KPierson

iTrader: (1)

I posted this thread on G35driver and thought I would post it here to see what the Z people think:

Has anyone been able to come up with a way to use the factory fog light switch to turn on the fog lights without having the headlights on?

I've read a few posts about people using external switchs, or even their parking lights, but I haven't heard of anyone using the actual switch itself.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Would it surprise you that its illegal to run auxiliary lights with the headlights OFF, or do you know that already.

ericjackson

iTrader: (2)

really? my gfs 03 tahoe Z71 has them where you can turn them on without the headlamps. why would that make it like that?

oh yeah, and her dads farm truck is a 05 dodge 2500 and it has them where you can turn on the fog lights without the headlamps

btw, ive never seen anything about the g35, but i know ive seen a lot about this on the lexus IS300's. i would look up how they did thiers and go from there, they call them stand alone fog lights from what i remember

Racer Z

I see Vettes run with "auxilary lights" on w/o headlamps on ALL the time....Hell, my '05 Grand Prix automatically turns on the parking lights ONLY when it gets dusk.

Am I missing something here???

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Here are several references:

“(c) Lighted fog lamps may be used with lower headlamp beams as specified by Section 547.333.”

Refernce: http://blog.kevindonahue.com/archive...light_laws.php

“Inspect for and reject if: (1) Fog lamps are general illumination lamps as covered in 19VAC30-70-160 D. They must burn through the tail light circuit even if on a separate switch. If installed on a vehicle with a four-headlamp system or a vehicle equipped with driving lamps, they must be wired into the low beam circuit.”

Reference: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...19VAC30-70-530

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

I had no idea it may be illegal. The Texas reference says 'may' not must, so I don't think it is illegal in Texas. The Virginia one makes it seem like you must have have low beams on in Virginia to have fogs on, but I live in Ohio, so that doesn't really concern me. I don't see why fogs would have to be integrated in to head lights, so that is interesting!

kcobean

iTrader: (2)

Damn David, you truly are a wealth of knowledge. My fogs are wired into my parking/tail lights, so I guess I'm driving around VA illegally (we won't even talk about the fact that my car has no cats). I never run my car with just the parking lights on though, neven really thought it made sense to do that, so while my car may not be "inspection worthy", I follow the spirit of the law.

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

Why would you go through the hassle of rewiring your fog lights to work with your parking lights but then 'never' run your car with only your parking lights on? That seems kind of counter productive, unless I'm missing something.

kcobean

iTrader: (2)

There was no "re-wiring" really because they were only wired once during the initial install, and it wasn't a hassle, it's just the way we got power to them. I didn't want to use an independent switch, I just wanted them to come on when my lights come on. It was just as easy to wire them into the tail/parking lights as it would have been to wire them into the low-beam wiring. Since you can't turn your low beams on without first turning on your parking lights....requirement met.

usmanasif

iTrader: (4)

That's because we live in a super-litigous society. Most car manufacturers do not allow the possibility that a driver could turn on the fogs without having the low beams on, because somewhere, some idiot will do just that and run into something, then sue the manufacturer for millions.

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

I see. I was thinking about OEM fog lights, not aftermarket sets. I'm assuming that since you installed them yourself they are aftermarket

I thought all Zs came with OEM foglights? Did you scrap them?

usmanasif

iTrader: (4)

Nope. No fogs offered on Zs.

Z_Driver

iTrader: (3)

In the case of one of my cars, I do not like to drive with the headlights up when I do not have to. I cause extra drag and wear on the mechanism. If it is safer to run with light on, for example long highway stretches during the day. I like to run them with the head lights retracted.



On a 350Z it doesn't really make sense not to run your fogs without your low beams. Just run your headlights for visibility.



Not to mention, mine aren't installed yet.

usmanasif

iTrader: (4)

By the way, to answer your main question, I have never done this on a G35, but did it on my Maxima. It is quite simple. OEM fogs are wired with the power coming from the headlight relay but the ground is sent via the fog button inside the car. As fogs need both signals to turn on, they only come on when headlights are on.

I rewired mine to turn on with the corner/parking lights by locating the fog relay in the relay box (engine compartment), snipping off the 12V wire and patching its cold end (I insulated the hot end for safety) into the nearby sidemarker 12V wire. Done! Now when I press the fog button while the sidemarkers are on, the fogs come on.

Z_Driver

iTrader: (3)

Mine actually came factory stock for use like this. I did installed a floor switch to turn on and off my high beams like the old cars have. It's really nice around corners at night when a car shows up out of nowhere you can actually just press the floor switch with both of your hands on the steering wheel. I ran the floor switch in parallel to the turn signal stock switch. I really like this mod.

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

You rewired the high beams of your Z by installing a switch on the floor and simply running the wires up to the turn signal staulk? I find that hard to believe in a G/Z. The turn signal staulk is far from 'normal' and simply running wires to it won't allow you to turn anything on or off, as its a multiplexed matrix style switch (25 total inputs on 10 wires for the turn signal side). I would love to hear what wire colors you tapped in to, as according to the service manual (for the 03) the high beams are mulitplexed with the right hand turn signal, as well as a diagnostic bit that would probably cause the BCM to see a wiring failure if hooked directly up to a source.

I basically already knew the answer to my question before I posted, I just wanted to see what kind of interest there is for a mod light this. The Z service manual references fog lights so I assumed they had them! I have had a couple customers Email us and ask of if a mod like this is possible, and it definately is, IF there is enough interest!

kcobean

iTrader: (2)

Uh....as far as I know, the 350Z has never been offered with OEM foglights. Every foglight install you see will be aftermarket.

Z_Driver

iTrader: (3)

No, you didn't understand. I didn't run the wire to the stalk. I ran a foot switch in parallel with the stalk high beam circuit, if you will. What this requires circuit wise is as follows:

Footswitch, ignition source (+) line to tap into, Then you locate the high beam line to tap into near the head light.

When the car in on you step on the footswitch the aux positive juice you have supplied. Or, you can use the stalk switch to turn the high beams on or off. Your choice. The high beam indictor come on in the dash as well since it is in the circuit. I didn't use a diode however that might be a good safety feature for this mod. You could put the diode in the original headlight line to protect the that portion of circuit if you feel more comfortable with that.
However if you do that the high beam indicator may not illuminate. You could install a second bulb in the circuit to show when the high beam is on if you needed to however.

As far as I know the 350Z hasn't come with fog light yet.

My next projects:

1. LED side reflectors - Shipping
2. Z4 side markers to be used as either markers or blinkers. I might get a trailer circuit to make it do both. - recieved
3. LED replacement of ft and rr blinkers, backup lights, parking light. - recieved. These will probably require a 3 ohm resistor in line.

Enjoy the ride......

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

Gotcha, I misread that. Thats interesting that the service manual references foglights when they arn't even offered. I would imagine they are offered in Japan perhaps?

Z_Driver

iTrader: (3)

Yes, more than likely. The Japanese version of our car generally get a few extra options than what we see here in the states.