DIY: How To: Fog Light Modification

[this_is_nascar]

Originally Posted by Kristopherl

I will try to take some pics tonight and post. Took me a about 3 hrs (through hesitation) to do this mod when I was trying to do it how the prior posts were saying to do it... mostly because I didn't like the trigger leads they were using. I had my whole fuse box apart to try to do the mod from the underside. Once I thought about it more I put it all back together and did it the way I mentioned above and it took me a whole 10 minutes to do it and I wasn't tapping into any wiring that had anything do to with the computer or engine wiring. Plus it is completely reversable without anyone knowing it was done. I also didn't like bending the spade of the relay for fear of breaking it if I had to bend it back straight.

That would be awesome. I'm all for doing the MOD, but I'm looking for the simplist, least intrusive method of accomplishing this. Even if Toyota allowed the FOGS to be on with just the parking lights, that would have been fine with me.

[Kristopherl]

Attachments:
Have to switch out the female spade connector...ran out of plastic protected ones.... reason for the electrical tap on one of them. Didn't want to have any metal exposed. Ran a fuse on the trigger lead to the marker light.


Snaked trigger wire through fuse box to a pre-existing hole in the bottom left corner of fuse box and brought the wire through the bundle of wires on the bottom front left corner and ran it through the wire toobing to the front corner marker.



Clip the lead from the relay to the grean wire of the corner marker light.


Your done!


Looking down into the back corner of the front headlight where the marker light mounts



Your done!

[this_is_nascar]

Thanks. I really appreciate it.

[The Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Kristopherl

So why are people doing this mod by tying into the EFI Fuse... seems like this is a problem waiting to happen. Instead of tying into the EFI I took the same wire from the relay and took it to the front corner marker. This way the fog lights can be used with only running lights or low beams or high beams. Also, by doing it this way the fog lights will automatically turn off when the ignition is off and the door is opened with no flashing 4 hrs later.

Let me know if I am missing something. Just seems like by doing this way it acts more like it was always suppose to operate this way. Also, very easily reversable.

Problem waiting to happen? Messing with all the wires you did from your write-up seems much more prone to wiring issues than the way I suggested. It is not affecting the system in anyway. As a matter of fact, the power draw is minimal to the point where it is barely present. It is only used as a switched power source to give the fog relay power. The fog lights have their own 12V source to the battery, not from the EFI fuse. Also, the littelfuse is still a fused connection.

I'm sorry you think your way is better, but I will have to disagree in this instance. Especially since you spent 3 hours to figure out the 10 minute route was easier. That's a lot of female connectors to have laying inside your fuse box. You also had to permanently modify the wiring by using the T-tap on your parking light wire. Yes, once removed (and then taped) to the average joe's eye, it looks like it was never modified. But my method does not alter the wiring at all, ever.

We could go back and forth arguing over this. To each his own, but put yourself in someone's shoes like "this_is_nascar" who could understand my littelfuse method over yours. It's fast and both yield the same effects. You can also turn on the fog lights as a daytime running light.

[Kristopherl]

Originally Posted by The Phoenix

Problem waiting to happen? Messing with all the wires you did from your write-up seems much more prone to wiring issues than the way I suggested. It is not affecting the system in anyway. As a matter of fact, the power draw is minimal to the point where it is barely present. It is only used as a switched power source to give the fog relay power. The fog lights have their own 12V source to the battery, not from the EFI fuse. Also, the littelfuse is still a fused connection.

I'm sorry you think your way is better, but I will have to disagree in this instance. Especially since you spent 3 hours to figure out the 10 minute route was easier. That's a lot of female connectors to have laying inside your fuse box. You also had to permanently modify the wiring by using the T-tap on your parking light wire. Yes, once removed (and then taped) to the average joe's eye, it looks like it was never modified. But my method does not alter the wiring at all, ever.

We could go back and forth arguing over this. To each his own, but put yourself in someone's shoes like "this_is_nascar" who could understand my littelfuse method over yours. It's fast and both yield the same effects. You can also turn on the fog lights as a daytime running light.

I am not trying to trash anyones methods... I am just trying to understand people's methods... the 3 hrs was mostly the taking all the crap apart to get the fuse box open and trying to figure out the safest method but it was also the worry of taping that fuse because one person had responded that their check engine light came on after doing it this way . I could have done it your way by bending the spade on the relay and only making one wire run to the marker light (which would have made it a lot easier). However, I didn't want to bend the spade for fear of it breaking off if I had to bend it straight again to put it back to the factory setting. didn't want the hassle of going and ordering a new relay if it did. I agree....to each there own.

Again, just trying to understand other people's methods.... not bashing. Ultimately both methods work and it's a matter of own preference.

I'm sorry you took it to be an insult. wasn't intending to insult anyone.

[The Phoenix]

There's no insulting, just a better understanding for everyone. I was also not aware of any check engine light. If you could dig that up, that would be good. I will look into that further.

[Kristopherl]

Originally Posted by nomolosTRD

I Tried the modification using the fog light relay and the fuse. It worked, but it caused the check engine light to come on. Does anyone know why the check engine light would come on by doing this mod?

07 tacoma

Pheonix: Here is the post I saw.. I just didn't want to risk it.. He might have done it wrong or may have been a completely different issue he had that just so happen to occur at the same time. I tend to be a person who has luck like this so I figured tapping the marker light was going to be the hardest way for me to run into bad luck

[this_is_nascar]

Originally Posted by The Phoenix

Just an FYI for anyone that is interested in doing this with $10 and NO CUTTING OF WIRES. This is a much better way of doing it. It takes literally 3 minutes to do, and it is completely reversible with no signs that anything was ever modified. You don't cut ANYTHING! Here is all you need to do.

Stop by your local pepboys and pickup one of these.
Parts Express:Littelfuse Add-A-Circuit Fuseholder for ATO/ATC Fuses

Then hook it up like the following:


Your fog light mod is done. You will be able to turn on your foglights whenever the truck is set to "run" and they will turn off automatically when you turn off the truck. One side effect to this is that if you leave the fog light switch on, every 4 hours or so, your truck runs a quick diagnostic and because you tapped this specific fuse, the foglights will also come on for a minute or so. You can avoid this by simply turning off the fog light switch before you park your truck for the night.

No worries if it does happen though. Your battery won't die, etc.

I may have missed it, but this method requires the bending of the tab, correct?

[The Phoenix]

Originally Posted by this_is_nascar

I may have missed it, but this method requires the bending of the tab, correct?

You are correct. The tab is bendable without breaking it as well.

[Skipbo00]

Hey do these apply to the 2008??
Thanks
Skip

[Snakeii]

How about putting some duct tape on dem der lazy man's mod?

Tapping off the EFI or any other circuit... Having your fogs turn on for a minute during the night... Seriously, why be so lazy? Fits right under the cheesey mod list.

Why not run the relay off from the accessories circuit, a.k.a. cigarette lighter plug circuit? It only has power when the ignition switch is on, and you arent drawing power from circuits that were not designed to run... accessories.

[Johnny Law]

I'm surprised no one did it this way, as I did. Phoenix is correct in bending the tab on the fog light relay, however I carefully removed insulation from the driver's side front parking light (the little orange bulb) and spliced a wire there. I then ran that wire to the tab on the fog light relay so that when your parking lights are on, so are your fogs if you wish. Since the parking lights are on when the headlights are also on, this is a non issue. You can still turn the fogs on and off regularly with the switch. No hacking into the fuel injection, no check engine light, no nothing for the last two and a half years! The trade off is that you are removing some insulation from a wire, no big deal. I sealed up my splice and put black wire loom around the new wire, blends right in with all the other stuff in the engine bay.

BTW this works with or without DRL's, and looks most impressive with DRL's. You definitely get looks from other Tacoma owners who can't seem to figure out why your truck is different.

[RaginTurtleHed]

I love this Idea. I have been so frustrated when trail riding at night not being able to have my highs and fogs on. It will be so much easier to see oncoming rocks and ruts. Cant wait till I have time to do this mod....

[dgelabert]

I have a 2000 Tacoma that that did not have fog lights. Do I have to buy a relay to install fog lights ?

Dave

[Snakeii]

Originally Posted by dgelabert

I have a 2000 Tacoma that that did not have fog lights. Do I have to buy a relay to install fog lights ?

Dave

Sorry Dave, you'd be better off asking that in the other Tacoma section, this is for the 2005+.

I didnt get too far with the 04 I had so I couldnt tell you about any factory installed circuits. Some fog light sets come with a relay, such as the PIAA 510's (pretty nice set of fogs). The only reason I'm using the factory relay is to control all of the auxillary lighting, which so far are the 510 fogs and the 580's. I want the ability to shut off all lights with one switch, and since I want it to be independant of the parking or headlights I'll have to do the "fog light mod" one of these days. Both light sets came with their own relay.