Will QX4 fog lights work on a 2001 Pathfinder?

[binar01011]

Fellow Forum Members,
I own a 2001 Pathfinder LE and I'm thinking about replacing my OEM Pathfinder front fog lights with QX4 OEM fog lights. Why you ask? The answer is because the QX4 fog lights are close to twice as wide and therefore look nicer and offer a lot more light. My main question relates to electrical connections. What differences in the wiring do I need to know about so the QX4 fog lights work problem free in my Pathfinder?

Below is the best photo I can find for a 2001 Pathfinder fog light closeup:





Below is the best photo I can find for a QX4 fog light closeup:




My opinion is the QX4 lights should fit nicely onto the Pathfinder's bumper because both share the R50 body design. Please let me know if I am wrong for looking at it in this way.

Additionally, any opinions on the bulbs below shown in the link below will be greatly appreciated. Mainly, I would like to know if these bulbs are worth the price in terms of how much light they produce compared to the original OEM ones:

https://www.carid.com/2001-nissan-pathf ... UBMODEL|LE

I look forward to any opinions relating to this project. Thanks in advance.

[04pathse]

My opinion is the QX4 lights should fit nicely onto the Pathfinder's bumper because both share the R50 body design. Please let me know if I am wrong for looking at it in this way.

well, the size and shape of the fog light opening in the bumpers are very different, and I am sure the mounting holes would be different as well, so I don't see how it would work.

[Mike W.]

To my eyes the openings look like a different size and shape, which would make for a difficult install. Now the QX4 might have a better appearance and be more desirable on that level, but larger doesn't mean more light or better performance. Look at headlights today, many vehicles have pretty damn small ones that are very bright. I recall an article on headlights from many years ago in which an engineer said he could build a headlight with a business card size lens and it would work just fine, that the optics, the reflector and lens were the important part, not the size of the lens. Not being an lighting engineer I can't confirm or deny, but I see plenty of small lights today that are plenty bright. It might make aiming more critical, but I'm not sure one enjoys a technical advantage over the other.

[nickelghandi]

You are sort of wrong, but also sort of right.

Go to the junkyard! Everyone always forgets this. Find a yard near you with both Pathfinders and QX4's and go see for yourself. If you are dead set on doing it and willing to spend a little cash and a lot of elbow grease, you can swap the bumpers if you want the clean look and even get all the parts right there at the junkyard.

As Mike mentioned, the size of the housing matters little for its light output, but the optics, lens, reflector, and bulb make a huge difference.

I plan to do a similar swap with the headlights on my pathfinder, and that is going to require me to swap the grilles, both front fenders, the hood, and of course the lights. For some of us, size and appearance matters so I say go for it! It's your vehicle, man.

With enough money, planning, time, and beer anything is possible.

[binar01011]

Thanks to all for your postings. Your postings got the gears in my head turning. I especially like Nickelghandi's idea of going to a junk yard and swapping the entire bumper from a QX4 over to my Pathfinder. This will surely eliminate any problems with the lights not fitting correctly.

In my opinion the QX4 fog lights have a cooler look compared to the Pathfinder's smaller fog lights. They just look more appealing because of their bigger size. My only concern I now need to figure out relates to the wiring. My hope is the electrical wiring used in the QX4 matches the one already existing in my 2001 Pathfinder. My guess is I'm going to probably have to also swap out a fog light relay. Any opinion welcome.

[Buzzman]

I doubt very much the QX4 bumper will fit the Pathfinder. The whole front end is different, not just the bumpers.
You'd have to swap out the whole front fascia.
As for wiring, it's already there, hidden behind the black insert.
I installed the OEM fog lights in my 2002 Pathy a few years ago with no problems.
You will have to replace the signal light/headlight switch stalk though.
Yours will not have the fog light switch in it.