2000 Eclipse Fog Light Modification

 

 

 

 

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(Please be patient while this page loads… There are several pictures)

 

Introduction:

 

This modification uses the existing power source, fuse, and relay to control the fog lights.  I spent hours trying to find a way to also use the existing fog light switch, but found this to be impossible without reprogramming a computer or two!  The fog switch has a circuit board attached to it, it’s output goes to a computer, and the output of that computer goes to the ECU in the engine compartment fuse box.  All that happens before we even get to the power and relay for the fogs.  My solution was to just buy a new switch and run a wire to the fuse box.

 

If you decide to try and figure things out better than I did, keep in mind that Mitsubishi makes things intentionally difficult!  I found MANY cases where a wire would come out of a harness, go into a taped up bundle and never come out the other end.  After about 3 inches in the taped up bundle, the wire turns around and comes right back out.  This really pissed me off when I discovered it after spending hours trying to trace where things were going.

 

In my version of this mod, I want to be able to turn the fogs on at any time, not just when my parking lights or head lights are on.  Therefore, I am powering the new switch with a 12 volt power source that comes on when I turn the key to ACC.  If you prefer, you could just as easily wire your switch so that your fogs come on automatically when you turn on the parking lights.  I will detail this option in the instructions.

 

 

Things you will need:

 

-          New switch

-          Approximately 10 feet of 16-guage wire

-          Wire cutters

-          Wire strippers

-          Wire nuts

-          Electrical tape

-          10mm socket wrench

-          Screwdrivers

 

 

 

*Important* Please be sure to disconnect your battery cable before performing this modification!

 

 

Step 1:  Disconnect

Disconnect the battery cable from the positive terminal of the battery.

 

 

 

Step 2:  Remove cover

Remove the cover from the engine compartment fuse box located just to the right of the battery.  (See picture and notice the disconnected battery cable! :)

 

 

 

 

Step 3:  Remove fuse box

Remove the two bolts, indicated by the red arrows, that are holding the fuse box to the car.  Once the box is loosened from the car, pry apart the tabs that are all around the perimeter of the box.  This will allow the separation of the top of the box from the bottom of the box.

 

 

 

 

Step 4:  Think =]

Make note of the relay that controls the fog lights, indicated by the red circle.  It is very important that you know which relay is for the fogs so that you don’t go cutting other stuff!

 

 

 

 

Step 5:  Think again

Look at the bottom of the box, and determine which set of wires corresponds to the fog relay.  When looking at the bottom of the fuse box, the fog relay is the lower left set of three wires coming out of the beige colored part of the box.  These wires are circled in red.

 


 

 

 

Step 6:  Run switched wire

Run one wire from your new fog switch to the engine compartment fuse box.  I used 16-guauge wire and ran it though the opening under the dash that goes out the drivers side of the car.  This was rather tricky!  There is an opening in the engine compartment that a bundle of wires goes through after it leaves the fuse box.  I ran a stiff wire through this opening, though the inside of the front left fender, and out the crack between the door and the car where the hinges are.  Then I attached my new wire to this stiff wire and pulled it through to the engine compartment.  Run this new wire into the fuse box.

 

 

 

Step 7:  Run ground wire

Connect a ground wire to the ground source right behind the engine compartment fuse box.  You can see this ground source in the first picture on this page.  It is kind of between the battery and the fuse box.  Run the wire into the fuse box.

 

 

 

Step 8:  Re-wire the fuse box

In the picture below, there are three wires circled in red coming out of the fuse panel.  The white wire with a green stripe on the top is the power for the fogs.  It is connected to the fog light fuse, and is always hot.  We don’t need to mess with this wire.  The other white wire with a green stripe, which is on the lower right, is the power for the relay.  In stock form, it is also always hot.  The gray wire on the lower left is the wire that is switched to turn the relay (and the fogs) on and off.  In my version of this mod, I am sending a switched 12 volt signal to the relay, so I want the gray ground wire to always be ground, and the white and green wire to be switched.  So… let’s start hacking stuff. =]

 

I pulled a little bit of the gray ground wire and white relay switch wire out of the bundle so there is more room to work with.  Cut the gray wire and splice it to the ground wire that you previously brought into the box.  Cut the white wire with a green stripe and splice it to the wire that you ran from your new fog switch.  (Remember that there are two white wires with a green stripe!  Only cut and splice the one that powers the relay!  See the above paragraph if you’re confused.)  I used orange wire nuts and electrical tape to make the connections.

 

 

 

 

Step 9:  Power the new fog switch

This is the part where you have options.  I ran a wire from the ACC switched power supply of my radio over to the new switch.  If you would prefer to have the fogs come on when you turn on your parking lights, do the following instead.  There is a green wire coming out of the wire harness that connected to the stock fog switch.  This green wire comes on when you turn on the parking lights.  I think it’s only purpose is to power the light inside of the stock switch.  You could cut this green wire out of the harness and attach it to the new switch.  Whichever method you choose, connect the wire going to the relay to one side of the switch, and the wire from the ACC or fog harness to the other side of the switch.

 

side note:  I bought this really kewl looking little black switch.  I’m going to fiberglass over the fog switch cover and paint it silver, then mount this new switch in there.  I’ll post pictures when I do.

 

 

 

Step 10:  Check it out!

That should be it.  Before you close everything up, re-connect your battery cable, turn your key to ACC and flip on your new fog switch.  You should now be able to turn on your fogs whenever you want!  If everything works, put it all back together and go for a ride.  It feels really kewl to drive around with just fogs on!

 

 

 

 

 

Remember, I would love to know if you use these instructions to perform the mod.  If you do, please email me!

 

 

Thanks,

Insano