Fog light install 2016 CX-9 Touring

oberonz9

Member
How difficult is it to install fog lights on a 2016 CX-9 Touring. I don't do much of anything on cars other than change filters but can follow instructions. Any advice?

Thanks
 
If they were free, they're not worth the time to install them. They do little to light the sides of the road (the actual job of fog lights).
 
If they were free, they're not worth the time to install them. They do little to light the sides of the road (the actual job of fog lights).

I agree and disagree. They don't do much in terms of function, but they do look nice at night. For that reason, I'd install them (if they were free). I probably wouldn't bother if I had to pay what they retail for.

The fog lights should come with instructions and any applicable drilling templates (if you don't have any, contact the retailer or your Mazda parts department). I think you'll have to drill out the fog light holes on the bumper, then mount the housings within the bumper.

I attached a bumper removal PDF that was sent to me by another member. Hope this helps a bit.

EDIT: Lol, the PDF is actually the OEM Fog Light Kit installation instructions, haha. Have fun!
 

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  • 2017 CX-9 bumper removal.pdf
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I agree and disagree. They don't do much in terms of function, but they do look nice at night. For that reason, I'd install them (if they were free). I probably wouldn't bother if I had to pay what they retail for.

The fog lights should come with instructions and any applicable drilling templates (if you don't have any, contact the retailer or your Mazda parts department). I think you'll have to drill out the fog light holes on the bumper, then mount the housings within the bumper.

I attached a bumper removal PDF that was sent to me by another member. Hope this helps a bit.

EDIT: Lol, the PDF is actually the OEM Fog Light Kit installation instructions, haha. Have fun!

Thanks I appreciate it! I agree that they don't do much in function but do look nice. I'm debating on whether I will pay for a kit to install them.
 
The OEM fog kit from Mazda I don't think requires a new steering column stock. Amazon sells the kit for $300, eBay has them for $280. Here is the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

I have a 2015 and the LED fog lights are brighter than my HID headlights so these are very worth it to me. I mean my fogs not only light up below the headlights but another 6 feet right and left too. If my truck didn't come with fogs I would totally buy the kit and install it myself.

I've also installed LED bulbs in my turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, license plate, and everything inside.

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr
 
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The OEM fog kit from Mazda I don't think requires a new steering column stock. Amazon sells the kit for $300, eBay has them for $280. Here is the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

I have a 2015 and the LED fog lights are brighter than my HID headlights so these are very worth it to me. I mean my fogs not only light up below the headlights but another 6 feet right and left too. If my truck didn't come with fogs I would totally buy the kit and install it myself.

I've also installed LED bulbs in my turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, license plate, and everything inside.

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr
I do believe you are responding to a thread started for the 2nd gen CX-9 and not the 1st gen like what you have. The 2nd gen fog lights are hot garbage. Makes no difference if they are on or off. You cannot change the bulbs in them either. It’s one assembly
 
I do believe you are responding to a thread started for the 2nd gen CX-9 and not the 1st gen like what you have. The 2nd gen fog lights are hot garbage. Makes no difference if they are on or off. You cannot change the bulbs in them either. It’s one assembly
Lol my eyes went straight to the large fog light thinking there's a new design. I have so happy but then I realized 1st gen...
 
I do believe you are responding to a thread started for the 2nd gen CX-9 and not the 1st gen like what you have. The 2nd gen fog lights are hot garbage. Makes no difference if they are on or off. You cannot change the bulbs in them either. It’s one assembly

Actually no, the kit I linked in the post is not for my generation, it's for the 2016 & 2017 vehicles.

Was just making a point that there are 6000K and even 8000K led fog light replacement bulbs (with built-in fans) that will double, even triple the stock output. Just don't skimp.

Was showing mine because my fog lights are actually brighter than my HID headlights. Got to know what to buy and I've gone through dozens of replacement LED bulbs since I currently own 3 Mazda's. I know the 2016+ fogs are small but there are some solutions.
 
Actually no, the kit I linked in the post is not for my generation, it's for the 2016 & 2017 vehicles.

Was just making a point that there are 6000K and even 8000K led fog light replacement bulbs (with built-in fans) that will double, even triple the stock output. Just don't skimp.

Was showing mine because my fog lights are actually brighter than my HID headlights. Got to know what to buy and I've gone through dozens of replacement LED bulbs since I currently own 3 Mazda's. I know the 2016+ fogs are small but there are some solutions.
I saw what you linked. The rest of the post still has no relevance to the 2nd gen. You can’t just swap out the bulbs on the fog lights in the 2nd gen.

In addition, putting LED bulbs in a housing designed for halogen is a horrible idea. The LEDs cannot reproduce light in the exact spot that halogens can and will therefore not be sending light in the same pattern the engineers intended. How are you measuring that your fog lights are brighter than your headlights? If you’re just looking at them and saying “yeah those look brighter,” then that’s not accurate. Humans are really bad at interpreting what usable light is.

I do agree with you that you shouldn’t skimp when it comes to lighting; both for you to actually use the light, and for other drivers not getting blinded by your lights. By using drop in LED bulbs, you are skimping. Get some Diode Dynamics SS3 in the SAE fog light pattern and build a bracket to use them in the fog pocket. If you don’t like those, there are plenty of other reputable companies that make legitimate LED fog lights, not poorly engineered LED bulbs meant to replicate a halogen and hilariously failing at it.

If you can find a brighter full housing and emitter that is a drop in replacement for the 2nd gen, I’d love to see it! The stock ones are some of the worst I’ve seen
 
I saw what you linked. The rest of the post still has no relevance to the 2nd gen. You can’t just swap out the bulbs on the fog lights in the 2nd gen.

In addition, putting LED bulbs in a housing designed for halogen is a horrible idea. The LEDs cannot reproduce light in the exact spot that halogens can and will therefore not be sending light in the same pattern the engineers intended. How are you measuring that your fog lights are brighter than your headlights? If you’re just looking at them and saying “yeah those look brighter,” then that’s not accurate. Humans are really bad at interpreting what usable light is.

I do agree with you that you shouldn’t skimp when it comes to lighting; both for you to actually use the light, and for other drivers not getting blinded by your lights. By using drop in LED bulbs, you are skimping. Get some Diode Dynamics SS3 in the SAE fog light pattern and build a bracket to use them in the fog pocket. If you don’t like those, there are plenty of other reputable companies that make legitimate LED fog lights, not poorly engineered LED bulbs meant to replicate a halogen and hilariously failing at it.

If you can find a brighter full housing and emitter that is a drop in replacement for the 2nd gen, I’d love to see it! The stock ones are some of the worst I’ve seen

I am measuring the brightness that my fog lights are producing by color that actually fills in the gap to the dark-colored HID headlights. Not only that the field of vision is now farther and whiter than the stock Halogen. The OEM Halogens were basically for show, they did absolutely nothing.

Yes, you can get a bright and more defined LED bulb that is miles ahead of Halogen. The LEDs with all those little squares are junk. They do nothing. An H7 with one just one LED, internal fan, and power chord will produce more light.

Here is the difference between an LED with those squares versus the one I mentioned above. You can visually see the dynamic of how the power LEDs fills the entire area of the lens where as the little square LEDs don't have the power to do so. I wouldn't waste my time if I didn't try 4 different bulbs in 3 different Mazda's. I wouldn't give any Manufacturer credit if the product received did nothing but waste my money either.

90% of lighting aftermarket just makes stock replacements that are just for show. As we agreed you have to wean them out and find the ones you can visually see with your own eyes. I finally found the ones that work for me and my 3 Mazda's.

As for the 2016 Generation, it's the same principle. The OEM fogs are for show. You'll have to find a usable solution.

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr
 
Was backing my truck out of the garage and decided to take some pics of the new LED fog lights off and on.

I was actually surprised how you could see the difference in a picture. Trust me when I say it's much brighter than this but you all get the idea.

This was the point I was making above. The HID headlights are yellower white than the LED's which are perfectly white. I should have backed it more to show the distance because the fogs hanging in there way longer than older LED's I had. The Halogen's didn't do anything that I could see like this.

Below are no fog lights.

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr

Below are the fog lights on.

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flickr
 
The OEM fog kit from Mazda I don't think requires a new steering column stock. Amazon sells the kit for $300, eBay has them for $280. Here is the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

I have a 2015 and the LED fog lights are brighter than my HID headlights so these are very worth it to me. I mean my fogs not only light up below the headlights but another 6 feet right and left too. If my truck didn't come with fogs I would totally buy the kit and install it myself.

I've also installed LED bulbs in my turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, license plate, and everything inside.

Untitled by jpjr50, on F
The OEM fog kit from Mazda I don't think requires a new steering column stock. Amazon sells the kit for $300, eBay has them for $280. Here is the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

I have a 2015 and the LED fog lights are brighter than my HID headlights so these are very worth it to me. I mean my fogs not only light up below the headlights but another 6 feet right and left too. If my truck didn't come with fogs I would totally buy the kit and install it myself.

I've also installed LED bulbs in my turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, license plate, and everything inside.

Untitled by jpjr50, on Flick
Can you share your wiring?
 
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