Retro Fit Front Fog Lights

andyj451

andyj451

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Ok I'm most of the way down retro fitting front fog lights: they are fitted in the front bumper, they are wired up, they have new grilles and the light switch is on order. But the question is how can I tell if my car has a central electric control module that supports foglights without hooking it up to a laptop?

If it has then it's just a case of plugging the wires in the right sockets and getting the option enabled, but if it isn't it's going to be a case of using the trigger lead to power a relay. Either way is OK but I'd rather keep it original spec than fit relays and additional wires unnecessarily.
 
How have you wired it up pal? Did you route a wire to the back of the light switch in the cabin?

If so, I would have thought any age module would accept fog coding.

You just need to enable it through vcds if wired to above
 
Thanks for your response. Yes I bought the Kufatec fog light wiring kit which includes the light switch to module wire.

I thought just coding might be the case, it's just that on a Golf there are three different types of Central Electric Control Modules low, mid and high spec and only high spec supports fog lights. Now because my A3 does not have DIS or a Multi-Function Steering Wheel I'm just a little concerned that it might be fitted with another lower spec CECM....which doesn't support fog lights. You can just see it can't you, wire it up find someone to get on to vcds and for them to turn round and say 'sorry mate, doesn't support fog lights!'
 
There is a module that doesnt support them IIRC. The number is written on the module but you'd need to strip off some trim to get at module to check it.
 
i would have sold my fogs and surround to you cheap
 
Khufu said:
There is a module that doesnt support them IIRC. The number is written on the module but you'd need to strip off some trim to get at module to check it.
Click to expand...

Would I be able to tell by the arrangement of connectors/relays?

or

Do I resort to comparing the replacement part number for my car with the one for the registration I used to identify the light switch with?
 
The easiest way is to check what you have with vcds.

Or you could ring a main dealer, give them your reg and they should be able to tell you what you have fitted.

My car didnt have dis or mf steering wheel either, and mine was ok for front fogs
 
scottie123 said:
The easiest way is to check what you have with vcds.

Or you could ring a main dealer, give them your reg and they should be able to tell you what you have fitted.

My car didnt have dis or mf steering wheel either, and mine was ok for front fogs
Click to expand...

Now that sounds really encouraging! I was beginning to think base engine (1.9TDi), one up from basic spec (SE) no extras and the fact that Audi doesn't put anything in you don't need, I'd almost certainly have a basic CECM.
 
Take the trim of & check visually or do as beam me up scottie says ring your dealer & ask them which is installed, 3rd option is to find someone in your area who can check with vagcom, then again removing trim & grabbing a torch takes 5 minutes, so go with this.

There is a basic & high, dont know of a mid on the 8P.
 
In the end I asked the dealer when I collected the light switch. He couldn't do it there and then 'cause his server was down but sent me a text the next day confirming that the module was ok for fog lights. happy days!

So now I need to complete the wiring and get the fog lights switched on in VCDS - if they aren't already (wishful thinking maybe!)

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice - it's very reassuring to know there's people out there who are prepared to share their knowledge and experience. I'll post up when we're sorted.
 
How did he confirm you had the correct board, always do your research properly, dont take the word of your dealer tbh, what was the board part number?
 
They wont be enabled by default or you would receive an error when scanning or if you had the DIS, a bulb out error. You will need somebody to do it for you.
 
Khufu said:
They wont be enabled by default or you would receive an error when scanning or if you had the DIS, a bulb out error. You will need somebody to do it for you.
Click to expand...

It is wishful thinking, but as I haven't got DIS I have been able to tap into the reversing light circuit for my (aftermarket) parking sensors without having the 30 sec beep from the bulb testing (Managed to get 18mm sensors so they actually look like the standard Audi dealer fit ones too). So I wouldn't know about an error if there was one and on the Kufatec site they say that you may need to get the lamps coded. I'm sure you're right though!
 
Andy
How did you manage to lose the 30sec bleep on the reverse parking sensors I have connected mine to the reverse light connecter in the N/s boot trim but still get the 30 sec bleep as it checks the bulds in reverse or not ????
 
Brian566 said:
Andy
How did you manage to lose the 30sec bleep on the reverse parking sensors I have connected mine to the reverse light connecter in the N/s boot trim but still get the 30 sec bleep as it checks the bulds in reverse or not ????
Click to expand...

I understand that DIS monitors all the bulbs in the lighting circuits and does this by sending a short 'pulse' through the circuit to ensure that the circuit is complete. If it isn't it flags it up as a bulb out - which is great until you connect something into one of those circuits as they too will receive this 'pulse' every thirty seconds and 'operate'

As my a3 does not have DIS it doesn't check the bulbs, so I don't get a beep.

The way round it is either to get the proper Audi retro fit reverse park assist which is £150 on ebay or get a can bus adapter which are available from a lot of the (better) parking sensor manufacturers. Remember CAN stands for Car Area Network so information is available on this network provided whatever you connect can read it. This then 'reads' the can bus and sends current into curcuits given certain conditions: eg curcuit live when reverse selected, or interestingly live when moving forwards at less than 7mph' (front parking sensors). They are about £10 - £15 but just come with bare wires coming out of a box, so be absolutely sure about what you are doing. If in doubt, don't - find someone who does, and that you are sure of their competence too.
 
NHN said:
He cut the speaker wires.
Click to expand...

!! :sm4:

You know, it's funny you should mention that because I was looking to use the 'proper' wiring for the beeper speaker to locate it in the front of the car but didn't know which ones to use in the boot or where they came out under the dash....because then I could use a genuine speaker!
 
How the hell do i get to the back of my fog lights? on my gti ther was i little flap in the wheel arch. the manual dose not say. i.e to change the bulb ect
 
The whole grill pulls out from the front. When this is off you can see the bulb in the holder.

Totally sh!t, but then hey, how often do you realistically change a fog light bulb?
 
audi upgrades
nally said:
How the hell do i get to the back of my fog lights? on my gti ther was i little flap in the wheel arch. the manual dose not say. i.e to change the bulb ect
Click to expand...

Not sure about the sport models, although I would be suprised if it is completely different, but this is how I did it on my standard (flat topped ) fog light SE

If you get down to ground level there are two cut outs near to the centre of the car, top and bottom of the grilles, with what look like rectangular 'holes' behind them. These are the main clips so what I did was put a medium sized screwdriver in, or I suppose a trim tool would be better, and lever these gently away from the edge of the grille, whilst pulling the grille gently away from the bumper. If you can do these both at once, fantastic! If you can't do them one at a time. They will come away first furthest away from the fog light as there is a lug that locates the grille on the upright edge of the grille. Refitting is the reverse of removal.

I couldn't fit the wiring with the fog light fitted, so there are three star headed screws that hold the fog light in place. Remove these and the foglight will fall out forwards. The wiring connector on H7 lamps connects to the casing, on H11 to the bulb itself. On H7's remove the black plastic cover, disconnect the wires and then the bulb just unclips, On H11's the bulb is a self sealing twist fitting.

If you've got ramps or axle stands it's probably easier to remove the small undertrays in front of each front wheel and work from underneath.

Hope that helps!
 
Last edited:
Khufu said:
realistically how often do you USE your front fog lights?
Click to expand...

I agree but I think it's also about the aesthetics. Audi make the grilles look as if foglights should be there, and when they aren't it looks .....basic? wrong? unfinished? It's a great way to get you to spend more money on your new car! Some cars however have lower grilles where the omission is less obvious - take a look at a Mk5 golf or a Jaguar XF (which interestingly does not have any lower front bumper lights fitted on any model) and you don't notice it anywhere near as much.
 
scottie123 said:
The whole grill pulls out from the front. When this is off you can see the bulb in the holder.

Totally sh!t, but then hey, how often do you realistically change a fog light bulb?
Click to expand...

Thanks scottie i must admit i expected more from audi. i need new conection blocks now BOOOOOOOOOO
 
andyj451 said:
Not sure about the sport models, although I would be suprised if it is completely different, but this is how I did it on my standard (flat topped ) fog light SE

If you get down to ground level there are two cut outs near to the centre of the car, top and bottom of the grilles, with what look like rectangular 'holes' behind them. These are the main clips so what I did was put a medium sized screwdriver in, or I suppose a trim tool would be better, and lever these gently away from the edge of the grille, whilst pulling the grille gently away from the bumper. If you can do these both at once, fantastic! If you can't do them one at a time. They will come away first furthest away from the fog light as there is a lug that locates the grille on the upright edge of the grille. Refitting is the reverse of removal.

I couldn't fit the wiring with the fog light fitted, so there are three star headed screws that hold the fog light in place. Remove these and the foglight will fall out forwards. The wiring connector on H7 lamps connects to the casing, on H11 to the bulb itself. On H7's remove the black plastic cover, disconnect the wires and then the bulb just unclips, On H11's the bulb is a self sealing twist fitting.

If you've got ramps or axle stands it's probably easier to remove the small undertrays in front of each front wheel and work from underneath.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...


Thank you for the taking the time to do this informative post. ( why do we bother modding cars, i sometimes wonder)
 
Got the fog lights switched on in the CECM now and they work fine. Interestingly I was told I needed two lines of coding to get them to work but when it came to it only needed the one (bit 0 of byte 0). I had all the errors wiped too that I had created when I put the ipod connection, light switch and bluetooth in (bad boy - should have disconnected the battery!!)

Anyway, I wouldn 't have got this sorted without all your help and support, so thanks.
 
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