One of the essential parts of your car’s lighting system is your fog lights, but many people don’t realize that. In fact, most newer cars don’t even come with these lights from the factory, which is a shame because they can be an important part of your safety on the road.
If you have a car that came with fog lights and you’ve had them for a while and need to replace them, or if you want to add some LED fog lights to your car and make it look cooler in addition to being safer, follow these steps, and you’ll get it done.
If you’ve ever replaced a halogen bulb on your bicycle, motorbike, or car, you’ll know that it’s a pretty simple task. The bulb is usually in an easy-to-access spot; all you need is the correct screwdriver size to undo the screws holding it in place.
It’s a bit different with LED bulbs – they’re more expensive than their halogen counterparts and can be tricky to replace if your vehicle has self-contained lights (where bulbs are mounted inside) because there isn’t enough space between them for tools and hands to fit easily.
This guide will walk you through how to do it anyway!
Are properly working fog lights necessary?
Fog lights are an important safety feature on your car. They help you see more clearly when it’s been raining, snowing, or foggy outside.
When you’re driving at night, and the sun goes down, you’ll want to turn on your fog lights so that other drivers can see them from far away. In addition to helping other drivers see your vehicle better than they could in standard headlights alone, fog lights also help prevent accidents: if traffic is stopped directly ahead of you due to poor visibility conditions (fog/rain/snow), these secondary bulbs can provide additional illumination so that drivers aren’t caught off guard by vehicles approaching from behind them unexpectedly!
First things first, do you actually need to replace your fog lights?
If the bulbs are only slightly dimmer than they should be, then it’s likely that there is nothing wrong with them.
The next thing to check is the wiring harness and fuse. This can be done by simply pulling out your fog lights, disconnecting them from their power source, and testing them individually with a multimeter or other voltage tester.
If either one of these tests fails, then you’ll need to replace the wiring harness (also known as a “harness”) or fuse. To do this, consult a mechanic or auto parts store for advice on fixing this problem yourself—or bring your car in for professional maintenance!
If neither of those things works out for you and both sets of bulbs are still giving off significantly less light than expected, it’s time to replace them altogether with LEDs! This section will walk through some ways that replacing your stock halogen fog lights with LEDs can improve visibility on dark roadways without sacrificing style points on style points.
Check if your current fog lights are working properly.
Before you start replacing parts, it’s important to determine if you even need to replace your fog lights in the first place.
- Check your bulb. If it’s burned out or otherwise not functioning properly (i.e., it flickers), then yes, you will need to replace them! If everything is working perfectly fine, though.
- Check the wiring and light sockets for damage. A bad electrical connection can cause all sorts of issues—from flickering lights to no power at all—so make sure that everything is clean and intact before moving on with this guide.
How exactly do you do that, though?
- Check the fuse box. If you have blown a fuse, this will cause your fog lights to cease functioning. Replace any blown fuses and see if they work.
- Check the wiring harness. If this is damaged or loose, it may be causing issues with your fog lights’ operation as well. Tighten any loose connections and see if that helps!
- Check the bulbs themselves—if one of them has blown out completely (or looks like it might soon), then you should replace all three bulbs at once for safety reasons.
- Check them with a multimeter or test light tool—these tools are designed to detect electrical problems such as broken wires or bad switches by measuring their resistance values against those of known good ones; however, they’re not foolproof by any means because they usually don’t provide enough information about what exactly might be wrong with something before making assumptions about its functionality based on fundamental measurements alone (e., “it’s not dead yet so I guess we can keep using it until something else happens again!”).
Why upgrade your fog lights to LED?
Bring your car’s style into the future with LED fog lights, which use special light-emitting diodes to create a more intense light beam.
The first thing to note is that LED bulbs are brighter than their halogen counterparts. This means they produce more light per watt of energy consumed, resulting in fewer trips to the mechanic for burnt-out headlamps or fog lights (if your vehicle uses them).
The second thing worth noting is that LED bulbs come in all shapes and sizes—some fit into H4 housings like regular halogen bulbs; others require specialized adapters or custom wiring harnesses if they don’t directly replace an existing bulb type (like HID conversion kits do).
Finally: because LEDs last longer than other types of lighting options on self-contained units such as fog lights or driving lights (which run off generators), there’s less wear-and-tear on these components over time due to frequent heating and cooling cycles resulting from turning them on/off repeatedly during nighttime hours when visibility is low due to darkness also known as “fog.”
Furthermore, some aftermarket LED fog lights are designed to mate with your car in the same way as your original bulbs. So installation comes down to removing your old halogen bulb and popping in a new one.
If you want to replace them with LED lights, here’s what you should consider:
Do some research on the right type of LED light and bulb size for your car.
Before you drive to the store and pick up your new LEDs, make sure you know what size they are. This can be found in your car’s owner’s manual or on the bulb itself.
In addition, if you’re looking to install some LED bulbs in your fog lights, keep in mind that they are sometimes physically larger than your original bulbs and may not fit into the housing as a result. So before you order your new LED replacement bulb, make sure that it fits into your vehicle.
Bear in mind that, unfortunately, LED fog light replacements are not compatible with factory HID/Xenon setups.
A few things to keep in mind when selecting an LED light:
- The correct bulb type that fits your vehicle (H3, H4, etc.)
- The correct wattage (50w or 55w)
- The right color temperature (3000k-4500k)
- You’ll also want to make sure that you’re buying a kit compatible with your vehicle’s year and model, so there are no surprises when it comes time to install everything!
What other tools you may need:
- A screwdriver
- A wrench whose size depends on your car’s make-model
- Depending on the type of car and fog lights, you may also need a trim removal tool set
- Contact cleaner for both your light socket and fog lights
Remove the old bulbs and set them aside.
The first step in any DIY project is to remove the old bulbs from their sockets. This can be a difficult process, so be sure you don’t touch them with your bare hands and keep them away from children and pets.
First, remove the front grill. The location of this will vary depending on your model and make/model of the vehicle (so if you’re not sure where it is, consult your owner’s manual). Once you’ve found it, unscrew it using either the socket wrench or hex key/driver from above.
It may help to use an extension bar with these tools; this way, you can access the screws without having to crawl under your car and risk getting run over by traffic behind you. Some grills have clips that hold them in place—these can be released by pulling up on them or sliding off with a flathead screwdriver.
Once the grill is removed (this may take several attempts), remove any bulbs that are currently installed in place by unscrewing their housings with either another extension bar or another set of pliers (or both!).
Be careful not to touch anything while doing this—the last thing we want is someone accidentally burning themselves on high-powered halogen bulbs! When removing old bulbs from their housings, though—and especially when installing new ones—make sure all surfaces are clean so as not to damage sensitive components inside them!
Take off the old bulb by pulling straight back on it until it pops out of its socket; then repeat this process for both sides.
Also, make sure you don’t throw them in the trash—the discarded mercury inside could contaminate landfills long after you’re dead. Don’t put these bulbs into your mouth or eyes either; they are toxic and can cause serious health problems if ingested or absorbed through the skin.
Install the new bulbs in the fixture.
In order to install the new bulbs in the fixture, you will need to:
- Unscrew and remove the old bulb.
- Install the new bulb with its wiring harness in place.
- Plug the wiring harness back in with the bulb installed in it, and then test the lights.
Replace both old bulbs with shiny new ones and put everything back together in reverse order: install each side before installing them together as a pair so you can avoid getting confused about which way is up or down!
You may want to take note of how many turns are required for this step since all cars are different; generally speaking, though there should be no fewer than four clicks when tightening screws (one per revolution).
Plug the wiring harness back in with the bulb installed in it, and then test the lights.
Once the bulb is installed, and the wiring harness is plugged in, your fog lights should be ready to work. If you can’t get them to turn on at all (or if they keep turning off), check that all connections are secure and that nothing looks worn or damaged. Also, check that there aren’t any loose wires anywhere. This part of the process is probably the easiest part—if there’s a problem, it will likely show itself here.
If they’re still not working after this, it might be time to replace that fuse! If it still isn’t working after replacing the fuse, then it’s time for a mechanic.
The screw should be slightly recessed into its hole, and there may be some paint on top of it, so use a bit of force when removing it so as not to strip out any threads (it’s better for this screw if you don’t remove it altogether).
Once both screws are out from each side, there should be enough tension in their hinges for you to pry open both halves easily (if this doesn’t work, try pressing down firmly with both hands while pulling up on each half).
If at any point here things seem stuck or complicated, then take a break, come back later and try again later when whatever part needs more patience has cooled down or warmed up as needed!
Conclusion
Fog lamps are used to improve visibility and for safety. They help you see better in low-visibility situations, like fog or heavy rain. Not only does this improve your safety on the road, but it also makes it easier for you to see the road signs and traffic lights around you so that you can drive safely.
The best part about fog lights is that they’re easy to change out! You don’t even have to take apart your vehicle; just pop off the old bulb and pop in a new one. Plus, LED bulbs are more efficient than traditional halogen bulbs—they use less energy and last longer than their predecessors.
