Fog lights on a 3i questions.

[rotwiler]

I ordered the fog lights from Japan for the 3i model. They came with the housing, lights, wire harness etc. Everything needed to hook them up. So today I decided to at least get them in, but do the harness later. The stock pieces in the bumper just push out into the bumper(semi hard jolt and they come out), very easy to remove(no screws) and a couple phillips head screws under the bumper need to be taken off to reach behind the fog lights. The fog lights just slide through the opening and you snap them into the bumper like the stock plug off pieces. Took me about 15 minutes total.

When I removed the stock block off pieces in the bumper there were light plugs plugged into them. Looks like it was done to make a fog light conversion simple at the dealership. They plugged right into the fog fog lights, but there was no power(I tried with a tester and with headlights on). I looked at fuse #20(fog light fuse) and it was there and in good shape. Do I need to do the complete new harness still? I'm not sure why Mazda would put all the hookups and fuse in if it wasn't even useable. If anyone knows I'd appeciate it, would be better than running a bunch of wires and trying to find a place to get them through the firewall.

 

[TheMAN]

uhh, you need a new turn signal stalk

 

[tsunami]

uhh, you need a new turn signal stalk

thats what i was thinking... either that or some sort of aftermarket switch to turn on the lead to the fogs... ummm yeah better off geting a new stalk

 

[rotwiler]

I have a switch that is made to fit in the unused area where the dimmer is. If I did buy a signal stock would it just plug in and work do you think?

 

[TheMAN]

the switch is quite useless if there is nothing to plug into isn't it?

YES, buy the damn turn signal stalk... that's how ALL of the 3s with factory fogs have (switch on it)

 

[mario8402]

I installed the foglights on my 3i.. Hardest part was putting the actual housings in.. easiest part is wiring.. should only take about 15 minutes.. use this walkthrough. you DO NOT need a new light stalk http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=19719.0

 

[rotwiler]

I installed the foglights on my 3i.. Hardest part was putting the actual housings in.. easiest part is wiring.. should only take about 15 minutes.. use this walkthrough. you DO NOT need a new light stalk http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=19719.0

Highly appreciated, that is exactly what I was looking for. The kit I bought wasn't the same kit as that, but will work the same way. This will sure save me alot of time.

Also, not sure why in the tutorial he removed the bumper. I went out to put in the lights, not knowing what I was doing, so I removed the 8 screws under the spoiler, pushed on the fog light opening cover and it came unclicked on one side, so I tapped it with a little force and it came out, unplugged it and removed it through the opening. So on the other side I just gave it one good jolt and it popped out. The aftermarket ones just snapped in. Combined with the way I removed the lights and his tutorial on the wire hookup, someone should be able to do a install in less than a hour.

 

[rotwiler]

When my foglights arrived 1 bulb was cracked. I went to every autoparts store around here today(autozone, baxters, shucks, and local store) and the H11 bulb is almost impossible to find or even order. Sylvania, GE, etc and generic brands make them, but they don't even have them in the computer yet. So, if you buy some, make sure you find some H11 bulbs off ebay or the net to have backups.

 

[rotwiler]

Finally found some H11 bulbs today and put the switch in. The kit I have came with a complete new harness, so I cut the wires. It has a Blue, yellow and black wire(not factory colors like the kit you bought). I hooked the yellow to the orange dimmer wire and black wire to dimmer. Then found the wire in the colum(dark red and black), there were more than one red and black wire, but I used the one off the white plug and connected the blue wire to it with a splicer(relay). Was a pain because it is in there some and trying to hold it in place when sqeezing it was tough. All is in and works great, amazing how much more light it puts out over the headlights. Thanks for the info!

 

[lovswr]

rotwiler could you explain the following?

I hooked the yellow to the orange dimmer wire and black wire to dimmer.

So you are saying you connected two wires to the dimmer wire? Or did you mean to say black to ground & blue to the dark red/black under the steering column?

 

[rotwiler]

rotwiler could you explain the following?



So you are saying you connected two wires to the dimmer wire? Or did you mean to say black to ground & blue to the dark red/black under the steering column?

I connected 2 wires to the dimmer(black is ground connected it to the black on the dimmer switch and yellow to the orange wire on the dimmer(the yellow wire is used to light up the switch at night).

Then connected the blue wire to the dark red and black wire in steering colum(make sure you don't connect it to the large red and black wire, the little white harness off the light switch has about 6 or 7 wires coming off it and there is a dark red/black wire), they are small wires and is a pain to get the splicer thing just right, take your time and should be a pretty simple job. Hope this clears it up some. I had to guess which wires were to be used since my kit is different and not factory colors.
Also, I did the install a little different, I took loose the panel to get to the dimmer, It just snaps on the dash under the speedometer cluster, I pulled and it popped off, I started on the right side next to the stereo, popped it loose and worked my way to the dimmer area, is hard to explain, but almost all the dash parts just snap in without screws.I see most kits on ebay are like the one I have so this should help some people.

 

[lovswr]

Rotwiler I think I got the same kit as you. Black with a terminal at the end of it, blue with a female crimp connector & yellow with a plug that looked like it would just fit somewhere in the car, but I could not find it so I cut the terminal off of the yellow wire.

I took off the left inside bottom kick panel & since Mazda already had two black ground wire screwed into the body I just used that same place. I cut the crimp connector off of the yellow wire & spliced that to the orange wire off of the dimmer control. Now for the ordeal.

After about 5 freakin' hours & crimping that little red & black wire (actually shouldn't that be black with a red strip) in 3 separate places, I could never get the lights to come on. In this thread he links to a jpeg of guy with his finger on the wire so I'm pretty sure I have the right one.

So a few questions. Rotwiler, did you splice into the red and black wire under the steering colum or to the left or right (as you sit facing the steering wheel)? Is your 3 a 2006? Who has an wiring diagram that shows colors? There has got to be another place to get to that wire going to the factory installed wiring harness for these lights.


As an aside, when I had the covers under the bumper off, I noticed that the wiring harnes for the temp sensor (I think for the homelink mirror with compass/temp) seems to be already sitting there, just waiting for me to buy the kit.


edit: p.s. I have a two prong connector that is just taped to the bundle of wires going into the the steering column. If you get the top cover off, just behind the wheel, it's just sitting there on top. One solid red wire going to it & one solid black. Could this be the factory harness for the fog light switch> Also, the switch that came with my kit, does not quite fit into the whole next to the dimmer control.

 

[rotwiler]

Hi, it was a little confusing to me too. I probably have the same kit as you. Here are some things to try if you haven't already.

Check the fog light fuse under the hood.
Both my bulbs that came in the kit were bad, so check them.
Does you fog light switch light up? If not use the ground on the dimmer switch, I think using it would be best anyway.

Also, make sure your switch is turned to the right position.
I though mine didn't work and turned my light switch one notch and it worked, (moved when installing the wires).

I have a 04 3, but I think they are the same, the picture in the guys walkthrough is hard to tell which wire.

On the left side of your steering wheel when you get the cover off, look at the base of the headlight stalk, there is a white plug with wires coming out, the black and dark red wire is there, is a pretty thin wire, I just used the wire splice things(not sure of name, seen them called relays) I bought in a 6 pack, they are red and I put the blue wire in the hole, slid the thing over the black and red wire and sqeezed it with some needle nose pliars, then snaped the protective piece shut and worked the first time.

 

[Antoine]

It would be really cool if someone made a How-To with pics for the members here!

Any takers?

 

[lovswr]

Hi, it was a little confusing to me too. I probably have the same kit as you. Here are some things to try if you haven't already.

Check the fog light fuse under the hood.
Both my bulbs that came in the kit were bad, so check them.
Does you fog light switch light up? If not use the ground on the dimmer switch, I think using it would be best anyway.

Also, make sure your switch is turned to the right position.
I though mine didn't work and turned my light switch one notch and it worked, (moved when installing the wires).

I have a 04 3, but I think they are the same, the picture in the guys walkthrough is hard to tell which wire.

On the left side of your steering wheel when you get the cover off, look at the base of the headlight stalk, there is a white plug with wires coming out, the black and dark red wire is there, is a pretty thin wire, I just used the wire splice things(not sure of name, seen them called relays) I bought in a 6 pack, they are red and I put the blue wire in the hole, slid the thing over the black and red wire and sqeezed it with some needle nose pliars, then snaped the protective piece shut and worked the first time.

Thank you for you quick reply. Yes, I am sure that we have the exact same kit.

Yes, the fuse under the hood was the first thing that I checked (& I could hear the relay "clicking" too)>

Yes, the light that is inside the switch comes on, with the car light switch & when I try to turn on the fogs, that light comes on too

Yes, one of my bulbs was broken, but I stuck my multimeter in the socket & it just kept reading 0 volts.

Ok, were you decribe the wire is the 3rd place that I tried (I just left it connected there, although I had the blue quick connects, that are a little too big...I got some of the red ones for 18-22g wire from Wal-Mart this morning).

Yes, tried it several times with just parking, low, & high beams (even though it not supposed to work with the highs, right?)

Today is Falcons day, so I'm just gonna let this slide for a while & think about it.


A guide would be most excellent!

 

[rotwiler]

If I have time I will get pics with my digital camera and make a guide on the wiring. Should only take a few minutes to pull off the piece under the steering wheel and the dimmer area.

 

[lovswr]

hmmmm, my fogs do work. It seems that the switch is backwards. I would think that when the indicator light (oblong bar) is on, then the fogs would be on, but on my switch it is the opposite. That is why I did not see them on Sunday when I installed. That little snafu & the fact that the switch I got is just a little too big is annoying. But 83 bucks beats 450 plus installation any day of the week, C'est la Vie!

 

[rotwiler]

Great, bet your happy lol. My light is the same way, when the switch is on it is somewhat dim, when they are off the switch is brighter.