There is already great information on this site on how to do this, but I could not find any with pictures...so here we go. These are pics from the driver side. I took these pics from underneath with my body perpendicular to the vehicle.

1) Jack up the vehicle and support correctly for safety. Lay down under the car looking up.

2) Remove the plastic shield below the fog light. You really only need to remove the screw and slide the shield out of the way, but if you want to take the whole piece off, so be it.

3) There is a Main Support Screw staring you in the face that attaches the fog light to the housing. I believe its a 10mm socket. Remove the screw. Its the light blue arrow in the pic...the screw has already been removed.(see 4a).

4a) This picture shows the fog light still in the housing. The main support screw has already been removed (step 3). The white "buttons" at the top show the white female plastic connectors with the male steel connectors still in place.


4b) Before we go any further, this is what the assembly looks like when you push it out the front. Taking out the whole light to replace the bulb is easier (IMO) than just trying to take out the bulb (more on that later). This picture shows the two male ends (the "tips" shown in pic 4a) that support the assemply and the yellow clip that you will need to remove the old bulb from the unit.


4c) This is what the housing looks like after the light is removed. Taken from infront of the car into the headlight "socket". Notice the white plastic grommets. They receive the male ends from the previous picture. It is a pressure fitting, not a screw fitting.


5) Looking at the picture in 4a, take a wrench, screwdriver, whatever and press on the steel male ends. With some pressure, they will pop out of the plastic female grommets and the whole light will come out the front of the car. Place pressure on the steel male ends, not the plastic grommets.

6) Disconnect the electrical connector completely removing the light from the vehicle.

7) Grab the electrical socket and twist to release the top. The following pic has three main things. First, the metal clip holding the bulb in place. Move it to the side and swing it over to release the bult. Second, the notches on the bulb are different on the ends, round and square. This is why I think its easier to take out the whole assembly rather than just the bulb itself. Third, the yellow clip that holds the lead from the bulb. Screw driver makes its easy...life and remove the lead.



8) Remove the bulb.

9) Replace the bulb, close the metal clip to fix the bulb in position, attach the lead, replace the electrical cap, place the light assemply back into the housing ensuring that the male and female connectors are aliigned, make sure the electrical connector and wires are not in caught where they can get crimped or cut, press the headlight back until the metal male ends "seat" into the female grommets....

10) Open beer

11) Burp loud and triumphantly.

 

or you can do # 10 and 11 first sounds good to me

 

Good pics. I like the text graphics as embedded notes. People who have never messed with their fogs will certainly appreciate your efforts in taking detailed photos.

You'll find that after you do this a couple of times, you'll be able to repeat it instantly, eyes closed, with optional sobriety.

 

good write up. Thanks.

 

helped alot. thx.

 

Great DIY. Good job!

 

good writeup...though pics could have been focused better

most people find it easier to do it from the top (once you master removing the headlight)

remove headlight
remove back cover
remove bulb
replace bulb
replace cover
replace headlight

both sides can be done in 10 minutes without having to jack up car, lay on your back, and remove the entire fog light assembly

 

^^^
Haven't tried it from the top yet. But if you have ramps, and have done this at least once before, it should be quicker from the bottom because you don't have to mess with the headlights. I suppose the key here is ramps > jacks for fog work.

 

true...and its easier to do it from the top with 00/01 since the HIDs are a litter harder to remove because of the ballast

this is why i love the X...can do all work from the bottom with no ramps/jack

 

I can't say about the Xterra. And can only assume it's a better vehicle than it was 10 years ago, when we considered it and passed the moment we sat ourselves down in that truck.

Because it was a truck. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it just wasn't for us. And for me personally, I couldn't get past the fake plastic trim posing as a front skid plate. I'm guessing that's improved as well in the last 10 years.

 

its all about what you want...we bought it because it was a rugid truck (body on frame) and not a weak unibody crossover.

the skidplates are better now, especially on the offroad package we got...still replacing them with something more rugid

 

I have done if from both, and its much easier to do it from underneath. I only used ramps to take the pics, but I replace these about every year, and I just crawl under the front.

 

Glad to see you two are disagreeing again, you've restored order to the universe, it was getting pretty sketchy there these last few days......

 

just did mine, great write up

 

Is there a way to open up the actual fog housing, without having to stick it in the oven?

 

Nope. Well, not on the 5.5 gen. Just bake it... turns out not to be that difficult.

 

Gotta love how overly complicated it is to change a foglight bulb on this car.. First time I did it, annoyed the hell out of me.

 

I'm hesitant, I don't want to ruin them. Do you know what temp and length of time to bake them? And would I just re-bake them to soften the glue to put it back together?

 

20 to 30 minutes at 250 degrees. But these are glass-lens fogs. IDK about your 5.0 gen plastic fogs.

You might get away with heating them back up again for reapplication, but to put them back together properly, apply new sealant. (You know, the squishy stuff.)

 

Alright, thank you

 

A lot of aftermarket 5.5 gen fog lenses just pop out with a big flat screwdriver.

 

Nice DIY!!

 

Great write up, replaced mine, thanks!!!

 

why did you do this? to do lexus capsules?

Nice write up OP. Thanks for your support. First time changing the fogs is harder than it looks, and your write up will definately help anyone's first time

 

(That's some bump, Prophecy!)

I had an extra, un-cracked OEM lens left over after replacing them. And I was curious about what would happen if I put a light coat of hi-temp paint on the inside reflector. The intention was to create an amber colored light.

It didn't work out. Looked quite ridiculous, actually.

 

what bulbs are those