Has anyone wired Fog lights to come on independent of the headlights?

[mpbclutch33]

I did this on my 2005 Nissan Frontier and I loved it. This is where I learned to do it, but I tried today and did not have much luck because we have the low profile mini fuses and the fuse tap doesn't want to stay in. I was wondering if anyone else has done it and how.

http://www.clubfrontier.org/fo...-2991/

[Sensors]

i believe that Mr_Coupe has the fogs independent from the headlights but dont quote me on that, you should ask him.

[stsxcrle]

Sensors is right, here's the thread:

http://forums.altimas.org/zero...65885

[mpbclutch33]

Does any have a How-to with pictures? I would like the Fogs to come on with the parking lights and not have to add an aux. toggle switch.

[kuhan]

What you need is an auto relay. similar to this http://www.radioshack.com/prod...tures

If you open the fuse box (next to car battery). You can see the wirings for parking light. You need to tap the power from your parking light to energize the relay and you need to run 12VDC power your fogs straight from the battery. It is very easy to do.

The problem with no toggle switch is that your fog will always be ON when the lights are on. You have no control of the fogs.

[mpbclutch33]

On my last vehicle, I just did a simple jumper wire. Is that possible? If not, could you maybe draw something up explaining a little better. I have never used of messed with a relay.

[mpbclutch33]

What about doing it this way? http://www.innerbean.com/housecor/fog_rewire.html

Does anyone know the color of the wires to use? I doubt they are the same.

Or What about this. Could I blow the fuse for the fog lights, run a jumper wire to the parking light fuse? Would that work?
Modified by mpbclutch33 at 11:58 AM 3/31/2008

[maxentropy]

Why would you want to do this? Seems completely pointless to me...

[audtatious]

So you can run the fogs without the headlights and/or you don't have your fogs turn off when you go into high beams.

On the maxima there is a single wire to be cut. Don't know why it would not be a similar configuration on the Altimas...

[mpbclutch33]

So you can run the fogs without the headlights and/or you don't have your fogs turn off when you go into high beams.

On the maxima there is a single wire to be cut. Don't know why it would not be a similar configuration on the Altimas...

Yeah.... What he said... A how to would be great. I have been searching all over the internet and can't find anything that is concrete on how to do it on the Altimas or which wires to tap and/or cut.

[kuhan]

What about doing it this way? http://www.innerbean.com/housecor/fog_rewire.html

Does anyone know the color of the wires to use? I doubt they are the same.

Or What about this. Could I blow the fuse for the fog lights, run a jumper wire to the parking light fuse? Would that work?

Modified by mpbclutch33 at 11:58 AM 3/31/2008

yeah, you can do that. You need to find where the parking light bulb is and trace the wire back to the fuse box. The wires are color coded. The parking light has a 15 amp fuse (i believe). If you directly tap the power off the parking light to feed your fogs (especially if you have hids for fog lights), then you can blow the fuse or burn your parking light wirings because of OEM parking light wire is too small. You can go ahead and try that, but change the fuse from 15 A to 30 amp.

That is why I recommend using an auto relay. With the auto relay, you are basically doing the same thing, but you are using the parking light wirings to energize the relay and you can run 12VDC straight from the battery independently with bigger wire gauge. That is safest way to go. But it is your choice. Good luck.

[mpbclutch33]

So, are you saying that I buy a relay, run say a 16awg from the battery to where on the Relay and then tap the parking lights and run that wire to where on the Relay? There are four terminals on the relay pictured. Just very confused I guess. I am a visual learner. Lol

[maxentropy]

So you can run the fogs without the headlights and/or you don't have your fogs turn off when you go into high beams.

Makes sense to want to keep the fogs on when turning on high beams but for what purpose do you want to run your fogs w/o the headlights on?

[mpbclutch33]

Makes sense to want to keep the fogs on when turning on high beams but for what purpose do you want to run your fogs w/o the headlights on?

Cause it looks cool. To each his own.

[audtatious]

On the 2k2 Maxima, you do the changes in the engine compartment, under the main relay box (you need to free it to get underneath). From the foglight relay, you cut the blue/silver-spot wire leaving 3" or so hanging from the relay (and cap off the loose wire). Then you splice the 3" piece into the tail light wire (red with green stripe and silver spots).

Not sure if these color codes are the same on the Altima at all. If someone had time and a multi-meter they could find out.

[audtatious]

Makes sense to want to keep the fogs on when turning on high beams but for what purpose do you want to run your fogs w/o the headlights on?

I poke U eye out U foo.....

To each their own? I have not changed mine, fwiw.

[kuhan]

So, are you saying that I buy a relay, run say a 16awg from the battery to where on the Relay and then tap the parking lights and run that wire to where on the Relay?

Exactly!

Quote »There are four terminals on the relay pictured. Just very confused I guess. I am a visual learner. Lol[/quote]

use a 4 pin relay.

pin 30 - 12v from batterypin 87 - fog light (+)pin 85 - signal wire (in this case the parking light wire)pin 86 - ground

this way you get 12v directly from the battery and dont have to worry about blowing fuses and melting wires.

check this thread for more info

http://forums.altimas.org/zerothread?id=312723

[kuhan]

I poke U eye out U foo.....

To each their own? I have not changed mine, fwiw.

you guys are hilarious!!!!

[mpbclutch33]

So am I using this relay in place of the old one or in addition to? Also, will I only be connecting the two wires I stated above to the new relay or all four as you described?

[audtatious]

I don't know if the wiring I stated is the same color codes on a Altima. Someone needs to do some checking first so you don't trash the electrical system.

The way the Maxima guys are doing it there is no need for more relays.

[kuhan]

So am I using this relay in place of the old one or in addition to? Also, will I only be connecting the two wires I stated above to the new relay or all four as you described?

The relay will be in addition to.

Ok, I will try to explain as much detail as I can:

First of all, I have a 07 sedan, so I dont know how different the layout of the engine parts as to yours.

What I did was I traced out the wires going to the parking light bulbs and traced them to the fuse box.1 wire should be POSITIVE (12VDC) and 1 wire is NEGATIVE (ground). You need to find the where the parking light fuse is (under the fuse cover is a layout). It should be a 15 A fuse.

a. You need to tap a wire from there and tie it to PIN 85 b. Run a NEGATIVE from the battery to PIN 86 using a 14-16 awg wire c. Run 12 VDC from the battery to PIN 30 using a 14-16 awg wired. Run a 14-16 awg wire from PIN 87 to your fog light (POSITIVE), this will send 12 VDC to your fogs.

You get the idea?

[kuhan]

My car currently has OEM stock fogs with HID and with manual switch.

Tomorrow, I will modify the fogs to turn on with parking light and bypass the switch/headlight (since the switch on works when headlights are on). I will update what color wire it is for parking light.

[mpbclutch33]

My car currently has OEM stock fogs with HID and with manual switch.

Tomorrow, I will modify the fogs to turn on with parking light and bypass the switch/headlight (since the switch on works when headlights are on). I will update what color wire it is for parking light.

Yeah please try to write a how-to with pictures please. It would be a big help.

[kuhan]

What do you have for your fog lights? HID or halogen bulbs?

[mpbclutch33]

What do you have for your fog lights? HID or halogen bulbs?

Currently like I have some cheapo Blue Bulbs that I had left over. I am going to be getting either 3000K or 5000K HID's from Xentec as soon as I can decide. I wanted to see a picture of an Altima with 6000K headlights and 3000k Fogs, but I can't find any. I want to see a head on shot. I know someone on here has it but all the pictures are against a wall or down the road.

[LongBeachCoupe]

This is a great convo leading up to (hopefully) a great DIY writeup!

[stsxcrle]

I was waiting to read the:

Which can be posted here:

http://forums.altimas.org/zerothread/327232

[maxentropy]

I poke U eye out U foo.....To each their own? I have not changed mine, fwiw.

Thanks for the heads up folks, was just curious as to the reasoning.

[kuhan]

I just re-wired the fogs to turn on with parking light. (inside the fuse box - the green wire with black stripe is for driver's parking light and that is the wire I tapped into).

6000k low beams5000k fogs

Here are the pictures:

Fogs on with parking lights





Low beams and fogs

[mpbclutch33]

Great pictures. Can you take a picture of how you wired it up?