Fog light question- What do I need, and how do I do it?

[jhendrix]

I have the fog light assembly(s), and pig tails (Connectors). I'm wanting to just run them into the headlights, to where they come on only when I pull on headlight switch, whether it be for parking lights or headlights. If I buy a relay, and fuse holder, how exactly would I go about wiring it all up to work with the headlight switch, and what size fuse/relay do I need? Thanks!

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[ROCETSTANG]

Originally Posted by jhendrix

I have the fog light assembly(s), and pig tails (Connectors). I'm wanting to just run them into the headlights, to where they come on only when I pull on headlight switch, whether it be for parking lights or headlights.

If I buy a relay, and fuse holder, how exactly would I go about wiring it all up to work with the headlight switch, and what size fuse/relay do I need?

Thanks!

hmmm yea i think if you do that your gonna have a very good light show for everyone around you....

Best thing to do is go to wal-mart or any other hard-ware store where they sale unvsl foglight-kit for just 10 -15 bucks max (best bet is wal-mart) and just use the wiring.... its has the exact amount anyother one has.....12v relay

[jhendrix]

Isn't that what I would be doing anyway?

All that kit is gonna have is a relay, and a fuse, and wiring. That's what i'm going to be doing. I'm not talking about wiring the lights into the headlights by themselves, I just want to run them to where I don't need a switch, I just use the headlight switch.

[Mirage]

I hooked up my under dash neons that way, I'll try to help you out.

How my lights work: I have my neons wired indirectly to my headlamp switch. When the switch is fully in, all lights off. First position out, neons light up with other normal accessories. Second position out, neons are on with all other normal lights. The dimmer has no effect on these lights, they simply turn on with your headlamp switch.

Assumed:

Foglamps both run on a 12V DC power supply.
You don't have anything wired to the foglamp switch (above shifter, 3rd button on the right).

You either have, or know, someone with small hands (need to reach behind center dash).

You have alot of spare time, (this requires wiring to a dashboard switch, then running wires to the foglights; not fun, easy or quick).
Time: 3 hours for my neons (learning as I go), probably less for foglamps.

Tools Required:
Multimeter (DC Volts ~12, also Ohm meter helps)
Wire Stripper
Soldering iron and solder (optional)
Razor blade or sharp utility knife
Rubber Grommets or silicone
A spool of wire (~20-30ft) make sure it is well insulated, this will be running through the engine compartment

Step 1. Remove shifter bezel. This is the plastic piece that surrounds your shifter, this is concave and connects your center instrument panel to the armrest. I have an automatic so you may need to remove the shifter boot first. The shifter bezel is held in by 5 small clips, 2 on both sides on the top, 2 near the bend and one in the center bottom. To remove bezel grab the top inside and carefully pull up and away from the dash, the top clips should release. Insert a thin, wide flathead screwdriver and pry the rest of the clips off.

After the bezel is removed lift carefully and unplug the cigarette lighter, this is held in with a small tab.

Step 2. Make sure all accessories are unpowered (don't want to blow a fuse). Look under the passenger dash, on the right there should be a rectangular opening. Reach through this opening and feel for the foglamp switch, it should just push out, pretty easy to do once you locate it.
** An alternative would be to remove the center dash bezel, but I don't know or want to do that, this works just as well assuming you can reach the switch. **

Step 3. Once you have removed the foglamp switch (possibly just a blank cover), and unplugged the pink harness, use your multimeter to test which is the positive wire (make sure headlights are on). Mine was a gray-black 3rd from left on top. This is the wire you will be splicing into.
*NOTE* Before proceeding further know that my car had a blank panel there, no foglamp switch. If you have a factory switch in place mark of the negative wire as well, instead of grounding to car body you will need to use this.

Step 4. The most difficult part of this will be drawing your wire from your foglamps to this switch, best bet would be to follow your headlight wiring to where it passes through the firewall. Remember that the engine compartment gets very hot, select your wiring accordingly.

Unfortunately I have no experience drawing wire through the engine compartment, your foglight instructions may cover this. Note that if you don't need an on-off toggle switch you can wire your negatives directly to the car frame.

Step 5. Once you have the wires drawn through the firewall and routed behind your switch you will begin splicing for hookup. Make certain of the wires you will use, i assume you know how to use a multimeter. unwrap the factory electrical tape so you have a good 5in of wire to work with. use your razorblade and wire strippers to expose 1 inch of wire to splice into. Don't cut through it as it's a pain to reconnect. If you are going to use a factory switch do the same to the negative wire. Strip the ends of your foglamp wires, wrap positive to positive and solder/wrap to the positive from the dash, if desired do the same for the negative.

*VERY IMPORTANT* Test your foglamps now so you won't have to remove all this again.

Step 6.Make sure this is a stable connection, thoroughly wrap with electrical tape, re-insert the pink harness to the black cover/switch. Push the switch back inside the dash, replace the bezel and your finished. Enjoy your new foglights

[Matt's 95 Stang]

I hard wired my foglights to my headlights with no problems. I simply tapped into the lowbeam wire going to the headlights, and grounded the other wire off the frame. Fogs come on everytime the headlights turn on.

Matthew

[brent4]

I wired my fogs into the parking lights..havent had a single problem to date.

[jhendrix]

Matt and Brent, ya'll both wired just straight into the headlights/parking lamps? With no relay/fuse/etc? Just running off the power of the headlights?

[brent4]

I got the wiring kit for the 01 cobra fogs that came with everything execpt the switch..so to answer your question i have my fogs wired into the parking lights with a fuse.

[jhendrix]

Ahh, gotcha. I found a local guy who has the harness and switch, so I'm gonna see if I can pick that up. Then I won't have to splice into anything.

[brent4]

Sounds good if he`ll cut you a deal.