Cheap Web Hosting | Free Web Hosting | Dedicated Servers | Windows Hosting | Free Web Space | Trade Show Displays | GoDaddy Coupon Codes | FrontPage Hosting | Business Hosting
cheap web hosting
Search the Web


Rear Fog Light Install on North American Car

(This page was reprinted from: http://www.geocities.com/projektzwo/rear-foglights.html)

MkIII Golf and GTI rear fog light install

Please notice:  While this modification works great on my car, it might not work at all on your car.  I can take no responsibility to what you do to your car.  I prepared the text and pictures to be as accurate as possible, however, there may be errors in my description, so consult you Bentley manual to be sure that what's right on my car is right on your car.  Note also that by adding this modification to your car, you may be voiding your factory warranty.  If you are unsure of your ability to complete this modification, DO NOT DO IT - this is an electrical mod, you could harm your car if you are not careful!!!!

 

Click on the pictures for larger image/additional text
Lights on.  Rear foglight off.
Lights on.  Rear fog light on.

 

This was really a fairly easy modification to install.  You will need:

  • Wire cutter and stripper
  • Wire (Radio Shack sells spools of wire cheap)
  • Euro-spec headlight switch  (www.parts4vws.com)
  • Fog light relays (included with Euroswitch)
  • AMP 66740-2 female connector (I scavenged mine from a junkyard VW wiring harness; your VW dealer can get these for you)
  • PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE!

My car is a 97 GTI 8v with the Euro switch and fog light/high beam jumpers installed
and the DRL relay pulled.  I cannot make any comments nor verify that this

mod works on cars equipped differently than mine.

Your results may vary.



Pop out the ABS warning light panel to gain access to the headlight switch "unlock" tab.


Once the ABS corner section and the headlight switch were out, I removed the fuse box cover (under dash) anddrivers side door sill panel.  (remove the "screw" from the lower right side of the door sill and apply downwardpressure to the door sill - there is a lip that the panel clips to that will release the panel w/pressure is applied.)

I then took my spool of Radio Shack wire and proceeded to thread wire down the hole in my dash (from where the headlight switch was). I then carefully pulled it through the dash from below (much easier to do w/fuse box cover removed)  and fed the wire along the door sill.  I popped out my drivers side rear seat to gain access underneath and used a bent up coat hanger to help pull the wire through the section where the wire tucks under the rear seat "carpet" area from the door sill.  Next I fed the wire under the rear seat back and into the hatch.  Once in the hatch, I left myself an additional 3.5' of wire. (better to have to much than not enough!)

I grabbed a handful of zip ties and secured my new addition to the existing wiring throughout the length of the car.  After I made sure my wire was routed cleanly and wasn't kinked or binding, I replaced the door sill (and screw) and the fuse box cover.  I left about a foot of extra wire on the dashboard side of the wiring and then cut the spool free of the wire.  I trimmed off any excess wire and then I stripped my wire and added my AMP female connector to the end of the wire.  (I scavenged my connector from a VW wiring harness that I got at a junkyard for $1)  Noting how the female connectors mount INSIDE the wiring harness, I plugged mine into position #12 on the harness in the same fashion.

 

On the European spec VW headlight switch, you want to add an additional wire to slot #12 in the harness for the rear fog light.


Once the headlight switch section was done, I placed the switch back into the dash and returned the ABS section as well.  I then moved into the hatch.

I left myself extra wire earlier and now trimmed some of that off since I had too much. I cut the wire in position #3 on the lower wiring harness.  This wire fed the power for the outer marker light.  I then used a wire tap to feed my new wire into this slot on the harness.

MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE AMPLE WIRE STICKING OUT OF THE WIRING HARNESS SO THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TAP YOUR NEW WIRE INTO!!! IF YOU CUT THE WIRE TOO CLOSE TO THE HARNESS, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAP YOUR NEW WIRE IN TO THE HARNESS AND YOU'LL BE SCREWED!!!!!!!!!!!!

I then pulled the passenger side cluster and yanked the bulb for the outer light. (it's no longer going to be used)  Replace the passenger side cluster.

 
Drivers side taillight cluster.  Picture shows how I tapped the new wire from the headlight switch into the taillight wiring.
A different view of the driver side taillight wiring and how I tapped into it. I cut the wire at position #3 on the harness and tapped my new wire into this position.
MAKE SURE WHEN YOU CUT THE WIRE AT POSITION #3 THAT YOU  LEAVE ENOUGH WIRE COMING OUT OF THE HARNESS TO ALLOW YOU TO TAP INTO IT!!!


Pull the drivers side talilight cluster and replace the stock bulb in position 3 with a new Sylvania #7528 or equivalent and put the cluster back..  Double check ALL of you connections.  Once you feel that you have everything right, turn on the lights. You should have just the 2 center sections dimly lit on the rear taillights.  If so, then turn on the rear fog lights by pulling your headlight switch out to the 2nd position.  You should now have the 2 center sections dimly lit, and the drivers side outer slot lit BRIGHT.

If your lights are not performing as described, re-check your wiring, connections, etc.

 

You will have to replace the stock bulb with a new bulb.  I used a Sylvania #7528 that is a direct replacement for the brake light.


iSomeone emailed me this link to another guys site that does just about what I have done
here. (ALOT more text - less install pics - but both reach the same goal)  He did a bit more rewiring and really goes into detail about some of the stuff at hand. Feel free to check his site out - between the two sites you should be able to wire the fog lights!!  :)

http://www.bme.med.ualberta.ca/~nicola/rear_fogs.html

(ed. note: I have reprinted this page on this site also...)

 

Back to Lighting Main Page

 

(c) 2000, All Rights Reserved.
This site is in no way affiliated with Volkswagen North America or VAG Group,
I just have a great appreciation for their vehicles.

Cabriolinks Cabriolinks Performance Tuning Performance Tuning Photo Gallery Photo Gallery General Information General Information Cabrio Main Menu Cabriolinks Performance Tuning Photo Gallery General Information General Information General Information General Information Photo Gallery Photo Gallery Photo Gallery Performance Tuning Cabriolinks Cabriolinks Performance Tuning Cabriolinks Performance Tuning Photo Gallery General Information