Fog Lights w/ Parking Driving me Nuts HELP!

Ok, here's my problem. I got a copy of the schematics of the wiring diagram for the exterior lighting of the Explorer. I want to wire my lights so when the parking lights are on, my fogs can be on as well.

So, after finding the power management box (under the air box) i see three relays sitting in a relay box with about 10 wires coming out of the box. The wire colors don't really match up with the ones from the schematic. I can figure out which one is the fog relay, but when i pull the relay out, all the lights still work!! They work like normal operations.

I don't want to start cutting random wires and shorting them together, because not only does the 4 fog wires go into that box, but other ones as well (which i have no idea what it is).

So i need help wondering what the heck does the relay do? Whether or not i should be shorting at that point or at the switch in the driver's seat. Or if someone has accurate wire colors to short. Please help!

I'm riding a 1995 Explorer 4x4, 4DR XLT.

Thanks everyone

 

[Tekeman]

I'm looking to do the same. Even keep them on with the high beams too. How do I go about?

 

[Alec]

I know you've probably thought of this, but...if you really want to keep your stock fogs and want more control over them, why not just get a $10 wiring kit (wires, relay, switch), and wire them to the new wiring? It sounds like you've already had a lot of headaches trying to mess with the factory wiring, and I learned a long time ago that messing with factory wiring can be risky.

If I were you I'd just get a set of replacement (aftermarket) fogs, wire them up, and be done with it. But that's just my $.02

As for your mystery relay, that might be a daytime running light relay that's not used on your truck. I know my truck has DRL hardware, it's just not implemented. I looked at the lighting wire schematic a while ago, and from what I could tell, it's just too much of a mess to deal with.

 

[Mikes95XLT]

Originally posted by KaBoom


I'm riding a 1995 Explorer 4x4, 4DR XLT.

Thanks everyone

Same here and have the same question... there's a lot of threads that TALK about it, but none really tell you how to do it... anyone know??

 

[Flounder]

I tried with my 96 and got the same problem - diff. colored wires. I just let them be. I still would like to rewire them, though, to go on with the parking lights.

 

[KaBoom]

i actually did get the parking lights and fog lights to turn on together. but just to let you know, you'll fail a safety inspection if you do leave them like that.

it's too much trouble to go rewiring and soldering the whole time, so i turned it back to stock.

i wanted the fog lights to be independent of the regular lights, that's what i was trying to figure out, but it turns out that the relay controls all that and won't let it happen

 

[rydinhigh]

kaboom how did you do it. im not worried about safety inspections we dont have those in ct

 

[Mikes95XLT]

Same here... cause my wires are different colors than what taxxman put in his instructions....

 

[xlt-sport]

kaboom

what do you mean?
how can you fail a safety inspection for this?

in '99 you started to be able to turn on fogs with your parking lights, from the factory.

i'm sure ford wouldn't have done this if it was "illegal".

i'm just not understanding why you say this.

peter

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by xlt-sport
kaboom

what do you mean?
how can you fail a safety inspection for this?

in '99 you started to be able to turn on fogs with your parking lights, from the factory.

i'm sure ford wouldn't have done this if it was "illegal".

i'm just not understanding why you say this.

peter

In VA also, it is illegal to run fog/driving lights without low beam headlights on.

Robb

 

[NC-X]

I'm in VA and I drive with just my fogs and parking lights all the time. I passed my NC saftey inspection and drive by cops with the lights on. Nobody has ever said anything about it being illegal.

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by NC-X
I'm in VA and I drive with just my fogs and parking lights all the time. I passed my NC saftey inspection and drive by cops with the lights on. Nobody has ever said anything about it being illegal.

I didn't say it was enforced very much, but it is illegal in VA. I have also heard of some ppl failing inspection for it, but I have never seen an inspector actually test it.

Robb

 

[KaBoom]

well, for safety inspection, your low beams, high beams and fog lights have to be independent of each other. as i understand it, the newer explorers, 99+ can have the parking lights and fog lights on at the same time. BUT, they are able to turn off the fog lights while the parking lights are still on. For the 95's, the only way that i was able to figure out how to rewire was to have the fog lights go on DEPENDING on whether or not the parking lights were on. So, for example, if your parking lights were on, fogs were on and you can't turn them off. that's what fails inspection. i personally never have done that but this is what i was told and read.