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Custom CF Fog Light Switch (PICS)

S

Savior

CEG'er
Joined
Dec 6, 2002
Messages
306
Location
Honolulu, Hawaii
OK. After months of trying different things, chasing wires, and going through three perfectly-good fog lamp relays, I just could not get my stupid fogs to turn on. The bulbs are good (Sylvania 885's; 50-watt instead of the factory 35-watt), and they would turn on if I simply jumpered the right two contacts in the relay socket behind the headlight switch.

So I said Screw It, and got creative. I went to AutoZone and picked up some red and black wire, a carbon fiber switch, and a blue indicator LED to install so I wouldn't forget about my fogs and leave them on to kill my battery.

I didn't want to mutilate my dash with a drill, so I simply replaced something: That dimmer-switch thing that controls the intensity of the dash lights. I never use it, so I just turned it up to Max and pushed it back into the dash sort of next to where the stereo goes, leaving its 2 little holes for me to use. they were perfectly sized for the switch and LED indicator!

So I wired the switch up to the fog-light relay socket with the wiring I had bought, installed the switch and LED, and presto! My very own custom fog-lamp switch, with light coloring to match the rest of my dash...

CustomFogs-Off.jpg


CustomFogs-On.jpg


Night-Time-Neons3.jpg


Sylvania1.jpg


Sylvania2.jpg


Sweet huh?
 
I like the intuition. Nice job - yah, atleast you didn't have to hack up the dash for it either. I probably would have gone with just a black switch because the "fo" carbon fiber is :blackeye:. Nice though.
 
blu_fuz said:
I like the intuition. Nice job - yah, atleast you didn't have to hack up the dash for it either. I probably would have gone with just a black switch because the "fo" carbon fiber is :blackeye:. Nice though.
Click to expand...

The word is spelled "faux" (French for Fake)... But yeah, they had a black one too. Its only like $5. Maybe I'll pick that one up in a couple days, it would be a little less conspicuous. The fake CF really does look a little over-the-top for fog lights.

And no, "Creative" and "Autozone" usually don't go hand-in-hand, especially when you're taking about "chrome" plastic windshield wiper blades and "spinner" plastic hub-caps (I know they're like the Wal-Mart of car shops), but they're not bad for basic components/raw materials like indicator LEDs, switches, wiring, fuses, crap like that.

I'm just really happy to A.) have fog lamps that actually work now, and B.) have fogs that are independently controlled (I never liked them being controlled with the headlights much).
 
ford4life said:
So now can you have the fogs on with out the parking lights on?
Click to expand...

Yes, they are now a complete separately-controlled entity; separate from the ignition, headlights, high beams, etc.

And the blue lights don't really affect night vision because when you're sitting in the front of the car, you can't see the blue neons under the kickplates from that angle. Although, the 5% limo-tint really kills the night vision... :nonono:
 
Well, everyone seems to really detest the CF style switch and they are out of black ones, so I guess I'll just sand and paint this one black. Should be simple enough.
 
alex894 said:
at least relocate it under the radio part of the center console;


and there's waaayyy to much abundant blue in that car... but to each their own
Click to expand...

Well, that's sort of the point; I didn't want to mutilate my dash beyond its factory setup. Also, the dimmer-switch for the dash illumination has been busted for a long time; the mounting bracket where the two screws go is busted off, so it aways just sort of hung there, bobbing in and out and rattling, held in place only by the wires behind it sort of pushing it forward into its place.

I do intend to remove the switch, spray it black and clear-coat it, then reinstall it. As soon as the foot and a half of snow outside melts so that I can stop parking three blocks away from my house where the road is actually grated/salted. You have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it was to plow my way out of my podunk-ass driveway in a low-riding, 200hp car with slick-tread, Z-rated, Sumitomo racing tires in foot-deep snow. Winter :(
 
I know this is an older post, but I was searching for fog info and came across this...
Sounds like your original problem was the fog switch itself. Jumping the switch and having everything work fine indicates that, but nice job on the new switch.
I like your dash lights, makes me wanna sing that Eiffel 65 song. :laugh:
 
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