08-13-2015, 08:38 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
See related guides and technical advice from our community experts:
Browse all: Lighting Guides
- Dodge Ram 2009-Present: How to Install Factory Fog Lights
Step by step intructions for the do-it-yourself repairs.
Browse all: Lighting Guides
How-To: Add Factory Fog Lights
#1
09-27-2010, 08:51 PM
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Salem, IN
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How-To: Add Factory Fog Lights
NOTE: I take no responsibility if you do this modification and screw something up. I can't guarantee that all trucks will come with the fog light relays, fuse, and wiring. Before starting, make sure yours does.
When I bought my truck it did not have the factory fog light option. It did however, come with the 2x factory fog light relay's and the 1x 15A factory fog light fuse installed.
After doing a lot of reading on the subject, I learned that the factory fog light switch wiring harness would plug in by the steering column and work like the factory setup. This however, was not the case. The factory fog light switch wiring harness was ran into the rest of the dash harness and went out into the power distribution box under the hood.
After finding a local salvage yard (Jones Auto in Orleans, IN) that had a '96 and a '97 Ram Sport, I finally had all the parts I needed to do the complete swap.
Parts Needed off Wrecked Truck: ($85)*
2x - Fog Light
2x - Fog Light Bracket
4x - Fog Light Bracket Bolts
1x - Fog Light Wiring Harness (The one behind the bumper that T's to the lights)
1x - Fog Light Switch
1x - Fog Light Switch Pig Tail (with as much wire as possible)
2x - Bumper Inserts
* Complete parts list located at end of write-up.
After getting the parts I needed off the wrecked truck, I then proceeded to the local O'Reilly Auto Parts to pick up parts that I needed that could have been damaged.
Parts Needed From Parts House: ($20)*
2x - Fog Light Bulbs
* Complete parts list located at end of write-up.
All the other miscellaneous parts I needed, I already had. This included wiring butt connectors, electrical tape, and wire loom.
To install the factory fog lights, it still is a simple installation. There are a few things that need to be done first before the actual dash switch install.
First, make sure that you have the 2x factory fog light relays located in the under hood power distribution box. The 2x pictures below show the location of the relay's and the fuse.
The next step is to make sure that you have the wiring harness needed under the radiator core support to plug in the factory fog light T wiring harness. The plug is located under the core support, more to the driver side of the truck as seen in the picture below.
Next, remove the 2x bolts holding the under hood power distribution box to the inner fender. They are a 10mm bolt. Once the box is removed from the inner fender, use a small flat screw driver to remove the lower portion of the box that covers the wire connections. When this lower portion is off, it will look like the picture below.
Once the box is laid over, locate the LB (Light Blue) wire and the BR/WT (Brown w/ White Stripe) wire that goes into Fog Light Relay #2. These are the only 2 wires that you will need to run wires from to the factory fog light switch in the dash.
Now, with most of the under hood work done, lets continue inside the cab.
Remove the radio/instrument cluster bezel by removing the 2x Phillip screws holding the cup holder assembly in and the 2x Phillip screws holding the ash tray assembly in. Once this bezel is out of your way, remove the 3x Phillip screws holding the OD button and bland cover in. Once this is completed, you should be seeing the same as in the pictures below.
Now that this is done, remove the lower dash piece from under the steering column (5x Phillip screws). This will help you get the 2x wires to the power distribution box under the hood.
Now route 2x 18-20AWG wire from the location of the factory fog light switch to the power distribution box. Be sure to either run different color wire, or label each end of each wire so you are sure which wire you are hooking up where. I set up a ladder and used it as my wire spool for ease of spooling the wire.
Now that you have the wire at the power distribution box, lets hook the wires up under there.
Cut the LB (Light Blue) wire. Using red butt-connectors, connect 1x of the wires you just ran to one side of the LB (Light Blue) wire. Connect the other end of the butt-connector to the other side of the LB (Light Blue) wire.
Cut the BR/WT (Brown w/ White stripe) wire. Using red butt-connectors, connect the 2nd wire you ran to the BR/WT (Brown w/ White stripe) wire that goes into the Fog Light #2 relay leaving the other side of the BR/WT wire unconnected.
Re-assemble the lower portion of the power distribution block and re-install the power distribution block to the inner fender with the 10mm bolts.
Now back inside the truck.
With the 2x wires you ran, connect the wire for the LB (Light Blue) wire to the LB (Light Blue) wire on the fog light switch pig tail using a red butt-connector. Then connect the other wire to the BR/WT (Brown w/ White stripe) wire in the fog light switch wiring pig tail.
The next step is to connect the O (Orange) wire to the O (Orange) wire coming off the OD (Over Drive) selector switch. This is the wire that will activate the dash light inside the fog light switch when you turn on the parking lamps or the head lights. To do this, cut the O (Orange) wire. Using a red butt-connector, connect the O (Orange) wire from the fog light switch pig tail to one side of the OD (Over Drive) button wiring. Then connect the other end of the butt-connector to the other side of the OD (Over Drive) wiring O (Orange) wire.
The last step in wiring involves hooking up the 2x BR/O (Brown w/ Orange stripe) wires to a ground. I used the radio ground and connected both of them by cutting the ground wire and splicing them in with a blue butt-connector.
Now plug in the OD (Over Drive) button and the fog light button into their respective plugs. Turn on your parking lights and make sure that the dash light portion of the fog light switch works. Depress the fog light switch to verify that the indicator light works as well.
If there is a problem, now is the time to check your wiring before buttoning everything back up.
If your fog light switch works as it is supposed to, you can re-install the lower dash portion (5x Phillip screws) and the radio/instrument cluster bezel (4x Phillip screws).
Now lets install the fog lights.
This is the time when an extra set of hands is good.
Remove the front bumper from the truck. There are 1x 11/16" bolt that holds the side angle brace of the bumper to the frame on each side. There are also 3x 11/16" bolts that hold the bumper to the frame horns on each side.
You will also have to unplug the horns and remove the 3/8" bolt that holds a ground wire to the driver side angle bracket.
With the bumper off, you now have 2 choices on how you will install the fog lights. You can either cut the current bumper inserts with a 4" hold saw or you can replace your bumper inserts with the bumper inserts for the fog lights.
Remove the black upper off the bumper by pushing the plastic push pins back through the bumper. There is also 1x 3/8" bolt on each end of the black upper plastic.
With the black plastic out of the way, install the fog lights on their proper side. They are marked for the L (Driver) and R (Passenger) sides.
With the fog lights installed, reinstall the bumper. Be sure to plug the horns back in and reconnect the ground wire to the driver side angle bracket.
Now that this is done, you can install the fog light bulbs and run the fog light wiring harness to each light.
Plug the wiring harness into the connector under the core support and route the fog light plugs to each fog light. The longer side of the wiring harness goes to the passenger side fog light.
Now test out your fog lights. Make sure they go off when you select the high beam portion of your headlights.
The last step is to adjust the height of the fog lights. It is best to do this when it is dark outside.
Pull your truck about 10'-15' from a wall (garage door) and turn the fog lights on. You want the fog lights to be hitting the wall about 16-18" above the ground from this distance. This will allow the fog lights to fill the void that the low beams leave.
If they do not hit at roughly this height, then you can adjust them up and down with the adjuster screws on the back of the fog lights. To access these adjuster screws, raise your hood and look behind the bumper.
Enjoy!
Before:
After:
Parts List:
2x - Fog Light
2x - Fog Light Bracket
4x - Fog Light Bracket Bolts
1x - Fog Light Wiring Harness (The one behind the bumper that T's to the lights)
1x - Fog Light Switch
1x - Fog Light Switch Pig Tail (with as much wire as possible)
2x - Bumper Inserts
2x - Fog Light Bulbs
4x - Red Butt-Connector
2x - Blue Butt-Connector
Tool List:
- 1/2" Drive Ratchet
- 11/16", 1/2" Drive Socket
- 1/4" Drive Ratchet
- 3/8", 1/4" Drive Socket
- 10mm, 1/4" Drive Socket
- Phillip Screw Driver
- Flat Screw Driver, small
When I bought my truck it did not have the factory fog light option. It did however, come with the 2x factory fog light relay's and the 1x 15A factory fog light fuse installed.
After doing a lot of reading on the subject, I learned that the factory fog light switch wiring harness would plug in by the steering column and work like the factory setup. This however, was not the case. The factory fog light switch wiring harness was ran into the rest of the dash harness and went out into the power distribution box under the hood.
After finding a local salvage yard (Jones Auto in Orleans, IN) that had a '96 and a '97 Ram Sport, I finally had all the parts I needed to do the complete swap.
Parts Needed off Wrecked Truck: ($85)*
2x - Fog Light
2x - Fog Light Bracket
4x - Fog Light Bracket Bolts
1x - Fog Light Wiring Harness (The one behind the bumper that T's to the lights)
1x - Fog Light Switch
1x - Fog Light Switch Pig Tail (with as much wire as possible)
2x - Bumper Inserts
* Complete parts list located at end of write-up.
After getting the parts I needed off the wrecked truck, I then proceeded to the local O'Reilly Auto Parts to pick up parts that I needed that could have been damaged.
Parts Needed From Parts House: ($20)*
2x - Fog Light Bulbs
* Complete parts list located at end of write-up.
All the other miscellaneous parts I needed, I already had. This included wiring butt connectors, electrical tape, and wire loom.
To install the factory fog lights, it still is a simple installation. There are a few things that need to be done first before the actual dash switch install.
First, make sure that you have the 2x factory fog light relays located in the under hood power distribution box. The 2x pictures below show the location of the relay's and the fuse.
The next step is to make sure that you have the wiring harness needed under the radiator core support to plug in the factory fog light T wiring harness. The plug is located under the core support, more to the driver side of the truck as seen in the picture below.
Next, remove the 2x bolts holding the under hood power distribution box to the inner fender. They are a 10mm bolt. Once the box is removed from the inner fender, use a small flat screw driver to remove the lower portion of the box that covers the wire connections. When this lower portion is off, it will look like the picture below.
Once the box is laid over, locate the LB (Light Blue) wire and the BR/WT (Brown w/ White Stripe) wire that goes into Fog Light Relay #2. These are the only 2 wires that you will need to run wires from to the factory fog light switch in the dash.
Now, with most of the under hood work done, lets continue inside the cab.
Remove the radio/instrument cluster bezel by removing the 2x Phillip screws holding the cup holder assembly in and the 2x Phillip screws holding the ash tray assembly in. Once this bezel is out of your way, remove the 3x Phillip screws holding the OD button and bland cover in. Once this is completed, you should be seeing the same as in the pictures below.
Now that this is done, remove the lower dash piece from under the steering column (5x Phillip screws). This will help you get the 2x wires to the power distribution box under the hood.
Now route 2x 18-20AWG wire from the location of the factory fog light switch to the power distribution box. Be sure to either run different color wire, or label each end of each wire so you are sure which wire you are hooking up where. I set up a ladder and used it as my wire spool for ease of spooling the wire.
Now that you have the wire at the power distribution box, lets hook the wires up under there.
Cut the LB (Light Blue) wire. Using red butt-connectors, connect 1x of the wires you just ran to one side of the LB (Light Blue) wire. Connect the other end of the butt-connector to the other side of the LB (Light Blue) wire.
Cut the BR/WT (Brown w/ White stripe) wire. Using red butt-connectors, connect the 2nd wire you ran to the BR/WT (Brown w/ White stripe) wire that goes into the Fog Light #2 relay leaving the other side of the BR/WT wire unconnected.
Re-assemble the lower portion of the power distribution block and re-install the power distribution block to the inner fender with the 10mm bolts.
Now back inside the truck.
With the 2x wires you ran, connect the wire for the LB (Light Blue) wire to the LB (Light Blue) wire on the fog light switch pig tail using a red butt-connector. Then connect the other wire to the BR/WT (Brown w/ White stripe) wire in the fog light switch wiring pig tail.
The next step is to connect the O (Orange) wire to the O (Orange) wire coming off the OD (Over Drive) selector switch. This is the wire that will activate the dash light inside the fog light switch when you turn on the parking lamps or the head lights. To do this, cut the O (Orange) wire. Using a red butt-connector, connect the O (Orange) wire from the fog light switch pig tail to one side of the OD (Over Drive) button wiring. Then connect the other end of the butt-connector to the other side of the OD (Over Drive) wiring O (Orange) wire.
The last step in wiring involves hooking up the 2x BR/O (Brown w/ Orange stripe) wires to a ground. I used the radio ground and connected both of them by cutting the ground wire and splicing them in with a blue butt-connector.
Now plug in the OD (Over Drive) button and the fog light button into their respective plugs. Turn on your parking lights and make sure that the dash light portion of the fog light switch works. Depress the fog light switch to verify that the indicator light works as well.
If there is a problem, now is the time to check your wiring before buttoning everything back up.
If your fog light switch works as it is supposed to, you can re-install the lower dash portion (5x Phillip screws) and the radio/instrument cluster bezel (4x Phillip screws).
Now lets install the fog lights.
This is the time when an extra set of hands is good.
Remove the front bumper from the truck. There are 1x 11/16" bolt that holds the side angle brace of the bumper to the frame on each side. There are also 3x 11/16" bolts that hold the bumper to the frame horns on each side.
You will also have to unplug the horns and remove the 3/8" bolt that holds a ground wire to the driver side angle bracket.
With the bumper off, you now have 2 choices on how you will install the fog lights. You can either cut the current bumper inserts with a 4" hold saw or you can replace your bumper inserts with the bumper inserts for the fog lights.
Remove the black upper off the bumper by pushing the plastic push pins back through the bumper. There is also 1x 3/8" bolt on each end of the black upper plastic.
With the black plastic out of the way, install the fog lights on their proper side. They are marked for the L (Driver) and R (Passenger) sides.
With the fog lights installed, reinstall the bumper. Be sure to plug the horns back in and reconnect the ground wire to the driver side angle bracket.
Now that this is done, you can install the fog light bulbs and run the fog light wiring harness to each light.
Plug the wiring harness into the connector under the core support and route the fog light plugs to each fog light. The longer side of the wiring harness goes to the passenger side fog light.
Now test out your fog lights. Make sure they go off when you select the high beam portion of your headlights.
The last step is to adjust the height of the fog lights. It is best to do this when it is dark outside.
Pull your truck about 10'-15' from a wall (garage door) and turn the fog lights on. You want the fog lights to be hitting the wall about 16-18" above the ground from this distance. This will allow the fog lights to fill the void that the low beams leave.
If they do not hit at roughly this height, then you can adjust them up and down with the adjuster screws on the back of the fog lights. To access these adjuster screws, raise your hood and look behind the bumper.
Enjoy!
Before:
After:
Parts List:
2x - Fog Light
2x - Fog Light Bracket
4x - Fog Light Bracket Bolts
1x - Fog Light Wiring Harness (The one behind the bumper that T's to the lights)
1x - Fog Light Switch
1x - Fog Light Switch Pig Tail (with as much wire as possible)
2x - Bumper Inserts
2x - Fog Light Bulbs
4x - Red Butt-Connector
2x - Blue Butt-Connector
Tool List:
- 1/2" Drive Ratchet
- 11/16", 1/2" Drive Socket
- 1/4" Drive Ratchet
- 3/8", 1/4" Drive Socket
- 10mm, 1/4" Drive Socket
- Phillip Screw Driver
- Flat Screw Driver, small
#3
09-28-2010, 12:48 AM
Legend
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Malvern Pa - Canadensis Pa
Posts: 7,950
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
1 Post
When I say this I though it was a question. But now I see its a DIY.
I just buy some from napa or something like that and wire them in.
The rain today reminded me on how much I miss them gotta get another set!
I just buy some from napa or something like that and wire them in.
The rain today reminded me on how much I miss them gotta get another set!
#5
09-02-2013, 09:03 AM
Thanks MJones! It looks like the pictures links are gone now...but I get the drift of it.
On my 1996 Ram 1500, all the components are there to add the fog lights...the two relays...the fuse...the wire harness connector tucked under the bumper...the blank knockout on the dash next to the overdrive switch...etc. It looks like it was setup from the factory so the dealer could quickly install fog lights as an option. So, my question is this: Shouldn't there be a connector for the switch tucked away somewhere behind the OD/Blank Fog switch plate near the cup holder on the dash?
Just seems logical...that if the factory provided the relays, fuses, harnesses etc...the fog light dealer install would have been a "plug & play" option without the need to run extra wiring.
Thanks,
Kevin
On my 1996 Ram 1500, all the components are there to add the fog lights...the two relays...the fuse...the wire harness connector tucked under the bumper...the blank knockout on the dash next to the overdrive switch...etc. It looks like it was setup from the factory so the dealer could quickly install fog lights as an option. So, my question is this: Shouldn't there be a connector for the switch tucked away somewhere behind the OD/Blank Fog switch plate near the cup holder on the dash?
Just seems logical...that if the factory provided the relays, fuses, harnesses etc...the fog light dealer install would have been a "plug & play" option without the need to run extra wiring.
Thanks,
Kevin
Last edited by shak; 09-02-2013 at 09:05 AM.
#6
09-02-2013, 09:35 AM
The connector should indeed be there. May just be stashed somewhere...... It's a gray, six pin connector.
The following users liked this post:
Wreckinball (10-26-2021)
#7
09-02-2013, 11:24 AM
Champion
I have the same issue - can't seem to find the wiring connector for the fog light switch behind the dash. It must be stashed really good.. This is a really good thread - just wish the pictures were still around..
Trending Topics
The following users liked this post:
Wreckinball (10-26-2021)
