SIMPLE 06 Access Cab Fog Light Mod

joewildlife · #1 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 08:39 PM

Hey folks, I have read a bunch of "solutions" on this forum to modify the foglights so that they work anytime you want, rather than just when the low beams are on. I'm sure those solutions work on those vehicles they were figured out on. However, those solutions were fairly complicated and just simply don't apply my '06 Access Cab. If you have been following those posts, the modification may involve messing with the fog light relay under the hood and running a jumper wire through the firewall to the relay, getting behind the fuse box under the dash, and also getting at the plug that goes to the light "stalk" on the steering column. I've looked at the wiring diagrams and can't understand them either.

Here is a simple way to do it on MY 06 Access Cab. I make NO claim that it will work on Double Cabs or other models, or for that matter, other Access Cabs of the same year! But listen, the mod that involved messing with the relay...as soon as I ran 12V to the jumper wire that goes to the relay, the fog lights come on regardless of the position of the fog light switch. No workie for Joe. Follow along and you can quickly determine if this mod will work on your truck as you go...

1) Remove the three phillips head screws that hold the panel on to the underside of the steering column. You have to move the steering wheel first to the left, then to the right, to get at the black screw on each side. There is a silver screw directly underneath. Remove the panel.

2) You will see a white plug going to the "stalk" controlling the lights. Remove this plug for easier access and peel back some of the black tape covering the wires. Find the RED Wire with the YELLOW stripe on it. This wire, coming from the "truck" end, is hot only when the low beams are on. Verify this with a test light. (of course, you can only verify it if you cut the wire and plug the plug back in...that is a risk you will have to take!)
This circuit provides power to the fog light circuit. CUT IT about 2 inches from the plug. Tape off the "truck end". Strip off a bit of insulation on the end going into the white plug.

3) STOP NOW to see if this mod will work on your truck. Run a 12V power source to the Red/yellow wire going into the white plug that you just stripped (after reinserting the plug, of course). The fog lights will go on IF AND ONLY IF THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH IS ON and if this mod will work with your truck. To test this, I used a cigarette lighter type plug with wires coming out of it, put the positive wire to the red yellow wire and the fog lights came on when the switch was on, turned off with the switch off.

4) If it works so far, continue. You need to find a 12V switched source to provide switched power to the Red/yellow wire going into the white plug, which provided power to the fog light switch. Look to the right, there is a black plug going into the windshield wiper control stalk. Unplug the black plug. With a test light, verify that you have power to the Blue/silver spotted wire at the plug when the ignition is in the ON position. Do not be tempted to use the Blue/red stripe wire....this also has power when the ignition is on, but when you hit the windshield washer the power goes off to the fogs, and that is just plain wierd for your fogs to go off when you wash your windshield

. If this blue/silver spot wire does indeed give power with the ignition in the ON position, strip off some insulation (do not cut the blue/silver wire), and solder on a short jumper wire to it, and run it to the red/yellow wire going into the white plug.

5) tape everything back up, verify operation, and put it all back together.

Here is a pic of the wire you cut, the red/yellow. Again, just tape off the end going out to the truck, run 12V switched power to the end going to the white plug. you are done.

Stupid easy! Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then!

Nunya53 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 08:23 AM

That's awesome...just the info I've been looking for. Thanks for the write-up.

Jerry

joewildlife · #3 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 08:32 AM

Well if you look at the picture of my plug, you see several other wires have been cut or stripped, based on the directions given in other write-ups.

If I can save just one wire in one Tundra, it will have been worth it

Hope it works for you.

spritefiend · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 10:23 AM

if anyone has the brass to do it to an 06 dual cab before i get to it....

let me know if it works or not

John.

MMitsock · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 12:40 PM

Using this method the fog lights won't come on (or you can't forget to turn them off) unless you have a minimum of the marker lights and panel lights on, and they will go off with the auto off feature when you shut down the truck and open the drivers door.

Saves dead batteries.

Instructions for Tundra's without DRL's:

1. Remove the (4) 10mm bolts that hold on the lower dash panel. Now with a little effort, the panel will pull out. The lower dash panel has 4 spring clips near the top where it connects to the upper part of the dash. Gently pull and pry until they snapped out. Let it hang down.
2. Remove the panel with the fog light switch and the panel light dimmer switch, by pulling towards you. Only clips hold this in.
3. On the backside of the fog light switch, cut the red wire with a yellow tracer, about 2 inches towards the harness.
4. Tape off the cut end (harness side) so that no shorts will occur.
5. Locate the green wire on the back of the panel light dimmer switch. Use a 3M Scotchlok connector or strip the wires a little and solder and tape them to connect the red wire with the yellow tracer, coming out of the fog light switch, to the green wire.
6. Test lights and re-install panels.

Bluethundra · #6 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMitsock

Using this method the fog lights won't come on (or you can't forget to turn them off) unless you have a minimum of the marker lights and panel lights on, and they will go off with the auto off feature when you shut down the truck and open the drivers door.

Saves dead batteries.

Instructions for Tundra's without DRL's:

1. Remove the (4) 10mm bolts that hold on the lower dash panel. Now with a little effort, the panel will pull out. The lower dash panel has 4 spring clips near the top where it connects to the upper part of the dash. Gently pull and pry until they snapped out. Let it hang down.
2. Remove the panel with the fog light switch and the panel light dimmer switch, by pulling towards you. Only clips hold this in.
3. On the backside of the fog light switch, cut the red wire with a yellow tracer, about 2 inches towards the harness.
4. Tape off the cut end (harness side) so that no shorts will occur.
5. Locate the green wire on the back of the panel light dimmer switch. Use a 3M Scotchlok connector or strip the wires a little and solder and tape them to connect the red wire with the yellow tracer, coming out of the fog light switch, to the green wire.
6. Test lights and re-install panels.

What year Tundra is this mod for?

MMitsock · #7 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 02:24 PM

Pretty sure it works for all Access cabs up to '06. Definitely worked on my '00 and '03.

Phil0411 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritefiend

if anyone has the brass to do it to an 06 dual cab before i get to it....

let me know if it works or not

John.

Do you have daytime running lights? If not, I wrote the Double Cab non DRL fog light mod and it's available in the mod section. You can find it here http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...-foglight-mod/

Phil

joewildlife · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 03:18 PM

Phil,
in your writeup you modified the two characteristics you describe below:
1) They made the foglight switch get grounded to complete the circuit only if the low beams are on.

2) They made the power to the relay hot only if the low beams are on.

What I don't understand is that I only messed with #2. #1 doesn't seem to apply to my truck. I dunno!!

Joe

spritefiend · #10 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 03:18 PM

^ yep to drl's.

joewildlife · #11 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMitsock

Pretty sure it works for all Access cabs up to '06. Definitely worked on my '00 and '03.

I don't think this mod works on the later models. It SOUNDS like the earlier models have the foglight switch on the dash. My '06 has the fog light switch on the same stalk as the headlights.

What I'm seeing is MMitsock's mod doesn't mess with any other wires than getting power to the fog light switch circuit whenever you want it. It doesn't mess with this other circuit, if it even exists, that Phil mentions. The circuit that only supplies ground to the relay if the low beams are on.

Bluethundra · #12 (**permalink**) 11-01-2006, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMitsock

Pretty sure it works for all Access cabs up to '06. Definitely worked on my '00 and '03.

Well I have an 03 but mine has DRL is there some other step that I will need to do?

Phil0411 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joewildlife

Phil,
in your writeup you modified the two characteristics you describe below:
1) They made the foglight switch get grounded to complete the circuit only if the low beams are on.

2) They made the power to the relay hot only if the low beams are on.

What I don't understand is that I only messed with #2. #1 doesn't seem to apply to my truck. I dunno!!

Joe

I'm not sure either Joe. I know what I did is necessary in the DC non DRL 2005 - 2006. Since each truck really does have a different harness and body ECU, each seems to slightly different. I do know the column mod I made to mine to get the ground constant seems to be needed in all cases, all years. Why yours worked without doing this is a mystery to me.

Phil

SlowKunrtryTundra · #14 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 04:58 PM

OK
on my 06 DC, the red yellow wire checked out,
gave + when low beam was on, didnt give + when high beams were on.
I gave the wire +12v and the fog lights did not work.
I need to find another wire to give + 12v to or find the fog light relay
my truck was made nov. 05
suggestions
ToDDR

joewildlife · #15 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 07:09 PM

Ok,
still, find that 12V source like I mentioned and hook it up to the red/yellow wire like I said. If you do that, half the job is done. do it.

Having done that, still, the fogs only will work when the low beams are on?

If that is the case, then you have to follow the "step 2" instructions that Phil has given in order to deal with the circuit that only provides ground to the foglight circuit when the low beams are on.

I'm not an electrical engineer by any sort....but I have a wiring diagram here that I made notes on the last time I attempted this fix...and failed. I did know that I had to provide a new power source to the red/yellow wire. first step. Looking at the diagram, it appears that with your truck you might not have a ground to the foglight relay unless the headlights are on low beam.

The fog light relay coil has a red yellow wire on one side of the coil, and a green/white wire on the other side. The green/white wire must be the ground. Look for the green/white wire either at the stalk or at the relay and try grounding it and see what happens.

Joe