97+ fog light question

1998 without factory fog lights. I have the toggle switch, and what looks to be the correct connection behind the center console. In fact the toggle switch plugs right in. I also have what looks to be the external wires for the fog lights. The wire I am speaking of is attached with zip tie type clip to the front "frame plate"(the thing behind the bumper with three large holes in it). Now on to the questions.

1) did the 97+ xj ever come with a manual overdrive switch, and if so did if have the same connector at the fog lights. I don't want that extra wire behind the center console downshifting my tranny instead of turning on the off-road lights.

2) is the wire on the front "frame plate" for fog lights?

3) do I need both "fog light" modules in the engine fuse box?

Thanks,

i cant sat for sure but it sounds like it is wired for fog lamps. is tha a fog lamp switch? if so is there a fog lamp relay under the hood? you can always turn the switch on and install a relay in the cavity for the fog lamp and see if you have power to the wires. if so then just add fog lamps under the bumper. sometimes the accessory kits are cheaper than buying each fog lamp. if you really want fog lamps, see how much a accessory kit costs compared to 2 fog lamp assemblies. the kits come with everything you need to wire the system up.

Thanks

The switch is a factory fog light switch.

One more question though; which rely do I need. The relay box cover says there are two, both read fog lamps, but on says dealer only. Do youknow if I need both?

I am putting in some PIAAs on the top of my Hanson bumper, I just needed to know what will make the wires "hot".

Thanks again, and if anyone else has anything to add, please do so.

JohnJohn

is the lower valence cut out for fog lamps?

I had the same situation with my 2000....the wires are all there except the ones that go into the fuse box under the hood.......I just went with a kit from hella....and put the switch in the factory spot...worked great.....have since removed if interested let me know......

No, you don't have the wiring in for fogs, that wire you are referring to in the front is for the temperature indicator if you have an overhead console.
The plug behind the switch panel has power and goes to the PDC, however the PDC does not have the sockets in for the fog light relays so thats a dead end. You can plug the switch in and it will even light up the litte led in it but it won't do anything else.
You have two alternatives, one is go go buy the add on fog light kit which has all the wires and the internal relay, takes about 2 hours to install and everything just plugs in cept for the low beam source that operates the internal relay. Then pick up an aftermarket fog light kit, like a Hella 550 or 450 and use that internal kit to power the hella relay and hella wiring. The hella wiring is heavier gauge than the factory wiring that will come in the kit. The factory kit has no fog lights, those are seperate, expensive and crap lights. www.jeepsareus.com has the fog light wiring kits for like $70.
Second alternative is to just go buy the Hella kit, drill a hole in the dash for the hella switch and put in the basic hella kit, wire the switch to the low beam wire under the dash and you are done, you could even use the factory type switch once you figure out which pins you need.
When I put my factory wiring kit in it did NOT use that extra plug thats behind the panel, it came complete with an entire harness. For a ground I used the big aluminum bracket that the steering wheel shaft bolts to, it is benind the knee panel under the steering wheel shaft.
As for mounting the lights on my 98 I put them in the factory location in front of the air dam, one of the holes is oval shaped, I just used a drift pin and very gently enlarged it then used two big fender washers on either side of the hole when I put the lights in. I used 550's to start then after both lenses cracked from leaving them on with the covers went to Hella 450's, smaller light but same output...

JohnJohn said:

Thanks

The switch is a factory fog light switch.

One more question though; which rely do I need. The relay box cover says there are two, both read fog lamps, but on says dealer only. Do youknow if I need both?

I am putting in some PIAAs on the top of my Hanson bumper, I just needed to know what will make the wires "hot".

Thanks again, and if anyone else has anything to add, please do so.

JohnJohn

Click to expand...

Keep in mind that if you break the circuit up into two 'segments' it will be a bit easier. The first segment is the switch and relay, all the switch does is operate that relay, nothing else, depending on how your wire the switch it will decide how the lights will work. If you tap into the low beam signal/volt that will allow power thru the switch and operate the relay. If you wire into your parking lights that will allow power to that switch and allow you to switch the relay with the parking lights on. If you power into a source that supplies 12v when the key is turned on that will allow you to switch that relay when it's running. If you power into an 'always hot' that will allow you to kill your battery when you forget to turn them off Some states require that the fogs go off with high beams so keep that in mind..
The second part is the lights, the contacts the the lights hook to are the ones that carry the high current which the light draw, it is the reason you need a relay. The switch side is low current and is in no way associated with the higher current side.
Keep the fuse as close to the battery as possible, one of the reasons I like the hella relays is because they have a fuse built in, bayonet type, right on the side of the relay case. Always mount the relay pins DOWN, they do make heat and the heat will cause condensation inside. If the pins are facing down they allow that condensation to drain off, pins up/can down will collect water inside the case and short it out in about a month or so...

So since I have the wire down at the center console(by the rear wiper and defroster) I only need the relay, and the wire from the relay to the lights??? Where do factory fog lights plug into? Maybe I have the wires and just don't know where to look?? <wishful thinking>

I have a full used PIAA kit but for the life of me can't remember how to hook it up. I was hopping to just splice the "hot" and "cold" wires from each lamp to this wire, but so much for that. So the wire on the front "frame plate" is for an air temp thermostat?

Thanks,

JohnJohn said:

So since I have the wire down at the center console(by the rear wiper and defroster) I only need the relay, and the wire from the relay to the lights??? Where do factory fog lights plug into? Maybe I have the wires and just don't know where to look?? <wishful thinking>

I have a full used PIAA kit but for the life of me can't remember how to hook it up. I was hopping to just splice the "hot" and "cold" wires from each lamp to this wire, but so much for that. So the wire on the front "frame plate" is for an air temp thermostat?

Thanks,

Click to expand...

Lay the harness out on your deck or something, figure out how it works, don't just start running wires. I can almost guarantee that you do NOT have any of the components from the PDC to the air dam as far as fogs go. Yes, that wire in the front is for the temp sensor for the overhead console. If you look under your headliner you will also find a bunch of wires there, one of them is the other end of that wire to the nose for the temp sensor. Just get a picture in your mind that that relay is not a strange piece of magic, it is just a remote operated switch that is controlled by the switch on the dash. Two leads operate an electromagnet inside that when energized pushes a lever that connects two points inside that will provide a current path to the fogs or whatever you hook it to.