Flashing ECU on 2013 1LS with image of 2LS to enable fog lights.

[thekillerbean]

Hi, all

First time posting on the forum. So a while back I purchased some aftermarket fog-lamps for my 2013 1LS MAUAL.. Worked great.

But someone at work backed into the front of my car so I had to had the bumper replaced, so I thought I'd get some halos/projector lamps put in while the front was off and it was free to do so.

I also told the body shop to clean up my electrical from the aftermarket fogs. But when they tried to run the halos and the fogs from the side-marker circuit, the fuse blows after 2 mins.

The body shop did a great job getting me a factory harness and tapping into existing wiring they found for fog lamps in my 1LS, there is even a fuse for the fogs from the factory. I got the fog switch from GM but they fogs do not turn on.

So I got to thinking and realized that they fogs on the 2LS (nearly identical to my car but automatic transmission and a different rear ratio) could simply be running using a software change since in the 2LS the DRL are the foglamps and thus power is being sent trough a different relay.

So the question.... Can I do this myself? or do you guys think that the dealer will just flash a 2LS image on to the ECU for me?

[911medic]

Originally Posted by thekillerbean

Hi, all

First time posting on the forum. So a while back I purchased some aftermarket fog-lamps for my 2013 1LS MAUAL.. Worked great.

But someone at work backed into the front of my car so I had to had the bumper replaced, so I thought I'd get some halos/projector lamps put in while the front was off and it was free to do so.

I also told the body shop to clean up my electrical from the aftermarket fogs. But when they tried to run the halos and the fogs from the side-marker circuit, the fuse blows after 2 mins.

The body shop did a great job getting me a factory harness and tapping into existing wiring they found for fog lamps in my 1LS, there is even a fuse for the fogs from the factory. I got the fog switch from GM but they fogs do not turn on.

So I got to thinking and realized that they fogs on the 2LS (nearly identical to my car but automatic transmission and a different rear ratio) could simply be running using a software change since in the 2LS the DRL are the foglamps and thus power is being sent trough a different relay.

So the question.... Can I do this myself? or do you guys think that the dealer will just flash a 2LS image on to the ECU for me?

You are confused on a couple of items.

First, neither the 1LS nor the 2LS come with fog lamps, either as standard equipment or as options. They're simply not available, from the factory, for either LS car.

Second, the DRLs on ALL (pre-2014) non-RS cars are the headlights. Non-RS models (pre-2014) that have fog lights have just that, fog lights, not DRLs where the fog lights should be. 2010-13 RS models have DRLs where the fog lights should be, and don't have a separate switch to control them. This has been an issue that the aftermarket has addressed, and that Chevy finally addressed in the 2014 refresh.

So...to answer your question, a 2LS flash of any kind will do nothing for your fog lights. There are definitely those on this forum who have added fogs to their LS cars. I believe they have purchased aftermarket harnesses (and possibly switches) to get them to work. A bit of searching in the Electronics or the Lighting sub-forums will probably answer your questions, if someone else doesn't chime in.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

[thekillerbean]

Hi! thanks for your response. You're absolutely right, and I think it sent me in the right direction.

What I should be looking into was the BCM, this dude did it with his equinox and it is exactly what I have done.



I bought a factory harness connecting the fog-lamps to the existing leads from the car and I bought the switch. If I can get that thing re-flashed I think it will work like it did for him.

[showit78]

did you get them working

[2SSRS@Gen5diy]

Originally Posted by showit78

did you get them working

There is no way to make this work with out spending a lot.

[Moeman]

I bought the Harness and fogs from Gen5DIY to make the fogs be the drl'S IN MY 2013 2LS, my fogs Stayed ON all the time. Headlamps came on when it got dusk.

Right around $275 or so.

Looked great, but the car was not Virginia legal, cuz the fogs did not go out when the high beams came on. Pfffft, I dont live in VA. They worked great for the year I had the car, When I Traded it, I left the paper work detailing the install in the glovebox.