Mk2 LX Retro-Fitting front fog lamps?

[AntonovAN12]

Is the wiring for the factory option front bumper fog lamps fitted on the Mk2 LX?

I may be wrong, but I think I have read that the wiring is pre-fitted even if the actual lamps are not. 

Is it a case of simply connecting the lamps and fitting the correct headlight switch to the dashboard?

[StephenFord]

10 hours ago, AntonovAN12 said:

Is the wiring for the factory option front bumper fog lamps fitted on the Mk2 LX?

I may be wrong, but I think I have read that the wiring is pre-fitted even if the actual lamps are not. 

Is it a case of simply connecting the lamps and fitting the correct headlight switch to the dashboard?

I can't help with wiring issue, but I changed the 'blank' light panels to one pre formed for a light fitting. Then I bought an LED light fitting, with a 'halo', and central LED. I did the physical fitting, but needed some other electric work done so had it all professionally wired. I have 2 x internal switches for 'Halo', and 'LED' seperately...

[AntonovAN12]

Thanks for the reply. There was an LX Focus sitting at the breakers with its front bumper already off. I had a look and the unused fog lamp connectors were there on the wiring loom.

I took the lamps, fairings and dashboard light switch from an 05 plate Zetec hatch. The switch also has the cluster dimmer function.

They charged £20 for the lot which I thought was a good deal.

[StephenFord]

9 hours ago, AntonovAN12 said:

...The switch also has the cluster dimmer function.

I've always found in every car I've ever had with this function, you mess about with it for the first few days of use, then it's always left at 'maximum' 🤣

[AntonovAN12]

Can anyone confirm that the fog lamps can be plugged into the loom and will work with the correct switch?

If getting them working is any more complicated I will probably leave them off.

12 hours ago, StephenFord said:

I've always found in every car I've ever had with this function, you mess about with it for the first few days of use, then it's always left at 'maximum' 🤣

I probably won't actually use it, I just wondered if it will make any difference with the wiring.

Does anyone know if the dimmer has to be fitted by law in some countries? I have also seen it on Japanese imports.

[AntonovAN12]

The fog lamps are now installed. The plugs were present on the wiring for both sides.

The worst part of the job was freeing the plugs from where they were taped onto. It seems like Ford made them deliberately difficult to access.

They had fitted plastic blanking caps to the plugs. The Sport trim was effectively an LX with alloys, fog lamps and a leather trimmed steering wheel as extras. It makes sense that the wiring for these two models would be the same.

The front fog lamp enabled dashboard switch swaps straight in without needing to do anything else with the wiring. The instrument dimmer function on this switch also works without any other changes needed.

[StephenFord]

9 hours ago, AntonovAN12 said:

The fog lamps are now installed. ...

Sad thing is that front fog lights are fairly useless, and you may actually need them only once/year. (Don't 'upgrade' bulbs to white LEDs, they'll be even more useless). Much more beneficial would be to convert them to DRLs...

[TomsFocus]

Do they still get pea-soupers in London? 

Tbf, I used to live on the coast and work an evening shift...had to drive home through a lot of fog and did find fog lights useful low down in the bumper on the 306.  Then changed to a Mk4 Golf which had fog lights integrated in the headlight cluster...totally useless!  

[Eric Bloodaxe]

3 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Sad thing is that front fog lights are fairly useless, and you may actually need them only once/year.

Tend to agree. Most cars I've had over the last 15 years or so have had factory fitted fogs of the chocolate teapot level of usefulness. More of a styling feature. Interesting that Ford dropped separate fogs from the last Fiestas (they claim they're integrated with the headlamps), I see other manufacturers seem to be doing the same, so maybe they're off-trend nowadays.

Now, this sort of thing was a bit more effective:

 

[StephenFord]

15 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Now, this sort of thing was a bit more effective:

Now I had this setup of quad Cibie Oscars on my very 1st car, my Datsun 120y LOL Probably slowed it down by 20% because of extra weight & poor aerodynamics 🤣

[AntonovAN12]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:53 AM, StephenFord said:

Sad thing is that front fog lights are fairly useless, and you may actually need them only once/year. (Don't 'upgrade' bulbs to white LEDs, they'll be even more useless). Much more beneficial would be to convert them to DRLs...

I have been doing some cheap scrapyard upgrades. I thought they would slightly improve the look of the car more than their actual usefulness.