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Changing from 97-99 GXE no fogs to SE w/fogs question

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Old 06-02-2009, 07:32 AM
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Changing from 97-99 GXE no fogs to SE w/fogs question

Let me start by saying my car is in the shop and I cannot see it, so I am not sure if this is a stupid question or not.

My car is a 98 GXE. I am putting a 97-99 stock bumper on with fog lights. He has put the new stalk in, put the fogs on the bumper and hooked them up to the connectors for the bulbs, and installed the relay in the box. Now, he is telling me that the connectors under the dash do not match. He does not have a wiring schematic or anything, he is just going off of what he sees and testing with his multi meter between certian points. His shop closes every day before I get off work so I cannot get out there to look at it. I am hoping this is a common problem people run into when they do the swap or else he is just over looking something. Again I am just going off what he is telling me on the phone. I cannot see the car. Does any one have a write up or some pics of how the plugs need to be pluged in under the dash? Thanks for any help.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
Let me start by saying my car is in the shop and I cannot see it, so I am not sure if this is a stupid question or not.

My car is a 98 GXE. I am putting a 97-99 stock bumper on with fog lights. He has put the new stalk in, put the fogs on the bumper and hooked them up to the connectors for the bulbs, and installed the relay in the box. Now, he is telling me that the connectors under the dash do not match. He does not have a wiring schematic or anything, he is just going off of what he sees and testing with his multi meter between certian points. His shop closes every day before I get off work so I cannot get out there to look at it. I am hoping this is a common problem people run into when they do the swap or else he is just over looking something. Again I am just going off what he is telling me on the phone. I cannot see the car. Does any one have a write up or some pics of how the plugs need to be pluged in under the dash? Thanks for any help.
...which connectors, exactly? The connector for the light switch, or something else? Why is he tooling around underneath the dash?
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:26 PM
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If you have a 95-96-(97?), youre going to need the stalk for that year.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
Let me start by saying my car is in the shop and I cannot see it, so I am not sure if this is a stupid question or not.

My car is a 98 GXE. I am putting a 97-99 stock bumper on with fog lights. He has put the new stalk in, put the fogs on the bumper and hooked them up to the connectors for the bulbs, and installed the relay in the box. Now, he is telling me that the connectors under the dash do not match. He does not have a wiring schematic or anything, he is just going off of what he sees and testing with his multi meter between certian points. His shop closes every day before I get off work so I cannot get out there to look at it. I am hoping this is a common problem people run into when they do the swap or else he is just over looking something. Again I am just going off what he is telling me on the phone. I cannot see the car. Does any one have a write up or some pics of how the plugs need to be pluged in under the dash? Thanks for any help.
remove the regular stalk and replace it with the fog light stalk pop in the relay and the fogs and you should be good to go.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by JNCoRacer
If you have a 95-96-(97?), youre going to need the stalk for that year.
It's the typical year split, 95/96 vs 97-99.

And true, I just assumed all of the correct parts were purchased.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
It's the typical year split, 95/96 vs 97-99.

And true, I just assumed all of the correct parts were purchased.
Maybe you should search next time.

Kidding.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by JNCoRacer
Maybe you should search next time.

Kidding.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:58 PM
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OP: If your light switch takes 2 connectors, it's a 95/96 style, might want to ask him about that.

Quick and dirty little comparison chart:
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Old 06-02-2009, 03:08 PM
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I went through this switch without a problem... What I did was wire the for lights into the bumper lights... Im really pleased
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Old 06-02-2009, 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Gman8990
I went through this switch without a problem... What I did was wire the for lights into the bumper lights... Im really pleased
Do that, and you can't do this:
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Old 06-02-2009, 08:14 PM
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Here is what I did on my car:
1. I went and got a fog light stalk for 97-99 and replaced it with mine (there is an extra plug for the fogs on it)
2 I found and put the fog light relay. I believe all of the blue ones are the same (that is the one you need-blue)
3 I got fog lights and put them on using the stock plugs the Maxima has (they go together with the bumper lights plugs-look and you will see them)
4 You enjoy!
5 If you want your fog lights to be capable of staying on when all of your other lights are off you have to rewire them

Hope that helps. It is very simple job
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Old 06-02-2009, 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
Do that, and you can't do this:
I have a question for you that I believe would be helpful for many people as well as cardana24. Where did you get 12V from in order to make the fog lights to come on without having to turn any other lights on?
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Old 06-02-2009, 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by tosheto
I have a question for you that I believe would be helpful for many people as well as cardana24. Where did you get 12V from in order to make the fog lights to come on without having to turn any other lights on?
Standard rewire: http://www.vqpower.com/v2/articles.php?article_id=81
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Old 06-03-2009, 06:38 AM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
...which connectors, exactly? The connector for the light switch, or something else? Why is he tooling around underneath the dash?
I'm not sure, I was just trying to relay the information he gave me.

Originally Posted by JNCoRacer
If you have a 95-96-(97?), youre going to need the stalk for that year.
I have a 98.

Originally Posted by i2vicious2
remove the regular stalk and replace it with the fog light stalk pop in the relay and the fogs and you should be good to go.
That's what I am hoping. Hopefully something is just being over looked.

Originally Posted by pmohr
It's the typical year split, 95/96 vs 97-99.

And true, I just assumed all of the correct parts were purchased.
When I purchased the fog light stalk and the rest of the parts the seller told me they were from his 98 so I assume they would work for me.

Originally Posted by pmohr
OP: If your light switch takes 2 connectors, it's a 95/96 style, might want to ask him about that.

Quick and dirty little comparison chart:
I sent him this link, so I should have a little feedback in a few hours. Thanks for the pin out.


Originally Posted by tosheto
Here is what I did on my car:
1. I went and got a fog light stalk for 97-99 and replaced it with mine (there is an extra plug for the fogs on it)
2 I found and put the fog light relay. I believe all of the blue ones are the same (that is the one you need-blue)
3 I got fog lights and put them on using the stock plugs the Maxima has (they go together with the bumper lights plugs-look and you will see them)
4 You enjoy!
5 If you want your fog lights to be capable of staying on when all of your other lights are off you have to rewire them

Hope that helps. It is very simple job

That's what I am hoping.
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Old 06-03-2009, 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by tosheto
I have a question for you that I believe would be helpful for many people as well as cardana24. Where did you get 12V from in order to make the fog lights to come on without having to turn any other lights on?
wiper relay... cuz i was lazy
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Old 06-03-2009, 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
i did this with the help of this link and it came out like butter nice and smoothe
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Old 06-03-2009, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
Let me start by saying my car is in the shop and I cannot see it, so I am not sure if this is a stupid question or not.

My car is a 98 GXE. I am putting a 97-99 stock bumper on with fog lights. He has put the new stalk in, put the fogs on the bumper and hooked them up to the connectors for the bulbs, and installed the relay in the box. Now, he is telling me that the connectors under the dash do not match. He does not have a wiring schematic or anything, he is just going off of what he sees and testing with his multi meter between certian points. His shop closes every day before I get off work so I cannot get out there to look at it. I am hoping this is a common problem people run into when they do the swap or else he is just over looking something. Again I am just going off what he is telling me on the phone. I cannot see the car. Does any one have a write up or some pics of how the plugs need to be pluged in under the dash? Thanks for any help.
I don't understand the thread title. You're not changing from a GXE to an SE, you're just adding OEM foglights to your GXE, right?
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Old 06-03-2009, 12:20 PM
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Originally Posted by ptatohed
I don't understand the thread title. You're not changing from a GXE to an SE, you're just adding OEM foglights to your GXE, right?
Throw the word 'bumper cover' in the title, it all makes sense.
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Old 06-03-2009, 12:47 PM
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Originally Posted by ptatohed
I don't understand the thread title. You're not changing from a GXE to an SE, you're just adding OEM foglights to your GXE, right?
no. Sorry for the not too descriptive title. I am putting an 97-99 SE front bumper in place of my GXE bumper. Since the car is a GXE it did not already have the fog light stalk/brackets/fog lights installed. So I was asking a question about hooking up wiring which I assume is already in place...but I am not close to my car.

Originally Posted by pmohr
Throw the word 'bumper cover' in the title, it all makes sense.
Thanks
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Old 06-03-2009, 02:17 PM
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I just did this mod myself, I went through hell trying to figure out why they wouldnt work. I got all of the parts I needed, mines a 99 part came off a 97. Installed everything and they didnt work, ended up the bulbs were BLEW
::EDIT:: DEE DEE DEE

Last edited by tigersharkdude; 06-04-2009 at 03:29 PM.
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Old 06-03-2009, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by tigersharkdude
I just did this mod myself, I went through hell trying to figure out why they wouldnt work. I got all of the parts I needed, mines a 99 part came off a 97. Installed everything and they didnt work, ended up the bulbs were blue.
Some people like the color

Don't see what it has to do with a problem with the fog installation, though.
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Old 06-03-2009, 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
Some people like the color

Don't see what it has to do with a problem with the fog installation, though.
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Old 06-03-2009, 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by f550maranello2
wiper relay... cuz i was lazy
I got a fog light relay from an SE, but I do believe all of the blue ones should be the same
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Old 06-04-2009, 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
no. Sorry for the not too descriptive title. I am putting an 97-99 SE front bumper in place of my GXE bumper. Since the car is a GXE it did not already have the fog light stalk/brackets/fog lights installed. So I was asking a question about hooking up wiring which I assume is already in place...but I am not close to my car.
I'm still lost. There is no such thing as a "GXE" bumper or an "SE" bumper (and I assume you mean bumper cover, not bumper). There is only one OEM bumper cover. If you want fog lights, you take out the horizontal line in the bumper cover's foglight openings. Why do you need a new bumper cover to add foglights?
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Old 06-04-2009, 06:31 AM
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Originally Posted by tigersharkdude
I just did this mod myself, I went through hell trying to figure out why they wouldnt work. I got all of the parts I needed, mines a 99 part came off a 97. Installed everything and they didnt work, ended up the bulbs were blue.
There is no problem with them not working because they are not hooked up. After you plugged the stalk into the steering column, what else did you have to plug in? What plugs under the dash? That is the issue here.

Originally Posted by ptatohed
I'm still lost. There is no such thing as a "GXE" bumper or an "SE" bumper (and I assume you mean bumper cover, not bumper). There is only one OEM bumper cover. If you want fog lights, you take out the horizontal line in the bumper cover's foglight openings. Why do you need a new bumper cover to add foglights?
Please stop nit picking. Yes, a bumper cover! The SE cover comes with the fog light holes already cut out. I realize that is the only difference. That does not matter in the question that I am asking. I don't care about which bumper cover is being used, my question is about what needs to be plugged in or wired when adding a factory fog light kit to a GXE that did not come with fogs....that's all.
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Old 06-04-2009, 01:11 PM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
There is no problem with them not working because they are not hooked up. After you plugged the stalk into the steering column, what else did you have to plug in? What plugs under the dash? That is the issue here.



Please stop nit picking. Yes, a bumper cover! The SE cover comes with the fog light holes already cut out. I realize that is the only difference. That does not matter in the question that I am asking. I don't care about which bumper cover is being used, my question is about what needs to be plugged in or wired when adding a factory fog light kit to a GXE that did not come with fogs....that's all.
O.k., sorry. (But I am still confused why you're getting a new bumper cover just to add foglights.) Anyway, I'll zip up now.
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Old 06-04-2009, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by ptatohed
O.k., sorry. (But I am still confused why you're getting a new bumper cover just to add foglights.) Anyway, I'll zip up now.
you have pm
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Old 06-04-2009, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
Do that, and you can't do this:
I know that... but I can have just my fogs,parking, and bumper lights on... its not so bad... and it saves me the cost of a stalk
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Old 06-04-2009, 02:00 PM
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OP: So have you gotten any further with this? Checked with the mechanic on what exactly he was doing under the dash, seeing as there's no need to go under there?
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Old 06-04-2009, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
OP: So have you gotten any further with this? Checked with the mechanic on what exactly he was doing under the dash, seeing as there's no need to go under there?
Nope. I have not had a chance to look at it. Should it be as easy as just plugging in the new stalk (assuming you have fog and they are hooked up)?
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Old 06-04-2009, 02:13 PM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
Nope. I have not had a chance to look at it. Should it be as easy as just plugging in the new stalk (assuming you have fog and they are hooked up)?
Yes.

Plus the relay, depending on if you already have one or not.
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Old 06-04-2009, 02:17 PM
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Originally Posted by pmohr
Yes.

Plus the relay, depending on if you already have one or not.
he told me there was already a relay in the box for the fog, but the kit that I gave him came with one too, so we should be covered.
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Old 06-04-2009, 03:32 PM
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To answer your question as good as I can, the non fog stalk has 2 wires plugged up to it, the stalk will need 3 wires. the wire you need is taped underneath the stalk area.
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Old 06-04-2009, 09:47 PM
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To answer your question as good as I can, the non fog stalk has 2 wires plugged up to it, the stalk will need 3 wires. the wire you need is taped underneath the stalk area.
What he said. I just finished this conversion on my 97 GLE.

I had a relay from a bogus security system install on my daughters car (I had to cut off a terminal because it was a double throw relay) and to save some money, at least for now, I decided to put a piece of paper clip between the two wires in the connector under the steering wheel. This leaves the fogs on anytime the low beams are on but it looks so cool I don't mind.

I had bought a trick little LED touch-switch at Autozone to run the fog lights with but it turned out to switch the + side not the negative side as the wiring requires. I was going to take the switch apart and try to invert how it operates.
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Old 06-05-2009, 06:20 AM
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Originally Posted by tigersharkdude
To answer your question as good as I can, the non fog stalk has 2 wires plugged up to it, the stalk will need 3 wires. the wire you need is taped underneath the stalk area.
Okay this is the info I am looking for. Do you remember the color of the wire that is taped under the stalk area? Does it plug into the new connector/stalk or does it need to be soldered in? Got pics?
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Old 06-05-2009, 08:53 AM
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Okay this is the info I am looking for. Do you remember the color of the wire that is taped under the stalk area? Does it plug into the new connector/stalk or does it need to be soldered in? Got pics?
When you have a switch with the fog light option, there will be a socket for the aforementioned connector to plug into. Without the foglight option there is no place to plug the connector into so they tape it under the steering column. There are no other connectors in that area so when you remove the shroud surrounding the column you can't miss it.
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Old 06-05-2009, 09:03 AM
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Originally Posted by jdooley
When you have a switch with the fog light option, there will be a socket for the aforementioned connector to plug into. Without the foglight option there is no place to plug the connector into so they tape it under the steering column. There are no other connectors in that area so when you remove the shroud surrounding the column you can't miss it.
Thanks. I will take the clam shell down, when I see the car again and have a look. Thanks for the advise/info.
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Old 06-05-2009, 12:30 PM
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Thanks for the advise guys. He just called and said that he found it completely taped up inside of the harness. Only problem now is that he said it has a ground short somewhere because the fuse is blowing as soon as he turns the lights on. Time to find a wiring schematic.
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Old 06-05-2009, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by cardana24
Thanks for the advise guys. He just called and said that he found it completely taped up inside of the harness. Only problem now is that he said it has a ground short somewhere because the fuse is blowing as soon as he turns the lights on. Time to find a wiring schematic.
It's a very simple system, if he just plugged everything in as he should have, nothing should be wrong.

FWIW the schematics aren't that great at showing anything about the circuit, the wiring diagram is what you need.

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Old 06-05-2009, 12:45 PM
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yeah, thanks for that. I had already gone into the FSM and sent him that diagram.
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