'll seriously irritate people driving behind you, to the point of distraction. You only want to light up the rear fogs to make yourself visible in actual, serious fog.

 

Oh okay, well I wouldn't want to do that.

We have enough ricers with super bright annoying lights in Los Angeles as it is.

Do you know if anyone has used them as brake lights. And possibly switch out bulbs so its not as bright? I hate the fact that I have these lights that are practically useless haha

 

Lots of us with first gen cars just used a jumper wire to the stop bulb and run these fogs as stop lights. It was easy since the bulbs are all in the same cluster.

Makes the little guy more noticeable when you hit the brakes. Some folks feared the extra amperage might give the Body Control Module fits but I've had no trouble in nine years.

 

I may give this a try. It seems easy enough to do.

 

Ok so I just got off the phone to see how much it'll be if they installed and programmed everything. I was told they don't do it because rear fogs are illegal?

Is this true?
Does anyone with a coupe have functioning fog lights from factory?

 

I have a R58 JCW with the rear fog light from the factory. To my

knowledge the only state that makes a rear fog light illegal is Oregon.

Anyone know more?

 

Hmm I wonder if they're illegal in California as well.

Everything is in this state

 

Talk to another dealer. MINI's are delivered with rear fogs if you ordered it that way. Rear fogs are legal in all 50 states. I believe Oregon was the only holdout, until about 2004

The cheapest way is install the switch yourself: http://waymotorworks.com/rear-fog-to...7-r58-r59.html, then get it programmed.

 

Oh nice. So I just pop off the toggle cover, remove the black piece where the future rear fog toggle switch will go, then program?

I wonder if an independent Mini shop could do the programming at a much lower cost.

 

Yup, an independant shop will be a lot cheaper. That's why he suggested Way Motor Works... My local Mini dealer told me to get the parts and have them do it.

 

Awesome, I noticed that I won't have the amber symbol over the rear fog light toggle.....that honestly wouldn't bother me, or maybe my OCD will kick in idk lol.


And I just saw another mini with there rear fogs on, it wasn't really that bright....looked badass, I need to get mine working haha

 

Some shops can do it but you'll have to search around. This type of programming is much more specialized than what independent shops usually do, and most don't have the software. Some forum members have been doing their own programming and someone might be able to help you out. Do a forum search for NCSExpert.

It's about the same brightness as a brake light. If you turn them on when not foggy, it looks like you're driving around with brake lights stuck on... not so badass.

 

I think I have one shop in mind around my area that could program it.

Not too sure about that. The fogs I saw were the same brightness as the rear lights....(not the same brightness as when brakes are applied).
I wouldn't drive around with them on at that brightness, I've seen cars with taillights that look like they're constantly on...very annoying to say the least.

I'd switch out bulbs to something less intense.

And trust me that is the least annoying thing here. You know what's not badass, when idiots have these HIDs that aren't leveled properly and just end up blinding the southbound and northbound lanes or vice versa. Top that off with purple, blue, even red headlights.....yea, now that's not badass.