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View Full Version : DIY: OEM fogs to work with parking and high beams



ace of spades
11-29-2010, 01:28 PM
here is a quick and easy (and free) mod that will enable you to run your factory OEM foglights when you have only your marker lights on and during high and low beam operation, instead of only when your low beams are on.

tools needed- light, 10mm socket and ratchet, set of precision screwdrivers
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05892.jpg

-we're going to be swapping two wires inside the foglight switch harness, so pop your hood and remove your positive battery cable with your 10mm socket and ratchet.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05889.jpg

-under the steering wheel, you need to remove two plastic cover panels. start with this L shaped panel first. twist the knob and gently pull it down.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05863.jpg

-the second larger panel sits directly above the pedal assembly. same deal- twist the knob and gently pull it down, then slide it towards the seat.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05864.jpg

-lying on your back with your head near the pedals, look up to find the back of the foglight switch.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05872.jpg

-it's hard to see in the picture, but there is a tab on the top and bottom of the back of the switch. you'll need to push on both tabs with your index finger and thumb, while at the same time pushing the switch out of the dash like so.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05875.jpg

-picture of switch assembly.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05876.jpg

-push the tab on the lower side of the harness to separate it from the switch.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05877.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05878.jpg
-NOTE: I had to do this at the dash because my wires weren't very long. I had the assembly pulled and dangling for visual purposes.

-we need to pull two wires from the harness and swap their places. what you see is 5 pin terminals (one for each wire) and a very small slot above each one.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05881.jpg

-here is a picture of the wires from the factory, you will see that the colors of the wire sequence is
black/red/red/red/blue
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/EP_FOGLIGHT-24.jpg

-using a smaller flathead than earlier, you need to insert it into the tiny slot above the blue wire on the end.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05882.jpg

-prying away from the wire, gently pull the wire to detach it from the harness. the wire should come out easily and it took a little finesse to pry/pull/hold everything at the same time. wire coming out:
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05883.jpg

-now you need to remove the center red wire the same way.

-insert the red wire into the end pin connector, and the blue wire into the center connector to look like this.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05877.jpg

-the wire sequence will now be black/red/blue/red/red

-ready to reinstall. feed the harness back up into position.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05885.jpg

-and reattach the switch to the harness.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05886.jpg

-gently push the switch back into the dash to lock the tabs in place.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05887.jpg

-reinstall both under panels starting with the larger one, making sure you slide it into the slot on the firewall.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05888.jpg

-reattach the positive battery terminal and dig out your stereo code card, you're gonna need to reprogram your radio stations.


try em out!

before:

foglights only work when headlights are on
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05859.jpg

high beams = no foglights ftl

after:

foglights can be switched on when marker lights are turned on
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05862.jpg

and will stay on when high beams are switched on = ftw
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC05861.jpg

-there was only one drawback to doing this mod, and that was the "enabled" light on the foglight switch no longer works for me. not a deal closer, I don't need a dash light to tell me when my foglights are on.

one last picture
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/DSC04207.jpg

ace of spades
11-29-2010, 01:29 PM
to the best of my knowledge, this is the 02/03 wire swap. I believe 04/05 have different colored wires in the switch harness. and I think the wires that are swapped are yellow and brown.

if any 04/05 owners can take a picture like the one below, I'd like to verify what color wires are there and add it into the DIY.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii142/blueEP3piece/DIY/EP_FOGLIGHT-24.jpg

thank you

Kerby
11-29-2010, 01:35 PM
nice write up.

RedSiBaron
11-29-2010, 01:50 PM
Thanks for the awesome writeup jason...how'd you figure this out and what are those two wires for?

ace of spades
11-29-2010, 01:59 PM
nice write up.
thanks

Thanks for the awesome writeup jason...how'd you figure this out and what are those two wires for?

thanks Charley. I did this in 2008 after reading that someone did it here. that DIY has long been deleted, and I don't know what the wires do. that thread also had some info about the wires being different colors for 04/05's. someone on cep3 asked for more info about the mod, so I made a DIY for it long after had actually done it.

introvert
11-29-2010, 02:47 PM
Anyone know the part # or where to get a replacement switch?

ace of spades
11-29-2010, 02:54 PM
Acura OEM fog light Switch PN: 08V31-S6M-01035

2004ep3hatch
12-07-2010, 08:22 PM
very interesting, Will you pass inspection when they oerate the lights? Legally they are supposed to shut off when the highs are on. Assuming you don't put it back lol.

I do have the factory harness somwhere.

usedep3
12-07-2010, 09:43 PM
nice write up! i did this same rewire on my 03 before it was totaled. worked out great. no issues after 4+ years

tried doing the same on my 04/05 oem fogs, no dice. the rewire works, but for some reason, the head lights will turn on for a quick second and then shut off. i tried (without success) to figure out what was going on. this would be ok for most people, but bad for HID owners as turning lights on and off very quickly is bad for the ballasts.

usedep3
12-07-2010, 09:48 PM
also, there's a clip/lock that keeps the wires on the harness. if u 'unlock' it, pigtails will come out a lot easier with the pin.

jrsev_03
12-12-2010, 09:18 AM
I was curious if it was possible to just jump the red wire to the blue wire and instead not use the slot where the blue wire was. Do you guys think the dash fog light indicator light will work??? what was the original slot for the blue wire for anyway???

ace of spades
12-13-2010, 06:10 AM
Thanks for the awesome writeup jason...how'd you figure this out and what are those two wires for?
did a little digging- one of the wires is for illumination to the switch. since I've changed wire locations, the amber fog symbol no longer lights up when the parking lights are engaged like every other light on the dash. the green "enabled" light for the fogs still works when switched on.

very interesting, Will you pass inspection when they oerate the lights? Legally they are supposed to shut off when the highs are on. Assuming you don't put it back lol.

I do have the factory harness somwhere.
I was nervous about this the first time I went in for PA inspection, but they didn't say anything. it's been a few years now and they've always passed it (and I go to the Honda dealership every year.)

nice write up! i did this same rewire on my 03 before it was totaled. worked out great. no issues after 4+ years

tried doing the same on my 04/05 oem fogs, no dice. the rewire works, but for some reason, the head lights will turn on for a quick second and then shut off. i tried (without success) to figure out what was going on. this would be ok for most people, but bad for HID owners as turning lights on and off very quickly is bad for the ballasts.
I heard that the wires are different colors for 04/05's. can you post a pic of all 5 wires for me?

I was curious if it was possible to just jump the red wire to the blue wire and instead not use the slot where the blue wire was. Do you guys think the dash fog light indicator light will work??? what was the original slot for the blue wire for anyway???

see my reply to RedSiBaron. not sure if you can jump them.

civictype_r04
12-15-2010, 11:57 AM
My ebay kit allowed me to this with just pluging it all in.

ace of spades
12-16-2010, 06:40 PM
yeah, I heard that ebay fogs are like that without any modification. I think all fogs should be hat way...

krod
03-10-2011, 07:52 AM
Used this today and it worked great thanks for the write up,couldnt get the wires to come out of the harness so just spliced them between the harness and the protective coating,got a quick question i figure my fogs are oem but both of my fogs need to be replaced one has a small pin hole where a rock hit it and the other one has a crack and moisture is getting in,can i buy a set of ebay fogs and just swap out the actual lamps and use my stock wiring?

ace of spades
03-10-2011, 09:13 AM
cool, I'm glad this was useful. on the grey 5 wire harness there is a small "door" that opens to release each wire individually when you slide a precision flathead inside each wire port. I struggled with getting the wires out myself until I opened the "door' of the harness.

as far as replacing the fogs themselves, HandA has them for $95. I've read a lot of horror stories about ebay fogs, so I would stay with OEM lights. just my opinion though. http://www.handa-accessories.com/civicsi.html

krod
03-10-2011, 11:21 AM
yeah,i tried the door too,i think the precision screwdriver i was using might have been too small,i asked a few guys on here[U] they said as long as you just swap the light housings themselves they are pretty much the same,the stories i have read all have to do with the harness that comes with them that i wouldnt need to use,the bulbs are the same so they said all i have to swap is the housings themselves,thanks bro.

ace of spades
03-10-2011, 02:27 PM
cool, that's good to know the housings are the same.

Supaduck
03-22-2011, 05:37 PM
wondering if this can be done with 04-05 fogs, the wiring on the switch is slightly different

usedep3
03-23-2011, 01:21 PM
wondering if this can be done with 04-05 fogs, the wiring on the switch is slightly different

i've tried this on both my 03 ep and my 04 ep. the 03 ep this worked fine for the 4 years i owned her. with the 04, it wasnt as smooth. what i noticed with this mod is that the headlights would get power for a quick second and then discharge. that isn't good if you're running HIDs

Keep in mind the 02/03 cabin harness for the oem fogs is different from the 04/05 cabin harness

VividSI
08-12-2011, 03:49 PM
Ive always wanted this feature and im still baffled why honda designed them this way to begin with, I have an 04 and on the verge of getting HID's so it looks like im SOL

EggShellSi
09-13-2011, 01:01 PM
I had the flicker problem, but all you have to do is push the lever foward into high beam mode, and they wont flicker when you lock or unlock your car. Then when you drive at night just switch it back to low beam. You just have to remember to push it back foward before you get out.

ep32424
11-30-2011, 09:33 PM
I'm waiting for my fog, when i get it will give it a try. thanks

cvicep3
11-30-2011, 09:50 PM
Moonsi fogs kit allow me to do this, but I want to mod fogs off when high beams are on just to pass the state inspection.

dble0
04-18-2013, 07:44 PM
so i have the 04-05 kit. The wire colors don't match this DIY(as already determined). Mine is OEM, any ideas on the pin numbers or wire colors to do this to mine?