Aftermarket fog light install issue...

[Graphicsgod]

Hey got an issue trying to get my fog lights installed to act like factory..

I have the bottom hot RED wire hooked into my head lights (wiring is as follows.. Green-High Beam, Brown/Orange with white stripe-Low Beam, Black and Black-Ground) and the top hot RED wire (by the switch) hooked into the fuse box (plugged into the crank fuse). Negative wires are screwed into the body.

As long as I have only one fog light plugged in, it works perfectly! As soon as I have both fog lights plugged in, they don't come on and the passenger headlight wont come on. And it's stuck like that till I turn off the car and disconnect the hot wire to the head light and then it will work as normal.

Here is a horrible picture to show what's where..



So what's going on here?? Is it that the circuit is being over loaded or is it that relay can't handle the power draw? And it shuts it down to prevent damage? As far as I know, no fuses are burned/destroyed doing this. So how do I correct this? Would switching the wires around fix this? I know the switch doesn't need much power, but can the fuse box handle that kind of power draw?? What do you guys think would fix this?


Here is where I got it..

http://r.ebay.com/4VzyeC

And some pics of how I have it wired up:

[Graphicsgod]

Damn no one :(...

[Kendell347]

Unfortunately, I see a lot of things that make me cringe as an electronics installer. You're a bit far from me to physically assist.

First, I wouldn't leave the switch in the engine bay. One good rain storm or a car wash and you'll fry that switch.

Second, did you have fog lights prior or did you have an LS?

Third, what is your goal as to when the lights should come on?


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[SgtPickles69]

Connect your TOP hot wire here for clean power, and use a fuse.

Then connect the BOTTOM hot wire coming from the headlight to the switch. Your fog lights should turn on whenever your headlights are on. Oh, and make sure you have solid ground connections.

[p.s.]

Curious to see how this works out. I literally bought these from the same vendor a couple weeks ago for like $32. They look surprisingly decent quality in person, the lens is actually glass.

[Graphicsgod]

Got it sorted!!

After sobering up after the holidays, I took another crack at it and just swapped the wires around. That way the switch isn't drawing much power from the headlights to cause a system failure or a blown fuse. And I connected the power wire directly to the fuse box power wire. I figured that if the switch is on the lights, it shouldn't be drawing power when the car is off or the lights aren't on. So this should be safe and work as intended!!

As for the switch, your probably right!! I will take a plastic ziplock and zip-tie it to protect it till I can get the factory interior switch working with the fogs..

I left the fuse wire in, since I will probably tap into it for the front camera. Unless you guys have a better place for tapping into..

I know I can be an idiot when it comes to simple electrical engineering lol!! I'm like a cave man when it comes to this stuff!

Now I just need to figure out why my passenger fog light isn't in properly . I've tried taking it out and putting it back in, even modifying it to get further in, and it still looks off ! Not sure why this one wont go where it's supposed to.. Really annoying me!! Might be easier to take off the bumper.. But I'm trying to avoid it ..

[Graphicsgod]

Originally Posted by Kendell347

Unfortunately, I see a lot of things that make me cringe as an electronics installer. You're a bit far from me to physically assist.

First, I wouldn't leave the switch in the engine bay. One good rain storm or a car wash and you'll fry that switch.

Second, did you have fog lights prior or did you have an LS?

Third, what is your goal as to when the lights should come on?


Sent from BLACKOUT using Tapatalk

Yeah I know, I scare people when I get ahold of a hammer and a nail lol!!

Thanks for the tip! Makes sense, so I'll try covering it with a ziplock baggie till I get it wired inside..

Nope no fogs, just blanks from the factory.

My goal for now, is to have them come on when the lights come on. For now they work as I wanted. The switch thankfully remembers the last position I had them on before the power got cut. So right now they are set to always on, and when the power comes on when the light comes on, they turn on !

Further down the road, I want the interior factory switch to work like the aftermarket switch. Giving me control over the fogs to turn them on and off independently. Shouldn't be too hard.. I work better at a kitchen table versus in a very hot garage with virtually no ventilation :(!

[p.s.]

you sure the adjustment screw on the front of the light isn't turned?

[Graphicsgod]

A little off topic.. But here is the wiring for the front camera. I'm going wireless till I find a good spot to get through the fire wall.. Now I just need a good place to tap into for ground and power behind the radio.. Not crazy about the thin wire coming from wireless module! Hopeing there wont be an issue with melting or anything of the wires...

Where is a good positive and negative connection back there? Would it be a good idea to tap into the radio connector for these connections? And if so, which wire is it? Anyone have pics or a wiring diagram for this connector?

Thanks for any help!!


Also back on topic.. I placed a small bag around the switch to protect it from the elements! Didn't have a ziplock (thanks wife), have to go shopping for some later... So I just grabbed a small bathroom garbage bag and cut it down to size.

[Graphicsgod]

Originally Posted by p.s.

you sure the adjustment screw on the front of the light isn't turned?

Hmmm.. Well before I took it apart and tried "fixing" the housing, it looked the same. I tried turning it every which way and taking it off and putting it back on a dozen of times, even pressed it as far as it would go till I was pushing the bumper forward, still looks the same ! After adjusting the light housing I got it to get about half an inch closer .

It looks like it's not all the way in, but I've pressed it as far as it would go and tried turning it clock wise and counter clock wise and it will only lock in one way ...

[Graphicsgod]

Can anyone confirm that this is the same for our cars?

Stereo Wiring Diagram:

MEM=ORANGE+
PWR=YELLOW+
GND=BLACK-
ILL=GRAY+
DIM=BROWN
ANT=PINK+
RF=LT GRN+
RF=DK GRN-
LF=TAN+
LF=GRAY-
RR=DK BLUE+
RR=LT BLUE-
LR=BROWN+
LR=YELLOW-

[Graphicsgod]

Alright I guess back on topic.. Since everyone good in electronics are being quiet.

Was trying to get ideas on how to insert a switch inside my light switch, made some progress and took a few steps back.. Going to have to remove the switch and extend it through the hole then maybe hot glue it in place with a plastic stick inside the button to press and hit the toggle switch. Which should theoretically cause the fogs to turn off and on. Not sure what I'll do about the circuit board.. maybe hot glue the aftermarket plastic bottom housing onto the GM back over the hole. Just tossing some ideas around.. But for now, I have a spring inside the button and makes the button function as it is intended. Score one for me !! Next step is to desolder the switch and extend with wire..

On a side note, these GM light switches are a pain in the ass to take apart! I broke a plastic piece trying to get it out (thankfully this is an extra GM switch), but with a little super glue, I think I can get it back in and working!! *crosses fingers*

[ghosted]

Hmm, once I finish my other bazillion projects I have going on, I plan on trying to tackle the fog light switch problem myself.

I recently wired in and modified a non-factory headlight (with fog light) switch in a ford pickup truck that took all kinds of cutting, modifying and soldering to get to function. I wanted the factory fogs to function by themselves without modifying the wiring at all (as it was a work truck), and I got that solved on my own. This seems a little bit easier, but at the same time, more complicated.

Let me know if you determine which wires/contacts are which inside that switch, and I'll see if I can help. I'm gonna order a switch with fog light button tonight.