Foglights Only!

On my 97, the only way to turn on the original foglights, is to have the headlights on. Does anyone know if the foglights can be used with out the headlamps being on. Thanks for any help.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Hay Capt....If you do a search about fog lights only you will find that it is a mod. that just doesnt seem to be found.
I fooled with it for awhile & gave up.
If you find how please share it.......

 

[GRNMACHINE]

i would also be interested. did a search months back, and never seemed to find a definitive answer.
Rick

 

[Mark Atwater]

Add me to the list!

 

[ksaldibar]

hey guys, i know this is possible because a littlw while back, i saw an explorer sport with only it fog lamps on. there is definetly a way to do this so keep looking and good luck.

-ken

 

[mattadams]

I guess my question is... why? Install an aftermarket set and you won't ahve to deal with it. BUT if you wanted to here would be how I would accomplish it (I take no legal responsibility for problems related to my instructions, they are just my ideas and they have not been tested, etc.)
the lights have gotta have a relay, right... ok, so we find that relay, take the wire that goes from the relay to the lights and re-route it to another relay which doesn't care if yoru headlights are on or not. I don't know how you'd find the relay, I'm not very good with the Explorer OEM fog lights... I know on my F-150 it would be impossible anyways because the way it works is you switch the headlight switch to the headlamp on position, then pull it out for headlights plus fogs. Can't pull it out unless it's in the headlamp position. If you could find the relay though it should have BASICALLY two sets of wires, one going ot the switch, one going to the lights. Using an aftermarket relay just disconnect the wire going ot the lights, hook it up tot hat position ont eh other relay... same iwth the "switch". The power wire going into the relay would also need to be passed over (unless Ford has some weird way of doing that).
Did that make any sense?

 

[Bill Kemp]

I tried and tried to find the combination.
At last try I used the stock fog light switch w/piaa wireing and it fried the light switch. Being the second switch I fried I gave up.
Now I like the piaa switches better.......

 

[ksaldibar]

I know this is a little off the topic, but I was wondering what color fog lights are better, if there is a difference at all. Also, what would be better to have, fog lights or driving lights? I plan on mounting a set on my grille guard.
I mainly drive in th esuburbs, but I go upstate often. Thanks for any help.

-ken

 

[mattadams]

I like the amber fog lights, but if it depends if your actually going to be using it for fog and snow and rain oand so forth, or just ot light up more of the road... the amber has a way of cutting through snow and fog to show you the road, which is what you really want ot see... the clear fog lights are cool, but often don't penetrate past the weather, but there great for just occasional driving where you want to light up the sides of the roads. Driving lights are great but too bright for many circumstances, you wouldn't say, use them in town very often.

 

[JDraper]

Easiest way to do it is cut the wires just behind the foglights, install a relay under the hood that is connected to an ignition controlled hot wire, and either put a switch in the truck somewhere, or take the wires off of the back of your factory switch and wire it to the relays. Did this with my '92 and it worked fine.

 

[Kerisseler]

Thanks Jeff, have to give it a try if it ever warms up here.

 

[KodeBlu]

I don't know if this applies to any other year of Explorers but my original fogs are operational without turning on the headlights. I've seen a few Explorers running around with just the factory fogs on. I think they were either 99's or 00's.

 

[timex]

Well, I have a '00 and i had the fog lights put on after,
the fact is that at least the parking lights (yellow) have to be on for the fog lights to get power. I am actually trying to find out if I can use my fog lights, if I turn on my highbeams?? In my explorer, as soon as I switch to high beams it cuts off juice to the fogs. Any solutions to that one??????

 

[JDraper]

The reason that your high beams cut out your fogs is that the relay that runs the foglights is tied to the low beam circuit. The best way to get around it is to trace the wiring from the fogs back to the relay, and find the wire that runs from the relay to the low beam circuit. Take that wire off of the low beam circuit and attach it to one of the circuits that is ignition controlled. It will also work if you find a circuit that runs directly from the battery, but you then run the risk of forgetting to turn them off and draining your battery.

 

[Jefe]

Ok. . I've found the light relays, but does anyone have a light wiring diagram for a 2000? I only have a 91-99 manual.

 

[JDraper]

If you have a multimeter, you should be able to find a suitable wire by attaching the meter to a ground lug and finding a wire that reads 12 to 14 volts only when the ignition switch is on. I actually ran my relay off of the circuit that controlled the radio. I used a wire tap (Try RadioShack) that slips over the existing wire and clamps the new wire to it.

 

[Chris williams]

On my 97, the only way to turn on the original foglights, is to have the headlights on. Does anyone know if the foglights can be used with out the headlamps being on. Thanks for any help.

Just hook it up to fuel pump relay and you will be good to go