Omicron

And here's a better pic of the light brown wire underneath the relay:

AcuraEL

Thanks Omicron for your quick reply.

I don't know how to attach a pic yet.

But I can explain to you that my black/white wire is equivalent to the brown wire. IE. the smaller wire (near the driver's side rear) of the FOG relay (black relay near the driver's side front) of the fuse box. This wire leads to the large black relay labeled TAIL.

So seems like the color is the only difference.

I will try the connectors later and see if it helps.

What I can tell is different right now as I have patched it to the ACC relay is the green driving light on the instrument (light that shows two lights pointing left and right) is OFF in the headlight switch "normal/rest" position. All other functions and indicators appear the same.

Last_D8

How many ways to say "wrong relay"?

Navybeardbb

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say that I did this mod today. (the one with the fog's as running lights) Wanted to say thanks to all that came up with it. Made the wiring a piece of cake. Great forum.

AcuraEL

OK, I have had a chance to open the fusebox again.

I have looked at my fusebox time after time and "looks" like my black/white wire is equivalent to everyone else's brown wire.

Take a look at my temporary (non-working) mod.

Yellow tape shows connection.

1. Empty plug for REAR FOG
2. First black box for FOG
3. My "brown" wire coming out of the FOG black box
4. Other end of the "brown" wire that was cut, going to TAIL box
5. Wire coming out of the ACC black box

bobclevenger

OK AcuraEL, I've done some comparing.
Yes, the wiring is different on your 8 than it is on my 8.
I believe all the successful mods were done on US spec cars.
Dumb question time -- is your car a US spec car?

Our brown wire does NOT go to TAIL relay (that's what those black boxes are), but rather goes into the wiring loom.

Question: how do you want the fog lights to work? I might be able to figure out how to do it.

And no, you are not hooking to the wrong wire; your car is different for some reason.

AcuraEL

Hi Bob, thanks for the confirmation that I was in the right direction.

My car "should" be a Canadian model, as I bought it in Toronto, Canada.

I just want the simple mod to use the foglights in the middle of the three headlight switch position. So that I can turn it on in foggy weather without the xenons overpowering it. That's it.

If you can help, that would be great. Thanks all.

pmacwill

so if I connect the brown wire to the black/red wire as maniac described on page 5, that will connect the fogs to the parking lights? is that correct? Even though its the tail light fuse, those are only one with the parking lights right?

Will that afford the availability of having the parking/fog on without the headlights as well as having the fogs and the highs on at the same time? Did I read that correctly?

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

PMACWILL -

You have it exactly right.

You can still turn the fog lights on and off with their switch, but now they will come on with the first click of the headlight switch and will stay on even if you pull the highbeam trigger.

Velocity-8

First, to those who posted the "how to" and the pics... you guys ROCK!

That was SOOOO easy! My Mini Cooper had driving lights that came on with just the parking lights or headlights and I missed that feature. Not anymore!

Thanks again!!!

willhave8

Add me as one more happy Club member. This mod took ~10 minutes and gave gratification on both ends. First, because I had an excuse to drive to the store to by the connectors and second, to drive it knowing I had control over the fog lights. Great stuff guys.

I also put in the gutter guard screens in front of my Oil Coolers. Easy to do and it seems like it will work fine. Much easier than the HYMEE kit albeit perhaps not quite as elegant. However, I may still look to something a little more secure and long lasting such as a metal screen of some sort once it warms up and I feel like crawling on the ground.

XcelR8

This is what the an owners forum is all about!! Excellant work to all that put the time in to figuring the wiring out. Maniac - I followed your step-by-step instructions for the rewire and they were perfect. Thank you. I only took enough time to do in between coats of paint on my calipers!

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Glad it worked for you!

I can't even remember how they were before I made the mod...

Stras

Just finished r&r highbeam,parking,turn signal and fogs to a hid like Philips bluevision and am very happy even the chrome reflectors look blue in the daylight.changed the turnsignals to siver bulbs that light up yellow but off look silver further enhancing the effect.
this was not as cheap as I first thought and taking the frontbumper off really made me mad that the fogs had no chance of removing bulbs any other way.
rewired the fogs using this threads pointers,really made easy work of it used m/f covered spades so easy retro.
did them on the acc trip wire.
thanks for the well laid out photo's
Robert

j1mb0x99

Last night I rewired my foglights. First off, thank you everyone who posted here previously... I went and spliced the brown relay wire into the green/white wire. This way I could turn the fogs on with my parking lights or full lights. It was really easy after analyzing the wires, the diagram on the fuse cover, and the posts here. One thing I have to say though.... Maniac/MazdaManiac, the Black/Red wire you pointed out goes to my rear defroster circuitry. I don't know if this is the way on all vehicles, but you might want to recheck things to make sure. my power source was a low gage Green with a white stripe wire that led to the back light assembly. anyway, the mod works and I love it.

-JiM

derwankel

MazdaManiac-

Just implemented your driving lights solution ... thanks to you and all who have contributed to this thread.

ScudRunner

I also wanted to say thanks, especially to bob...i didn't get it done as fast as other people, but I am no means a whiz with wiring...in fact, this was my first ever electric DIY project, and the instructions and pics posted here were helpful to no end...

epitrochoid

Alright I did this mod as per Omicron's instructions, but I didn't like the fogs on as DRL's and I didn't like having to switch them on and off with my parking lights.

So I followed the original instructions that connects them to the TAIL relay, but I added a little twist. I don't have my camera so I'll try my best. This way isn't as clean (who cares its in a box under the hood!) but it's alot easier.

Remove the tail relay and located the top spade terminal that runs parallel to the front of the car. there's two that go left/right and two up/down. this is the terminal that the heavier gauge green/white wire runs to from underneath.

use a piece of low gauge wire and strip about an inch off the end. insert the stripped end into the previously mentioned terminal.

replace the relay, being sure the wire doesnt come out of the hole

run the wire through the vent holes to the left of the relay and across the bottom of the fuse block. cut and cap the brown wire from the fog relay and use a tap or splice the two (extension wire that your provide, and the brown wire)

now the fog switch only works when the parking lights are on!

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Uh, Epitrochoid?
That was the function that I already implemented in my version of instructions.

epitrochoid

i havent read over the entire thread in awhile...

but the other method involved running a wire and using a spade to connect it underneath the relay, mine did the same thing from above. i found it diffifult to access the bottom of the fuse block, so i did that part at least from the top.

or maybe you did the same thing, and i just missed it. sorry

zojas

you da man!

I just got to do this mod tonight. it was kind of a pain to work with the short wires. if it wasn't for that, it would be a 30 second job.

I drove on some back roads after doing this (where it was real dark). with just parking lights & fogs, you can't see very far ahead (i was going slow and the moon was almost full tonight).

but I often find myself in situations where I wish I could turn on only the fogs, or just parking lights & fogs, so this is perfect. thanks again.

Architech

I just got this mod done today, I was so jealous to see other cars at dusk driving down the road with just the parks and fogs on. Now... I've got it too, and the fact that the ambers don't come on with the parks, only for the turn signals just sets off the front of the car, I saw people staring like... Deer in headlights! Hmmm, strange... cause... mine weren't on!

liqiud

ok...so my car is wierd...followed the directions, and when i turn on the parking lights...for some reason, my high beams come on...i hooked up the male/female disconnects, and when i wire it back to normal, everything works like normal...any ideas???

Omicron

Yup, hate to say it, but you miswired things. Check the instructions closely and try again. Usually it's something like tapping into the wrong wire, or tapping the wrong end of the light brown wire into things.

liqiud

i verified the right end of the brown, and that it is going into the green/white cable...i am going to post a pic later tonight...see if anyone can spot what i am missing...i figured it was a wiring thing, but i don't see what i am missing...guess we will see in a few hours.