EURO dual fog light switch upgrade

[nateb]

Does anyone know what wires I need to splice into to control the rear fog lights in the tail light housing?

Apparently some Euro models came with this switch and you could control the rear fog lights which go in the empty bulb slot in your tail light housing.

Any info would be great.

Thanks
-nate-

[KenC]

PM 'franz'

He's done it.

[Brian 89 325i]

You just cant do it with the switch. You need to either make a harness to support the lighst or get an original. Then open up the socket and then you have lights.

Brian

[nateb]

Brian,

When you say make a harnes to support the lights are you referring to the tail light assembly or a wire harness after the switch?

The wire harness that came with the dual fog light switch differs from the OEM single fog light switch that was in my car. I wired half of it up to the old wiring to control the front fogs but now I need to wire the rears up.

From the information I got on Franz's web site it looks like I have to run new wires back to the tail lights to get this working.

http://home.nc.rr.com/threedom3/rearfog.html


Brian,

When you say get an original are you reffering to Euro tail lights or something?

Thanks
-nate-

[Brian 89 325i]

When i say make a harness i mean. From the switch to the lights you need to run wire to power them. The U.S. cars dont have the wiring from the factory. IT should be fairly simple to make. Also im not sure if the Euro and the U.S. Tailight backing plates are the same, might want to check that too.

Brian

[bimmerphile]

When i say make a harness i mean. From the switch to the lights you need to run wire to power them. The U.S. cars dont have the wiring from the factory. IT should be fairly simple to make. Also im not sure if the Euro and the U.S. Tailight backing plates are the same, might want to check that too.

Brian

They were in my old car. They had the socket on the backing plate, but the hole wasn't punched through the lens.

[Sean]

When i say make a harness i mean. From the switch to the lights you need to run wire to power them. The U.S. cars dont have the wiring from the factory. IT should be fairly simple to make. Also im not sure if the Euro and the U.S. Tailight backing plates are the same, might want to check that too.

Brian

They were in my old car. They had the socket on the backing plate, but the hole wasn't punched through the lens.

It's the same way on teh IS - the provision is there for post 88 cars, I didn't see it on the 87 325 though - so just the later style tail lights I'd assume.

[e304lyfe]

you are partially right.

the actual plastic backing plate is the same... and yes, there is a socket for the bulb...

***BUT***, the socket is not hooked up to anything on the US plate.

if you take apart a backing plate it is clear what has to be done.

if you have a spare backing plate, and a soldering iron, you can fix this problem easily.

ghetto rigging is also possible

or the most costly option... buy euro backing plates.

everyone else is correct in you need to run the wiring. to do it *properly*, the wiring is pretty tricky. but most people dont care enough to wire it properly...

[matt325is]

I did it.

Basically, I removed the plastic from the light housing, put a bulb in, and made a metal concact to touch the side of the bulb. I then had to solder wires to make it connect to the stock connector on the plate where all the bulbs are. I used some thick wire (probably around 12-14gauge copper wire) to be a "pin" to plug into a socket (in the receptical socket where the harness connects to), and put a socket that fits that 12-14g wire in the receptical. Then wired a wire from the fog light switch to the lights.

I have pics on my comp at home, but I will be gone til sunday.

matt

[Super Eta]

can this be done to the pre 88?

[Sean]

can this be done to the pre 88?

Ryan, there's a spot in the tail light FOR the rear fog lights - but, it isn't as close to being ready as the new style tail lights - the 88+ tail lights have a piece of metal already there to hold the bulb. Whereas, the older tail lights, just have a hole for it, but no provision for actually mounting the light in the tail light.

I could get a pic that that compares the two.

[bimmerphile]

sounds like all the info is there, but there's no compilation


Why don't all of you (matt, franz, etc) get together, share thoughts, and make a writeup?

[Bryson]

heh, because it's easy
my dual foglight switch controls front fogs and license plate lights 8)

[Sean]

heh, because it's easy
my dual foglight switch controls front fogs and license plate lights 8)

That is the sweetest idea... 8)

Where can I get a switch?! ;)

[BavarianBimmer]

I've checked mine
but my car is already equipped with rear fogs so no problemo :roll: