Wiring Fog lights

[El Presidente]

When I purchased my car it was obvious the previous owner did something to the fog lights. They are on when the high beam and low beams are on, but not when the parking lights are on. More importantly...I have no switch.

What I would really like to do is wire in a switch, but I don't know what wires to grab or if there is another way to wire them. I would also really like to do is have them seperate of everything else and turn them on/off at anytime. I was thinking about just rewiring them completely and run my own wires, but how could I go about that?

[dutchbmw]

There's a switch at the panel left from the steering wheel for the front and rear fog lights!!? Or is there only one switch....? (for rear foglights)

I shall remove the covering from the panel so i can see the color of the wiring....... (when i forget, give me a reminder)

[El Presidente]

I don't know how the euro's are wired for the rear fogs, but in NA the cars only have one switch and its for the front lights. My problem is there is no switch on mine but the fogs still work.

[Scarface]

I have a similar problem, someone went in and hacked with my wires on my 325i...My OBC tells me I have a low beam failure, when both work, then when I have my fogs running along with my low beams, when I hit the high beams the fogs are supposed to cut off, but instead they stay on and so do the high beams. The only way to turn the high beams off is to hit the fog light switch, and then turn my headlights off all the way..It's weird, I haven't even began to mess with it, one day I will get a diagram and get in there and straighten it all out..I hope you find the help you need!

[jllphan]

Hey Prez, why couldn't you just run new wire from the foglight, through the firewall, into the cockpit and mount a switch in front of the gear selector, using one of the blanks as a place to mount your switch. I think you can even order swithces that mount in those slots fom almost anywhere cheap. As far as grabbing wire, you should be able to grab constant power at the assembly, and use your switch as...well....a switch.

I may be missing something here, so hit me with one of your witty responses

[bitcore]

Originally posted by jllphan@Mar 22 2004, 06:01 PM
..... and use your switch as...well....a switch.
I may be missing something here,.....

switch amperage ratings, don't just get any ol' crap switch, make sure it can handle the load of the lights unless you use a relay of some sort.

[El Presidente]

Originally posted by jllphan@Mar 22 2004, 05:01 PM
Hey Prez, why couldn't you just run new wire from the foglight, through the firewall, into the cockpit and mount a switch in front of the gear selector, using one of the blanks as a place to mount your switch. I think you can even order swithces that mount in those slots fom almost anywhere cheap. As far as grabbing wire, you should be able to grab constant power at the assembly, and use your switch as...well....a switch.

I may be missing something here, so hit me with one of your witty responses

I could do that, but I would like to avoid having to run all new wires. Also, Im not really sure which power wire to grab. I dont want to grab the headlight wires because then they would come on only when the headlights are on, which is how they are wired now. I esspecially want to change this before I install my HID.

Ive been going over my wiring diagram, and Ive got an idea, but I dont know where the foglight relay is. Anyone know?

[El Presidente]

bump.

[dutchbmw]

Originally posted by El Presidente@Mar 22 2004, 01:15 PM
I don't know how the euro's are wired for the rear fogs, but in NA the cars only have one switch and its for the front lights. My problem is there is no switch on mine but the fogs still work.

The switch you missing is the 'push switch' I marked in the pic... You said that the front fogs lights up when you make the high and low beams on. This means the wiring from the fog lights (see pic) is connected to the turnswitch.

Maybe when you remove the lightunit, you can see the fog wire which is amateurish connect to the normal light unit.

Now you can messure (Ohm gauge) what the fog wiring is. I mean: the wiring is behind the light unit sure, because it's connected with the normal lights!!

[jllphan]

Prez, i have to preface my remarks by stating that i am relatively ignorant with regards to most of the electronic plumbing in the e36, but i'm not sure there is a seperate relay for the foglights. My thought process, gives me the suspicion that the parking lights and the fog lights are on the same relay. Do you know where the parking light relay is? I'll go look...

What was your idea anyway?

[El Presidente]

according to my manual's wiring diagram, the fog lights have a separate realy than the headlights. I don't know where any of the relays actually are though.

My idea was to find the foglight realy and run my wires from it rather than from the lights.

[jllphan]

i didn't say headlights, i said parking lights. The fog lights may be activated without the headlights, but not without the parking lights.
The relay may very well be located in the fuse box, but i had a jeep and the headlight relay was in the back of the car.

I'll go look....no, honest this time.....

[sean]

in my car the relay is well up into the dash, sort of behind the instrument cluster

[BMWStrat]

Im having a similar problem, I have a '92 BMW 325i and I want to install sidemarker lights, I know I have to cut fender but does anybody know how to install the sidemarkers "correctly", "professionally"?? Also I bought side view mirrors with indicators on them, I gotta wire those in too, can anybody help or possibly link me to a FAQ or something......Thanks!

[El Presidente]

sorry bro, I dont have any info on actual installation of the sidemarkers. I'll look around though, I think Ive seena write up somewhere.

the more I look at the diagram the more confused I get. Ill just do it the old fashoned way and get under the hood and look.