fog light by-pass

183640 Views 211 Replies 92 Participants Last post by nissmo, Oct 28, 2020

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · Jul 11, 2006

3

i saw this over on the titan forum but the guy was way overthinking this. so here is a little write up on how to bypass your fog lights so they come on with your parking lights using the factory switch.
first go to auto zone, advanced auto, pep boys, what ever you have localy and find an add-a-circuit(also called a fuse tap. looks like this http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=071-580 but you need one for the MINI fuses)
now that you have one remove your under hood fuse panel lid and locate the tail light fuse. this is the fuse you will tap into. also if you want the lights to be able to come on without any other lights you will need to find a different fuse to replace. remove the fuse and put aside.
now cut the connector off the end of the fuse tap as close to the connector as you can. you will need a blade connector and strip a small ammount of wire to hook the blade connector up. you will probably need to grind down the connector some unless you have some very small blade connectors. this can be done with a bench grinder and a pair of needle nose plyers. use a fuse for a guide.
now crimp the connector on the fuse tap and install the tail light fuse in the tap(follow the instructions that came with it). also at this time locate the fog light fuse and remove. install that fuse in the empty slot on the fuse tap.
now onstall the tap in the tail light fuses spot and connect the blade connector in the "cold" side of the fog light fuse slot. it was the lower of the two.
your fog lights will now come on with the parking lights as well as with the head lights. one note on this, the fogs will stay on EVEN WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ON. check local laws reguarding this.
here are some pics of the final setup.

the whole setup.

where the fog light fuses was

where the tail light fuse was. now where both fuses are.

i have been running this set up since 4 days after buying the frontier. this was the second thing i did. the first was replacing the head lights with sylvania silverstars. i have had 0 problems. if you have any questions please fell free to ask.

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Frontier2

· #2 · Jul 12, 2006

Thanks,i've been wanting too do this since day 1.I want mine too work with out having the other lights on.I guess i can do the same setup with a fuse thats hot all the time.

LoadThis

· #3 · Jul 12, 2006

sweet thanks for the write up

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 12, 2006

Frontier2 said:
Thanks,i've been wanting too do this since day 1.I want mine too work with out having the other lights on.I guess i can do the same setup with a fuse thats hot all the time.

yep. lust check the fuse box layout and find a fuse that is just powered by the ignition and do the same thing. make sure you use the same fuses and your set.

05_NISMO_4X4

· #5 · Jul 12, 2006

This is awesome! I've also been wanting to do this, but didn't want to go splicing wires. This certainly looks like a simple solution! Thanks for for sharing this mod!

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 12, 2006

yeah it was easy. i have been doing automotive audio wiring for probably 12 years or so now. i saw the guy on the titan board did it but he sodered a wire onto a fuse and did a bunch of other stuff that was not really though out and his looked cheap and dangerous. plus if the fuse got blown you had to do it all over again. i had used the fuse taps before for installs so i figured it would work but wasnt sure about the length of the wire on them. i was glad i didnt have to add a small piece of wire on to the tap it wouldnt look as clean as it does, and its still not as clean as i would like it to be. but it works.

Yeehaw

· #7 · Jul 12, 2006

Two things:

If you have a tow package, there is a circuit there that is on with ignition (ACC). There is also one in the the stereo harness, and one of the ciggy lighter outlets.

The only problem I see is that it appears that you are now adding the foglight load to the fuse you tapped into. Its probably not that great to be overloading the tailight circuit with the extra amps off the foggies. What we need to do is find the relay that controls the fogs, and bridge that. I'll take a look at the wiring diagram in the service manual if I have some time...

-OR- figure out a way to reprogram the ECU to let them be on.

kansasfrontier

· #8 · Jul 15, 2006

Thanks for the wite up.
I found that add-a-circuit at autozone. Took me 15min and works great.
I hated that you couldnt turn on your fogs without your headlights.

thanks again

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 15, 2006

i didnt look at other fuses but if you find one that comes on with the ignition, something like the fuel pump or something like that you can make them come on anytime the key is on.

Highway_Star

· #10 · Jul 16, 2006

GREAT tip!

Thanks!

FastCrewCab

· #11 · Jul 16, 2006

Thanks for the tip! I was concerned that the Add-A-Fuse was rated at only 10 amps max and the fog lamp circuit used a 20A fuse. I found out that each 55W H11 bulb draws only 4.6 amps so I replaced the 20A with a 10A. It works and it's always safe to use a smaller fuse than is spec'd, just not a larger one.

Benzo

· #12 · Jul 16, 2006

My truck didnt come with fog lights. after i install a set of them would i be able to do this mod?

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 17, 2006 (Edited)

Yeehaw said:
Two things:

If you have a tow package, there is a circuit there that is on with ignition (ACC). There is also one in the the stereo harness, and one of the ciggy lighter outlets.

The only problem I see is that it appears that you are now adding the foglight load to the fuse you tapped into. Its probably not that great to be overloading the tailight circuit with the extra amps off the foggies. What we need to do is find the relay that controls the fogs, and bridge that. I'll take a look at the wiring diagram in the service manual if I have some time...

-OR- figure out a way to reprogram the ECU to let them be on.

not overloading the circuit. all that does is activate the relays.

FastCrewCab said:
Thanks for the tip! I was concerned that the Add-A-Fuse was rated at only 10 amps max and the fog lamp circuit used a 20A fuse. I found out that each 55W H11 bulb draws only 4.6 amps so I replaced the 20A with a 10A. It works and it's always safe to use a smaller fuse than is spec'd, just not a larger one.

yeah if you look around there are higher amp taps. mine is a 20a tap i have seen them as high as 30. i agree, not sure why a factory set of 55w fogs have a 20 amp fuse unless they have fused the wire instead of the light which is what most companies do.

Benzo said:
My truck didnt come with fog lights. after i install a set of them would i be able to do this mod?

not unless you use the factory wiring and i think that would be a PITA. if your installing aftermarket lights its easy to make them come on independant of every thing else. you can even have them come on with the parking lights, headlights or just by the key. all depends on how you want to do it.

Kelly

· #14 · Jul 17, 2006

Benzo said:
My truck didnt come with fog lights. after i install a set of them would i be able to do this mod?

my 05 KC SE came prewired for fogs, but did not come with the foglights.

i added the foglight and did this same wiring trick,
my has been working for over 6 months of daily use.

thanks for the tip, saved me enough to do the sunglasses mod

audi242

· #15 · Aug 11, 2006

Does anyone have the foglight schematic? I'd like to see it.

After driving in many blizzards and through fog, there is a GREAT benefit to run your parking lights and fog lamps. You don't get blinded by the reflection of the snow or fog, and you can see the road better.

I appreciate the info.

mike3_21_21

· #16 · Aug 11, 2006

Just a little info I want to pass on here. Don't buy the factory Headlight/Fog Light switch if you are going to this mod or the one known as the blown fuse mod. It will be a waste over your hard earned money. I wasted my money on the thing.

audi242

· #17 · Aug 11, 2006

I have the factory installed foglights.... I am just curious about this mod and I would like to see the schematic.

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · #18 · Aug 11, 2006

i have factory fogs and works just fine. been over 4k miles so far. why would you buy the factory switch anyway? i would just run an aftermarket switch instead of going through all that trouble.

d0va

· #19 · Aug 11, 2006

so this should work on the titan as well?

Mylt1

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 11, 2006

yes, this will work on the titans. actually thats where i got the idea. but the guy who was doing it was sodering wire onto a normal fuse. so i knew of a better way to do it. so there is my answer to the problem.

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