Since our brother A33 Maxima owners have multiple DIY guides for installing HID foglights, I thought I share something to the community to show you the *proper* way to install HID foglights. When I say proper I mean retaining the factory bulb cap, which prevents water from leaking in and blowing a bulb or worse short circuiting a HID ballast or something. As always, all connections should be wrapped in electrical tape for further security.

First, here is how our H3 foglight bulb's wiring is done via the factory.



Here is a pic showing in BLUE where the wire cuts are to be made.



And lastly with the HID ballast and bulb, how the wiring should be done.



Keep in mind, that by cutting the AMP connectors off the HID bulb, technically you are voiding the warranty on the bulb. But with a good quality kit, and the above installation, you should be problem free.

If you hear a slight whine or buzzing from your HID ballast, it *usually* means that the kit is not grounded well enough. My solution is to SPLICE into the factory ground wire at the bottom of the diagram with another 16-18 gauge wire, put a ring terminal on, and install that directly to the negative battery terminal on the driver's side, and one of the body grounds on the passenger side.

And excuse the simple Paint diagrams, too lazy to do it professionally in Photoshop.

 

Thanks for the great write-up!

Do you not recomend the use of relays so the ballasts can be wired straight to the battery? HID ballasta draw a lot of amperage for the initial start-up, I would be a bit worried about the stock wiring and harnesses holding up to that over time.

 

I know what you mean about the power issue, as I had to install one for my friend's Honda Civic when I installed his HID kit for safety purposes. The reay will be extremely easy to make, just go buy a 30A SPDT 5-pin relay with socket, one 10A standard automotive blade fuse and fuseholder, 3 colors of 16 guage wiring (red, black, green), and spade connectors.

Then put splice together the 10A fuse holder, one end with a ring terminal to the positive terminal of battery, other end with blade connector and insert into socket 87.

Put two black wires together, long for enough for driver's side, connect with a spade connector and insert into socket 86, the other put a ring terminnal on and secure to negative terminal.

Put the green wire with spade connector into socket 85, and enough wiring for the driver's side fog.

Put the 2x red wires into socket 30, one long enough for drriver's other passenger.

The green wire and the driver's black wires will splice into the driver's fog for signal to turn on, then the 10A fused wire will draw power from battery, send it out the 2x red wires, and then make two black wires with ring terminals on, insert one end with female spade connector into ballast ground and done.

I've yet to hear any Maxima with burnt wires from HID fogs, so the above could be seen as unnecessary but a safety option.

EDITED!!!

 

They typically give you connectors to connect to the stock harness. That way you don't have to cut. I have been installing aftermarket hid kits for 7 yrs now and have yet to cut a wire on install

 

1. A33 fog lights connections are inside the bulb cap, if you want to close the cap to keep water out, you'll need to cut the wires before they go into the cap.

2. You bumped a 4 year old thread

3. You should know how your own car's wiring works...

 

1. Blow me.

2. I know plenty! You were probably in diapers, when I installed my first amp.

3. Blow me!

 

 

ROFL

 

Very good write-up I wish I would have read this when I first installed my fog kit...I had intermittent issues with mine when I used the factory harness. It ultimately lead to the harness burning out and making a buzzing sound(in a very short period of time) and leaving me with no fog lights.

***If you are installing fog lights in a A33 I30/I35 this method above is necessary for reliability. DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME...LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES

The only thing I will be doing in the near future is adding in a relay harness to get the ballasts more reliable power especially on startup.

 

Now, the question is which projectors fit inside the fog lamp?

 

great job

 

n3985 added projectors to his fogs, search for the posting. he sold his I35, but while a member of this board, he was one of the "authorities" on our cars.

Joeker82 - did you find a HID kit with the correct harness for ur cars?

 

I'll have to check that out. It's too bad that these boards aren't more active.

 

search for threads by n3985 and Metaorbit. although no longer I35 owners, they, by far, did the most mods to their cars. some real good info here, just have to glean it from old threads.

 

THANK YOU!!! YOUR A LIFE SAVER!!