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      08-15-2014, 02:08 PM   #1
tom @ eas
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▀▄ eas | DIY: Rear Foglamp Mod

Free mods are the best. A popular early mod on the previous E9X chassis was the Rear Foglamp, or Euro fogs.

Rear fog lamps (or "fog taillamps") have since the 1970s been mandatory equipment on all cars sold in countries that adhere to European (ECE) vehicle safety Regulation 48, which governs the installation and hookup of lights and reflectors. But, they're only just beginning to show up on US-market cars. They are intense red lights manually switched on by the driver in conditions of very poor visibility (heavy fog, rain, snow) to increase your car's visibility to vehicles behind you. A rear fog lamp is very much brighter than regular taillights, and is in many cases even more intense than brake lamps. Regulations in most of the world, including North America, permit vehicles to be equipped with one or two rear fog lamps. If only one rear fog is fitted, it must be on the driver's side of the vehicle. It's safest and best to have just one rear fog, much as it offends the sense of symmetry of those who don't know any better. Having two is legal, but makes it much more difficult for following drivers to see a change in your car's rear lights when you step on the brake. Many vehicles that do come from the factory with rear fog functionality have rear fog optics and sockets on both sides, with only one wired up -- this isn't a factory oversight. It's done this way because the "driver's side" of the car varies depending on which country the car is sold in!

The headlamp switch is very similar as a base F30/F32, which is equipped with front foglamps. These buttons are "blank" on the M models by injection-molded "stops", which physically limit the button from being depressed.

While the quick and easy way to accomplish this would be to order a Euro Headlight switch, but where's the fun in that? Instead, we're going to mod the existing US switch.

Let's begin.

1. Remove driver's side air vent, pulling slightly on outward edges


2. Remove Headlight switch, press on (2) outward retaining clips and pull


3. Disconnect headlight switch connector


4. With headlight switch on bench, slightly lift on (6) retaining tabs and separate halves


5. Pull apart plastic housing from headlight switch


6. In this image, you can see existing buttons for Front (upper) and Rear (lower) foglamps, even the Front foglamp LED is lit on US switches when powered on. Rear foglamps when activated will illuminate an icon on the instrument cluster after coding is completed.


7. Position of switches, we will be working with the rear fog (bottom switch) only


8. Press bottom switch out from backside




9. Injection-molded plastic "stops" are integrated on US switch assemblies, these will need to be carefully removed with a hobby knife or razor. There are (3) stops total (two on other side)




10. Reinsert Rear Foglamp back into headlight switch


11. Completed shot, with Rear Foglamp button depressed for illustration. This will be pressed back out flush when reassembled back together.


12. Reassemble headlight switch housing, snaps back into place.


13. Reinstall headlight switch and air vent back into place


Coding

Coding is required for the switch to operate.

REM Module

REM -> Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output: nsl_l
REM -> Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_output: nsl_r

FEM_BODY
3060 NSL_Verbaut: verbaut

Operation

Once coded, operation is exactly like if you were equipped with a EU Headlight switch. Simply flip on the headlamps, press the bottom headlight button and we are greeted with our new Rear Foglamps:

Standard


Rear Foglamps Enabled


As an added bonus, an amber Rear Foglamp icon illuminates when button is activated:


This and much more covered in our journal thread here: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1020487
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Last edited by tom @ eas; 08-23-2015 at 08:35 PM..
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      08-15-2014, 03:32 PM   #2
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Rear fog activation

Thanks, as usual, guys!
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      08-15-2014, 05:12 PM   #3
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I need this! add it to the list lol when I come down in a week
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      08-15-2014, 06:05 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GOLFFRR View Post
I need this! add it to the list lol when I come down in a week
no prob, you got it!
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      08-28-2014, 09:46 AM   #5
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Thanks. I will certainly do that to my car when I get it.

Question: What does the front fog lamp switch do in an F80/82 car since there aren't any front fog lights? Is that a switch we can re-purpose for something else?
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      08-28-2014, 11:10 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by schmitzna View Post
Thanks. I will certainly do that to my car when I get it.

Question: What does the front fog lamp switch do in an F80/82 car since there aren't any front fog lights? Is that a switch we can re-purpose for something else?
Depends, if the wiring still exists in the front fog light area, we did this on our E92M3 controlling a misting system for the intercooler.

There are only 3 wires going to the switch itself, the engaging pin would need to be sourced from the Front Electronics Module (FEM_BODY).
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      08-30-2014, 12:24 AM   #7
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W00t! I might come down for this too! I remember you guys down at EAS was playing around with it on my M4 when it was there, but we couldn't figure out why it didn't work! Coding it is!
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      09-04-2014, 11:22 PM   #8
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works perfectly thanks
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      09-20-2014, 01:48 PM   #9
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These instructions are really great. No tools needed up to the point of using the razor to shave off the tabs. The A/C duct is best pulled out from the bottom. I used a mirror to locate the tabs on the top of the switch to depress them then rotate the switch out from the top. This is an easy and cool mod.
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      09-22-2014, 06:02 PM   #10
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Wait a minit---our cars come with rear fog lights, and those cheapies at BMW don't activate it? We have to buy some expensive switch and have the dealer mod it?

Ludicrous.

M
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      09-22-2014, 06:09 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikster View Post
Wait a minit---our cars come with rear fog lights, and those cheapies at BMW don't activate it? We have to buy some expensive switch and have the dealer mod it?

Ludicrous.

M
You must be replying to another thread. From the first line of the OP:

Quote:
Originally Posted by tom @ eas View Post
Free mods are the best.
There is nothing to buy. Modify the switch as indicated a do a little coding.
And the reason BMW didn't activate it in the first place is that rear fog lights are probably in the gray area legally with the USDOT.
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      09-22-2014, 09:45 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by celler View Post
You must be replying to another thread. From the first line of the OP:



There is nothing to buy. Modify the switch as indicated a do a little coding.
And the reason BMW didn't activate it in the first place is that rear fog lights are probably in the gray area legally with the USDOT.
as far as I know it is just not required by law in the US, same with the warning triangle or first aid kit. All of these are legally required in Europe to operate a vehicle. So BMW can save some money ... but yes this is fucked up ^^
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      09-23-2014, 08:24 AM   #13
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In this case they are not saving anything; the switch & lights are installed. In fact they have to have a special version of the switch with buttons locked off. Makes no sense, other than the fact that Americans don't know how to use them properly and drive around with them on all the time.
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      09-24-2014, 01:54 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
In this case they are not saving anything; the switch & lights are installed. In fact they have to have a special version of the switch with buttons locked off. Makes no sense, other than the fact that Americans don't know how to use them properly and drive around with them on all the time.
Pretty much sums it up.
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      09-26-2014, 01:29 PM   #15
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Works great!
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      09-26-2014, 02:29 PM   #16
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I was unsuccessful in removing the switch from the dash. I could figure out how to push on the clips and pull.
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      09-26-2014, 03:38 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Dasm3nd View Post
I was unsuccessful in removing the switch from the dash. I could figure out how to push on the clips and pull.
Push down on the clips from the inside along with firm pressure towards you while pulling on the switch. Get one side started and move to the other side.

It was hard enough to do that I cut the tabs off the upper switch too, just in case someone finds a use for it!
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      09-26-2014, 11:55 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dasm3nd View Post
I was unsuccessful in removing the switch from the dash. I could figure out how to push on the clips and pull.
Use an inspection mirror or a makeup mirror stolen from your wife to look at the metal (not plastic) tabs from the inside. Once you see where they are and how they depress, it becomes much easier.
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      03-07-2015, 07:35 PM   #19
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Honestly it is quite easy provided you push the end of the clip down. The key is to use either a 90 degree l shaped panel tool or something similar to push down the part of the clip that is pressing into the back of the dash. If you just try to press the far end of the clip with your finger it will not depress the part of the clip hitting the dash.
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      03-07-2015, 09:42 PM   #20
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Great information Tom, but I was able to simply pull each of the 2 buttons out without having to take out the vent or the whole switch.

I used a regular house knife. I covered the whole blade with painters blue tape. A couple of turns around the blade.
Inserted the covered blade tip on the button's edge closest to the driver's door.
Simply moved the knife towards the front of the car and the button came off.
Proceeded to cut the plastic stops as you showed. The car was already coded for rear fogs.
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      03-09-2015, 01:33 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nene View Post
Great information Tom, but I was able to simply pull each of the 2 buttons out without having to take out the vent or the whole switch.

I used a regular house knife. I covered the whole blade with painters blue tape. A couple of turns around the blade.
Inserted the covered blade tip on the button's edge closest to the driver's door.
Simply moved the knife towards the front of the car and the button came off.
Proceeded to cut the plastic stops as you showed. The car was already coded for rear fogs.
That'll work - whichever is easiest/safest.
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      03-09-2015, 08:40 PM   #22
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Took a couple of snaps to post here, in case my details sounded confusing. Nevertheless, Tom's snaps from the original mod were extremely useful in getting this mod completed, and giving me the idea to try to pry the buttons off without having to remove the vent.

One thing I also found was a small mistake in the coding Tom. You have it showing both left hand side entries. Here is the correction:
REM -> 3063 -> Mapping_Nebelschlussl_L_output (Value = nsl_l)
REM -> 3063 -> Mapping_Nebelschlussl_R_output (Value = nsl_r)


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