Add Dual Rear Fog Lamps to your E46 for under £25! Pictorial DIY

[delmarco]

Finally finished this easy and cheap DIY.

Here is the video of the results;

In the USA rear fogs have been completely excluded from our tail lamp assembly

and our LCM (USA version of the Light Switch Module) lacks the rear fog lamp button.

Now to add Rear Fogs or Dual Rear Fogs to any E46 (prefacelift) you will need;

1. The Euro LKM faceplate that has the rear fog button on it. The faceplates all detach from their LKM body and will attach easily onto your LKM body to add the rear fog lamp feature.

I got mine from eBay.co.uk for 9 quid. They are always lots of them there for cheap. Don't pay more than 25 quid for one and NO you do not need this to get dealer programming NOR does it set off your odometer tamper indicator. Remember you ONLY need the faceplate and NOT the entire LKM.

2. A pair of Pin Bushing Contacts to fit in to the Tail Lamp Bulb Holder connector BMW Parts #61130006626. You need two (one for each bulb). I paid $6.46 USD for the pair at my local BMW dealership.

3. One Pin Bushing Contact for the LCM Pin 49 slot BMW Parts#61130008998 which cost $3.60 USD at my dealership.

4. About 30 feet of 20-22 gauge wire. I paid about 3 quid for a spool at the local electronic store. Also heat shrink and a lighter to connect the wires together. I paid 99 pence for a pack of heat shrink at the local electronics store.

5. A Woodboring 5/8" drill bit which cost me 2 quid at local hardware store. You do not need to buy the Steelboring bit which cost about 10 pounds for just the one bit. The Woodboring bit did the trick. You also need a 6V or better power drill and small drill bits that usually come with the drill. Most households already have this or you can easily borrow from somewhere.

6. wire coat hanger and Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) or some sort of lubricant.

7. Fog light bulbs which is identical to the reverse tail lamp bulbs at 12volts/26watts. They cost about 1 quid each.

8. Needle nose Pliers, dull butter knife and screwdriver for removing LCM and Trunk lid lining

Let's begin our Pictorial DIY:

more coming please wait....

[delmarco]

To see how to remove the driverside footwell panel and steering wheel trim

please see my previous DIY showing how to do it

http://www.e46zone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10223

[delmarco]

[delmarco]

[delmarco]

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[Rob-]

Nice DIY m8, love the combo of socks and flip flops too

[Stan 24v]

I was gonna mention that too! lol

Dude - we have fogs as standard The reason you dnt tend to get dual fogs is for safety. If you only have one then its less likely to be mistaken for a brake light.

[delmarco]

If you only have one then its less likely to be mistaken for a brake light.

....or the fuzz will mistakenly pull you for having a missing brake lamp.

The penalty fine for brake lamps being out is $250 in the USA.

Having dual rear fog lamps aren't illegal in the USA, but driving around with missing sections of your tail lamps will certainly get you pulled over.

So I think that is the real reason BMW excluded them on USA cars because the police will be pulling

us over left and right thinking we have a missing tail lamp bulb.

Like I said I'm using my rear fogs to ward off annoying tailgaters which is more prevalent here in New York City

than fog. Tailgating is also illegal in the USA but still people do it because it is easy to get away with.

So that said, dual rear fogs are more safe and more legal in the USA than having one rear fog lamp and tailgating.

[mit]

Delmarco I absolutely love your DIY guides! They are so comprehensive!

Great job

[Sam_Burns]

love the combo of socks and flip flops too

funny bugger

[Aly]

Great work...