Help wiring 03 Fog Lights
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Help wiring 03 Fog Lights
Hey guys, I just got the complete fog light kit for my 03 f-150 Supercrew XLT. It included the Lower front bumper valence, fog lights, wires, switch, and instructions. I installed the valence, attached the fog lights, snacked the wires through the engine, and into all the right places. But when it came to hooking everything up, I hit a brick wall.
According to what the instructions say, everything is supposed to connect to the fog light relay. I hooked everything up EXACTLY as the instructions say. The fog lights are supposed to run power from the relay, the relay is supposed to have its own ground, power is sent to the relay directly from the battery, and the remote power is plugged into the relay by a red/yellow wire connected to the head light switch. I followed the instructions as shown. But for some reason, when I hook the lights upto the battery, they automatically turn on!
Unfortunately, the fog lights will not turn off for anything unless I unplug them from the battery or pull the 15watt fuse that is connected to the power cable. Sice the wiring instructions show that everything is connected to the relay, I tried pulling the relay, and the lights stay on. I have trippled checked everything all my connections to ensure that it wasnt something that I did in the wiring, and I believe this is strengthened by the fact that the lights stay on after pulling the relay. Is there anything that I can try to resolve this issue? Is there just something wrong with the wiring that I received from Ford?
Any help that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank in advance.
According to what the instructions say, everything is supposed to connect to the fog light relay. I hooked everything up EXACTLY as the instructions say. The fog lights are supposed to run power from the relay, the relay is supposed to have its own ground, power is sent to the relay directly from the battery, and the remote power is plugged into the relay by a red/yellow wire connected to the head light switch. I followed the instructions as shown. But for some reason, when I hook the lights upto the battery, they automatically turn on!
Unfortunately, the fog lights will not turn off for anything unless I unplug them from the battery or pull the 15watt fuse that is connected to the power cable. Sice the wiring instructions show that everything is connected to the relay, I tried pulling the relay, and the lights stay on. I have trippled checked everything all my connections to ensure that it wasnt something that I did in the wiring, and I believe this is strengthened by the fact that the lights stay on after pulling the relay. Is there anything that I can try to resolve this issue? Is there just something wrong with the wiring that I received from Ford?
Any help that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated! Thank in advance.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville, N.C.
Yes, you can fix it!
So I'm getting that your truck came "ready" for fogs with the relay in the main fuse box for fogs, right? Did you have the wiring capped off behind the front bumper? The reason I ask is because I did the same mod to my 2000, but mine wasn't pre-wired for fogs, meaning I had a completely separate harness for the entire foglight circuit.
Yes, your wiring instructions COULD be wrong, mine were! I'm thinking the wiring is different between '00 & '03 because I didn't connect a red/yellow wire to my headlight from the relay. It would help to know EXACTLY how you connected everything.(what color to where, pin #'s on switch, etc...)
You might have to enlist the help of one of the electronics gurus on here... I would suggest SSCULLY, he helped me alot.
Rest assured, it CAN be fixed, so don't give up!
Yes, your wiring instructions COULD be wrong, mine were! I'm thinking the wiring is different between '00 & '03 because I didn't connect a red/yellow wire to my headlight from the relay. It would help to know EXACTLY how you connected everything.(what color to where, pin #'s on switch, etc...)
You might have to enlist the help of one of the electronics gurus on here... I would suggest SSCULLY, he helped me alot.
Rest assured, it CAN be fixed, so don't give up!
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 773
Likes: 1
From: Durham NC USA
mikesgibs,
Post what colors you have going where on the cab(inside) part of your wiring. hotrod22 and I have both been through this and had problems with it. The way the wiring is in the manual for the lights is misleading. I had mine all installed and a wire that said to put to the lights was actually needed on a ground to make it work. Did you replace the headlight switch with one with foglight control? I know stupid question but it could be the problem too....
SSCULLY bailed me out on this also and hopefully he will be along. Also do a search on foglights or foglight valance and it may spit up the old threads on it. It can be made to work and is a great mod when it is
I have since installed 2 more on a 2002 and a 2003 model with no problems but they were pre-wired with the connectors.
Heres a link to the thread and the wiring where he diagnosed the problem with the diagrams connections:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=120597
Post what colors you have going where on the cab(inside) part of your wiring. hotrod22 and I have both been through this and had problems with it. The way the wiring is in the manual for the lights is misleading. I had mine all installed and a wire that said to put to the lights was actually needed on a ground to make it work. Did you replace the headlight switch with one with foglight control? I know stupid question but it could be the problem too....
SSCULLY bailed me out on this also and hopefully he will be along. Also do a search on foglights or foglight valance and it may spit up the old threads on it. It can be made to work and is a great mod when it is
I have since installed 2 more on a 2002 and a 2003 model with no problems but they were pre-wired with the connectors.
Heres a link to the thread and the wiring where he diagnosed the problem with the diagrams connections:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=120597
Last edited by 2000FordStyle; Feb 10, 2004 at 05:33 PM.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 10,511
Likes: 10
From: Under the flightpath of old ORD 22R
Thanks for the vote, nothing like setting expectations 
On to some serious stuff...
For the wiring, can you provide some color and terminal routing similar to the post that 2000FordStyle did. If you can include it as well, be specific to which pins the color wire are on the relay.
It sounds as if the wiring is jacked up, as the power through the relay should be triggered by the red/yellow wire connected to the head light switch, but it seems as if the power from the battery is connected directly to the fog lamps themselves ( hence when you pull the relay they still work ).
If you can take a look, and see if the newer kit ( or at least bought newer then the others ) is the same as past kits, that would help out in the problem diagnoses.
When you get a chance to post back, myself or one of the other members here will do our best to help you out.
Good luck !
On to some serious stuff...
For the wiring, can you provide some color and terminal routing similar to the post that 2000FordStyle did. If you can include it as well, be specific to which pins the color wire are on the relay.
It sounds as if the wiring is jacked up, as the power through the relay should be triggered by the red/yellow wire connected to the head light switch, but it seems as if the power from the battery is connected directly to the fog lamps themselves ( hence when you pull the relay they still work ).
If you can take a look, and see if the newer kit ( or at least bought newer then the others ) is the same as past kits, that would help out in the problem diagnoses.
When you get a chance to post back, myself or one of the other members here will do our best to help you out.
Good luck !
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 598
Likes: 0
From: southington ct usa
The power for the relay goes to the low beam on the switch, this way when you turn on the highsd the driving lights go out. I hooked mine up to the driving/running light position, this way they can be on with jut the parking lights, highs and lows.
The relay should have a constant 12V thats for powering the lamps, the other power lead should be switched, to the light switch in the cab. It sounds as if you have both with a constant 12V power supply.
The relay should have a constant 12V thats for powering the lamps, the other power lead should be switched, to the light switch in the cab. It sounds as if you have both with a constant 12V power supply.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Florida, CSA
The relay could be stuck...
Or the wiring could be incorrect
If you have a multimeter this should be easy to fix if its just the wiring. The relay should have a constant power-in location that gets hooked up to the battery. Then there should be a power-out connection that goes to the fog lights. Then there should be a switched power-in that hooks up to the headlight switch. Then there should be a ground tossed in somewhere. On the side of most relays is a wiring schematic that should give you an idea of what pin does what. I know this is really vague but if you have the multimeter it should only take 10 mins or so of trial and error to figure out what pin does what even if there is not a switching schematic.
If this is absolutely of no use just ignore it...I'm just really bored and typing...
Or the wiring could be incorrect
If you have a multimeter this should be easy to fix if its just the wiring. The relay should have a constant power-in location that gets hooked up to the battery. Then there should be a power-out connection that goes to the fog lights. Then there should be a switched power-in that hooks up to the headlight switch. Then there should be a ground tossed in somewhere. On the side of most relays is a wiring schematic that should give you an idea of what pin does what. I know this is really vague but if you have the multimeter it should only take 10 mins or so of trial and error to figure out what pin does what even if there is not a switching schematic.
If this is absolutely of no use just ignore it...I'm just really bored and typing...