H3 Fog light installation: A few thoughts

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Mar 4, 2010 | 04:35 PM
  #1  
I would just like to say that I really dislike the person who invented the H3 Fog light.

I just spent about three hours replacing the fog light bulbs on my i30.

That has to have been the most miserable and stupid experience of my life. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was easier to replace all the little tiny bulbs in my HVAC and clock than this.

There HAS to be an easier way. Can that whole lamp assembly come out so I can replace the bulbs on my workbench, then screw the thing back in?

Getting the bulb flush in there and then fiddling with that spring clip is just frustrating.

UGH.
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Mar 4, 2010 | 04:59 PM
  #2  
What was so hard about it?

Get under the car,
Remove the splash guard,
Remove the 10mm bolt holding on the light thats next to the foglight,
Unplug the harness going to the foglight,
Remove the two 10mm bolts securing eh foglight,
Pull foglight out,
Change bulb,
Reassemble.
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Mar 4, 2010 | 05:02 PM
  #3  
You've got to be kidding me.

You mean to tell me that I just replaced the bulb while the assembly was still mounted into the bumper and I didn't have to?

I thought it was weird that this is the one bulb replacement that wasn't described n the owner's manual.
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Mar 4, 2010 | 05:21 PM
  #4  
Ah. Yeah its more of a pain than on the Maxima's. That damn side light covers the bolts to remove the fog light.
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Mar 4, 2010 | 08:03 PM
  #5  
OK, another question.

I just did some more searching to see what ELSE I should have known before, and I'm seeing a lot of 35w vs 55w debates.

I just used the Standard Performance (light blue package) $6.99 Sylvania H3 55w Bulb because that's what the little bulb-puter at Auto Zone told me to use. The blown bulbs that I pulled out were 35w.

I just read something elsewhere on the site about having to enlarge some notches to put a 55w into a 35w socket -- something else that probably gave me problems.

Am I ok with 55's?
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Mar 4, 2010 | 10:34 PM
  #6  
I've always used the 55w without problems before. Then I wen to HID foglights and I just use the 35w set-up for that.
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Mar 5, 2010 | 09:32 AM
  #7  
Quote: I've always used the 55w without problems before. Then I wen to HID foglights and I just use the 35w set-up for that.

How much did those HID fogs cost you??
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Mar 5, 2010 | 12:29 PM
  #8  
(repeated facepalms)

So I decided to get in there today and take a look. I'll be danged, it *is* easy when you do it the right way.

The main reason I went back in there was because the bulbs weren't sitting flush and I didn't want to risk melting the plastic lenses or something...

Turns out I had to take the dremil wheel to open the notches on the bulb bases and now they fit nicely.

Like many others I'm sure, I turned the adjuster **** before finding the correct one. Luckily I knew this was a possibility so I counted the turns I made and was able to put it back.

Now I just have to do the parking light mod and I'm good to go. Searching through the many, MANY sets of instructions to see which one I want to follow. The more kindergarden-based, the better.
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Mar 7, 2010 | 08:34 PM
  #9  
No bolt needs to be removed.
Unless the 97 differs from the 99. I just installed some hid fogs. All I did was remove the splash guard underneath, twisted off the plastic cover and unhooked the metal clip holding the light with one finger.
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Mar 7, 2010 | 09:34 PM
  #10  
Quote: I just read something elsewhere on the site about having to enlarge some notches to put a 55w into a 35w socket -- something else that probably gave me problems.

Am I ok with 55's?
I had to modify my 55w bulbs a little bit to get them to fit. There's a circular notch, and a square notch on the bulb - the square notch needs to be bigger, but if you've got a grinder or some sharp metal cutters, you can make 55w bulbs work fine.

*Just had a new mod thought - wiring the cornering lights to be on when the parking lights are on. Might look neat at night. But I'm bored, and its supposed to be 68 degrees tomorrow. Need something to do.
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Mar 17, 2010 | 09:31 AM
  #11  
I did mine last night in the dark. 15 minutes tops. Much easier if you Jack the car up too.
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Mar 17, 2010 | 01:51 PM
  #12  
Quote: I did mine last night in the dark. 15 minutes tops. Much easier if you Jack the car up too.
Yeah... I'm feeling pretty foolish for doing it wrong. I would have read this post first, but I hadn't written it yet.
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Jul 31, 2010 | 11:15 PM
  #13  
question, what if the fog light has a wire and at the end has like a square fit with like a whole how would you make that fit?
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Aug 1, 2010 | 09:11 AM
  #14  
Could you explain a little more, mayur914?
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Aug 2, 2010 | 11:16 AM
  #15  
Quote: Could you explain a little more, mayur914?
Well the H3 fog lights i have are something similar to this but yellow:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...0HSKS9S4VWZ16S

I asking before i install and i can see it's already hard to take the headlights out because of the placement of the screws arghh!!
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Aug 2, 2010 | 04:09 PM
  #16  
The easiest way to get to them is going to be from under the car. Drive it up on ramps, or jack it up (remember to use jackstands), and remove the splashguards. The splashguards in the wheel wells can stay just bend them out of the way. No need to remove the foglights themselves.
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Aug 2, 2010 | 06:48 PM
  #17  
Isn't just removing the splash guards a little harder though. i was trying that already but then i was like i didn't want to do anything wrong with it or break it
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Aug 2, 2010 | 07:25 PM
  #18  




ohgawd
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Aug 2, 2010 | 07:38 PM
  #19  
sorry im noob at this soo.... yeah .....
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Aug 2, 2010 | 07:44 PM
  #20  
lol its all good bro you gotta learn somehow
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Aug 2, 2010 | 07:49 PM
  #21  
Theyre a flexible plastic. They give well. All you need is a 10mm socket and maybe a phillips head screwdriver.
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Aug 2, 2010 | 08:05 PM
  #22  
ill probably go try it at my dad's shop. this is gonna be great haha. oh and i haven't seen very many pictures with the lights on for the 1996 infiniti i30
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Aug 3, 2010 | 05:46 PM
  #23  
Quote: *Just had a new mod thought - wiring the cornering lights to be on when the parking lights are on. Might look neat at night. But I'm bored, and its supposed to be 68 degrees tomorrow. Need something to do.
I just did this earlier today gives me a little more light shooting to the sides. I thought it looked pretty stupid when they only came on with the turn signals.
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Aug 8, 2010 | 06:15 AM
  #24  
.. NO fogs FTW (intake filer behind pas. side scoop and oil cooler behinddriver side scoop)
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Jan 8, 2011 | 10:50 AM
  #25  
I changed mine to some Hella Brand super whites on a 2000 I30 and it was pretty easy after removing the light assembly.. just one screw and it came right out.
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Jan 8, 2011 | 12:58 PM
  #26  
I wish I discovered HIDs before I bought my crappy H3s
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Jan 9, 2011 | 03:24 AM
  #27  
Quote: I wish I discovered HIDs before I bought my crappy H3s
yeah... tell me about it haha. i think im going to get them too haah what looks better white or yellow??
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Jan 9, 2011 | 05:58 AM
  #28  
The wife has 8000K HID fogs to match her headlights. May try the rewire the side slights instead of having them come on when turning. Any idea what bulb # that turning light next to the Fogs is for I35?? I want to replace it with a bright white bulb also.
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Jan 9, 2011 | 07:24 AM
  #29  
Quote: yeah... tell me about it haha. i think im going to get them too haah what looks better white or yellow??
HIDs for Fogs? Well I prefer yellow, but you should get whatever you like. I think White will look nice
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Jan 9, 2011 | 08:54 PM
  #30  
Quote: The wife has 8000K HID fogs to match her headlights. May try the rewire the side slights instead of having them come on when turning. Any idea what bulb # that turning light next to the Fogs is for I35?? I want to replace it with a bright white bulb also.
I think the bulb size for those side markers i think are 194 according to the sylvania bulb guide

Quote: HIDs for Fogs? Well I prefer yellow, but you should get whatever you like. I think White will look nice
Yeah the yellow ones look awesome to me haha. im getting the hids from the ddm tuning website.
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Jan 12, 2011 | 01:11 PM
  #31  
7440 is the cornering bulb for A33 I30/I35
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