Two ideas. First, for those that have done the corner blinker rewire, and can't tap the corner light wire for power, can you tap the 'clearance' light? The little 168 bulb that's in the headlight assembly? I'm looking at the FSM, and I'm not certain that bulb comes on only with the headlights, or with the 'parking' lights, too. I'll check tomorrow.

If they will come on with the parking lights, that might be the answer.

I don't know whose regulation it is (NHTSA or the various states), but fogs are only supposed to be on with your low beams. Not with your high beams, and not without other lights (I think this may pre-date the daytime running lights idea)

Eons ago, I had added a set of Cibie fogs to a vehicle. I wanted to be able to pass inspection, so I used a double throw switch to control the fogs.

Power to the fogs was always available, but power to the relay was controlled through the double throw switch.

In one position of the switch, I tapped the low beam power wire to get power to send to the relay. That way, the fogs only came on if the low beams came on. Click on the high beams, and the fogs turned off. Turn off the lights, the fogs turned off.

In the other switch position, I wired it so that the relay got power as long as the ignition was on. Lights on or off, high beam, low beam, it didn't matter, if the switch was in the second position, the fogs were on.

So, my idea is to put a switch into the location where the fancy trim options have the heated steering and memory seat switches. Turn on that switch, and the fogs go on. Period.

That way, you retain the 'flash' capability if you choose. Pull up to a store front where you can see your lights. Turn on your low beams and fogs. Turn on your high beams, you'll see that your fogs turn off.

When you're overtaking someone with your lights and fogs on, I think this is a nice effect, esp. if you've got an 02 with the HIDs, since they stay on.

High beam on, fog off; high beam off, fog on. 'moving' lights.

In order to do this mod I need to:
1. Find a nice switch for that spot. I don't think the memory seat or heated steering switch would do, since I suspect they are labled.
2. Find a wire to tap that is always on with the ignition.
3. (It's late, I'm tired, and should have been asleep 3 hours ago, so this might not be exactly right) From the wire in 2, run a wire to the switch, then to the fog relay.

So, reasonable, or totally stupid?

(apologies for any typos ... it's late, and I'm tired.)

 

The clearance light (the 168/194 white bulb) in the headlamp assembly is where I tapped my fogs into. I have both the fog rewire AND the corner rewire. My fogs never blink, and work only when the parking lights are on (which means that they work when the headlamps are on as well). The fogs DO NOT work when the high beams are on because there is another wire controlling the relays for the fogs that cut the power to them (possibly to save an overload) when the high beams are used. The original write-up on this was done on the 5thgenmaximas.com, and has since been moved to boostedmaximas.com (I believe). The only difference is that the wire on the back of the fog relay for the 2002 is Blue with Silver stripes. If need be, I can do another write-up on this... it'd just take time to go disassemble everything all over again and take pictures as I did it.

 

I'm looking at the FSM wiring diagram, and it's just too freakin' late to understand it. I think I'm over my insomnia for the night.

I'll try to find the re-wire write up (I think the one linked in the FAQ here hooks into the side marker lights.)and look it over. I think I understand what you've done, but I'm not certain. Seems like the tap into the clearance light completes the circuit on the 'ground' side, and the hi/pass switch breaks the circuit on the power side. Maybe

This wasn't something I had to deal with in 1976, since the fog lights were a complete addition.

 

*cough* http://forums.max-world.org/index.php?act=ST&f=21&t=588 *cough*

 

I believe that is because it is illegal to have your highbeams and your foglights on at the same time. I read something about that in the Laws section on www.Max-World.org

 

Fog lights work best either alone or with low beams. If you use high beams during fog conditions, the light reflects off the fog particles, and you don't get to see too far. Fog lights have a very low, wide pattern, so you don't get the light reflecting off the fog particles in the same fashion. SO don't wire up your fog lights to work with your high beams.

 

[crusty old fart mode]
I wired up my first pair of fog lights 25 years ago. I do understand why fog lights help out in the fog.
[/crusty old fart mode]

However, on a dark road in clear conditions, having your fogs on with your high beams can help because they add light down low and to the sides. That was true then (running at high speed across the Mojave, on I-40) and it's still true 'specially when your eyes just aren't as good as they used to be a couple of decades ago.

I intend to have my fogs work as originally installed, and add the capability to just turn them on whenever the engine is running.