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Fog Light Mod - On with or w/o parking lights - simple

78K views 47 replies 32 participants last post by  Armstrongap 
#1 · (Edited)
I came up with an almost simple way of letting you have your fog lights come on whenever you want - even with the parking lights off. I say 'almost simple' because you only have to run one wire - I found all of the others inside of the fuse box (except the main power wire of course).

First, I can't take full credit for this. I didn't reinvent the wheel; only made it roll smoother. Thanks to all of those before who did some of the research, including, but certainly not limited to Baseballfanz, JustIntoxicated, Pi3yearGrad, gshadow325, just to name a few. In fact, I will be using cut and paste for some of this.

Keep in mind that my Titan is a 2006 SE 4x4 with the tow package. I say this because inside fuse box is key, and yours could be different. It holds all of the wires necessary for this mod. You only have to run one wire to the headlight stalk inside the cab.

Here’s a list of things you will need:
14 or 12 ga power wire
18 ga wire (to fit through factory harness) DO NOT USE ANYTHING LARGER THAN THIS – IT WON’T GO THROUGH THE HEADLIGHT STALK
30 amp relay
Zip Ties
Solder & Iron & Shrunkwrap
Electrical tape
Inline Fuse (I used the sealed / weather resistant) spade type
Philips / Flathead Screwdriver and sockets
Misc Crimp connectors (for attaching to relay, grounds etc) I used the insulated blade kind from Lowes for the relay)

I began by running wire from the inside of the cab on the driver’s side into the engine compartment. I used 18 ga wire – this is the largest wire you can use – otherwise it won’t allow you to reclose the stalk with the wires coming out of it. When I ran the wire, I left the spool in the cab so I could use as much as I wanted. I used the small plug to the upper left of the main wire bundle. It’s by itself, and I just fished it through as illustrated below (mine is the blue wire).

{{ See Pic1.jpg }}

I ran it over the engine and used zipties to secure it to the other bundle. I ran it over to the fuse box. Take the cover off while you’re there.

To give the lights power, I used a connector on a heavy duty blade fuse holder with a 20 amp fuse soldered to 12 ga power wire and ran it to the fuse box.

{{ See Pic2.jpg }}

As illustrated in later photos, you can lift a “gate” to allow the wires to go through to the inside of the fuse box.

Now it’s time to cut the wires for your fog lights. You’ll hook them up to the relay, and when it’s energized, it will pass the 12vdc from the battery to the fog lights using the existing wires. As seen below, it will help to remove this plug from the fuse box – just press the tab and pull it out (again, this is for a ’06 SE 4x4, could be different from yours). There are two wires used for the fog lights – both are white with a red stripe – one for the left and one for the right. Cut both wires. I put caps over the naked wires on the plug. Strip both wires and twist them together.

{{ See Pic3.jpg }}

Now you have a decision to make. When do you want your lights to come on? You know you can turn them off anytime you want by using the switch on the headlight stalk. When do you want them to be able to come on? Your choices include:
a. Come on anytime that the parking lights are on. This will allow them to be on whenever your parking lights are on – when the key is off, when the headlights are on low or high, or with just the parking lights on. If they are on with the key off, then you’ll get the same audible alarm as if you left your lights on.
b. Come on anytime the switch is on. I don’t personally recommend this because you can leave them on during the day while you’re not in the vehicle. You won’t get any kind of audible warning that they are left on.
c. Anytime the ignition is on. This was my choice. This is similar to b. above, but when you turn the truck off, the lights go off.

Now that you’ve made the decision, cut the appropriate wire according to the picture below, and splice another wire into it so that you basically tap into that wire. I chose to use blade connectors on all of my wires in the fuse box so that they will slide right onto my relay.

{{ see pic4.jpg }}

Once you have all of the blade connectors on all of the wires, slide them on to the relay as indicated below:

{{ see diagram.jpg and pic5.jpg (next post) }}

Continued Below...
 

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#2 · (Edited)
Cont'd: Fog Light Mod - On with or w/o parking lights - simple

My final picture of my fuse box looked like this:

{{ See Pic6.jpg }}

Put the cover back on the fuse box. I put the fuse back in the fuse slot in the box.

Now for inside the cab. I will mostly cut/paste from JustIntoxicated’s instructions from here. It is the same...

1) Remove lower Dash (2 screws and pop the clips out by kind of pulling upward) (this will make the mod easier). You may have to unplug some connectors if you have a rear power window, adjustable pedals, and/or the backup sounders.

2) Remove plastic around steering wheel (3 screws and some clips)

3) Remove Bulb Stalk (white clip on top and bottom and it unplugs like a nintendo game)

4) remove black casing from bulb stack (it is attached in 3 places by tabs, be careful it's expensive)

5) Cut wires as shown below and follow the diagram.

When you run the wire to the stalk, you will solder one side (doesn’t matter which) to the wire going to the fuse box. Solder the other to another wire. The other end needs a connector and needs to be grounded as shown.

{{ See pic7.jpg and pic8.jpg }}

Button her up and put everything back together. If you used smaller than 18ga wire, this should be easier. I wouldn’t use anything smaller than 22ga. It doesn’t take much power at all to throw the relay, but you do want some type of durability.

Note: When you put the plastic back over the steering column, be careful - it's a tight fit and I tended to pinch the wires.
 

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#4 ·
Cont'd: Fog Light Mod - On with or w/o parking lights - simple

Here's some pix of the truck and some other useful pictures.
 

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#5 ·
Re: Cont'd: Fog Light Mod - On with or w/o parking lights - simple

wow........
good thing i didnt do the stalk mod.
great write up, but it sure looks like alot of work.
anywaz, i did the JUMPER mod recently and it works fine.
thanks for the post tho, shows how ingenious we Titan owners are, hehe.
 
#6 ·
Nice post indeed! We need to do a name change cuz dipstick don't fit this write up. Great work.
 
#8 ·
I haven't seen a factory wiring diagram, does the stalk switch ground the fog light to complete the circut?
I'm about to mount a fog light stalk to run driving lights(thru a relay of course) and would like them to run with parking lights.
 
#10 ·
Thanks 37L1!!!!
 
#11 ·
loufish said:
I haven't seen a factory wiring diagram, does the stalk switch ground the fog light to complete the circut?
I'm about to mount a fog light stalk to run driving lights(thru a relay of course) and would like them to run with parking lights.
The switch on the stalk goes to the BCM (it's connected to a circuit board inside the stalk itself).
 
#12 · (Edited)
loufish said:
I haven't seen a factory wiring diagram, does the stalk switch ground the fog light to complete the circut?
I'm about to mount a fog light stalk to run driving lights(thru a relay of course) and would like them to run with parking lights.
In this mod, the stalk switch just closes the circuit to throw the relay, which, in turn, completes the circuit to turn on the lights. No real current passes through the relay - I'd guess at less than a quarter-amp. I didn't even fuse my relay, only the power to the lights.

However, I'm currently trying to work up a way to use ONLY truck parts (except the wire from the stalk). I'm trying to find which wire is the ground for the stock fog light relay. If I can find that ground wire, we can just use the stalk switch to complete that circuit.

My problem is that I can't find a service manual for a 2006. I've found one for a 2005, but not a 2006, and I'm paranoid about "experimenting" with my truck when I don't have the right guide.
 
#44 ·
My problem is that I can't find a service manual for a 2006. I've found one for a 2005, but not a 2006, and I'm paranoid about "experimenting" with my truck when I don't have the right guide.
I've got a 2015 and am currently looking at the fog light wiring schematic. The ground which energizes, the fog light relay, unfortunately goes directly to the CPU inside the Intelligent Power Distribution Module.
If the fog switch on the stalk is a ground for the circuit, then the jumper can run directly from the stalk fog switch to the Control Ground from the CPU to the Fog relay by simply cutting and spicing. All other stock wiring remains the same. It's hard to tell, but it appears the fog light wire from the stalk is Red/Green at position 5.
On the other hand, if the stalk wire is a positive signal, then the fog light relay energizing circuit wire could be cut and spliced to the positive stalk wire, and the negative fog light relay energizing wire could be cut from the CPU and directly grounded.
At any rate, the key is knowing if the stalk wire is Red/ Green, and either positive or negative.
 
#13 ·
Why can't I run a 30 amp Bosch relay, using the the factory wires that go out to the fog lights to control that relay and run a couple of 130 watt off-road lights?

I don't want to run more wires thru the firewall, and like using the factory switch for a clean look.

What is the BCM's logic right now? Fog lights only come on with low beams?
 
#14 ·
loufish said:
Why can't I run a 30 amp Bosch relay, using the the factory wires that go out to the fog lights to control that relay and run a couple of 130 watt off-road lights?

I don't want to run more wires thru the firewall, and like using the factory switch for a clean look.

What is the BCM's logic right now? Fog lights only come on with low beams?
Right, the BCM will only allow the fog lights to come on when the low beams are on. This is why the wires to the switch are cut and one end is grounded and the other end is ran through the firewall and to the relay.
 
#16 ·
I have the Daytime running lights on my truck. Would it be possible to wire the truck so that my fogs come on instead of the DRL. I know that the DRL power the high beams at a lower intensity. Would i need to increase the power going to the fogs? By doing this, I could still use the fogs when putting on my normal head lights cause the DRL shut of when the normal lights are on. All I nead to do is light up the fogs with the switch on the stock like I normaly do.
 
#17 ·
Does anyone know the size of the fog light bulbs. I would like to replace them with PIAA or some super white like I did in the headlights and high beams.
 
#18 ·
troutstitan said:
Does anyone know the size of the fog light bulbs. I would like to replace them with PIAA or some super white like I did in the headlights and high beams.
Here's a chart of all bulbs.
 

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#19 ·
Thanks greatly for the part numbers. LOve this sight and the good people on it!
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the thumbnail picture but stores could not find a match for the HID fog light replacement bulbs. Does any one know where I can buy some from it's an 07 although I believe aall years are the same. Any feedback on different colors? I am proably wanting to stick with a bright white or blueish light.
Any help or opions would be great thanks
Thank a Vet this week!!!
 
#21 ·
Did this mod over the weekend... Sort of...
I changed a couple things that I think makes it even easier, and continues to use more of the factory parts.
Take a look at this thread for the Improvements:lookaroun
 
#22 ·
will they stay on with the brights on
 
#23 ·
troutstitan said:
Thanks for the thumbnail picture but stores could not find a match for the HID fog light replacement bulbs. Does any one know where I can buy some from it's an 07 although I believe aall years are the same. Any feedback on different colors? I am proably wanting to stick with a bright white or blueish light.
Any help or opions would be great thanks
Thank a Vet this week!!!

If you want a great HID kit for your fogs go here they have awesome kits at great prices!!

cqlight.ca
 
#24 ·
There has to be an easier way of doing this... My husband did this mod to his 96 Civic and all he had to do was switch two wires on the main harness plug.... I will see if I can have someone figure this out.
 
#26 ·
Ok guys just to make sure. With this mod, if you want your fogs to turn on anytime you will supply direct fused power from the battery to both #30 and #86 on the relay correct? Then #85 will go to the light stock, #87 to the white/red stripe fog light wires, and #87a will be unused capped? Another question is if I connect direct battery power to both the #30 and #86 on the relay, will I need to use a seprate inline 20 amp fuse for the #86 on the relay? Or will one 20 amp fuse work for both the #30 and #86? I hope I didn't confuse you guys, although I think I confused myself. :)
 
#33 · (Edited)
Not sure where those numbers are coming from but I did a slightly different variant of this mod and it only required one fuse. I simply ran the wire to a relay, then tapped into the stock headlight wire (not in the fuse box). it's worked fine for the last 7 years. I wasn't bolt enough to cut the wires in the fuse box, but I like the idea better since it's a little cleaner and the guess work isn't there anymore.

I'm not sure how it works on the new titans but I did not tap into my ignition wire. Rather I just went from the relay and battery power right into the harness. The default behavior for this approach is that the foglights will be on whenever you turn the switch for them to be one. On my 05, this means the parking lights MUST be on to run the fog lights, so no worries about leaving them on without a warning.
 
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