DIY: EVO-R Foglight Install

ProfessorDave

I've just installed my EVO-R foglight with now both of its functions active (set to FLASH in reverse, and SOLID ON function controlled by a second hazard switch).

First, make your connections for the foglight from the pigtail on the light to the wire EVO-R sends you (I did these inside because it was about 20 degrees outside, and probably about 40 in the garage):


Next, cut the shrink tubing included into 6 pieces and place on all wires:


EVO-R included blade style connectors. I prefer the tube style seen in the picture below for a more watertight seal. Your preference! Crimp the connections and shrink the tubing with a heat gun to seal (I did this on our Silestone counters...indestructable!):


Put the double sided tape on the light housing. You'll need to trim the tape EVO-R sends with the light by about a third so it fits on the frame of the light. I did this inside as well, to keep the doubled sided tape nice and flexible, and pointed a heater at the rear bumper for quite awhile for good adhesion (again, it was a cold day!).

To remove the old light, refer to AK370's DIY for the OEM light/harness and the DIY by Simota1. Both are excellent, and also show you how to run a wire up into the cockpit if you opt to connect either function to a switch!

Install the light in the openning (It looks darker in person. The flash of the camera made the lens appear more clear). Remember to reinstall the metal backing plate that helps to support the rear valance (sorry, no pics of that here - easy to do, just 4 snap in connectors):


Next, watch SlikNik's Video 1 in the Audio section (it is VERY helpful) on how to remove the panels and other stuff in the trunk to get to the wiring harness. One word of caution: when removing the side panels, use a door panel tool like the one in the video for the first 2 clips. Then pull the panel toward the center of the trunk for the last. I cracked a panel being overly zealous with my tool (um, that didn't sound right). Anyway, here is what your empty trunk will look like:


Now, you DO NOT need to remove the tail light! You can, if you want to get to the harness close to the connector. I considered this at first (see below)
but then realized I could do the wiring connection all inside the trunk (second pic below). So I sealed up the wiring harness and re-installed the tail light.



The ORANGE wire is for the reverse lights. This is the one I tapped into with one of these handy connectors:


Replace the grommet, and wire up your ground (see the blue connector):


Put everything back together, and enjoy the flashing light!

Now for the switched "solid on" function:

Purchase a hazard switch from Nissan. Even better, get the connector, too (you can skip the next step if you do!). Cut the housing from around the contact pins so you have room to make connections. With needle nosed pliers, bend the poles in opposite directions - on forward, one back, etc.:


Get some of these .110 female connectors. The fit nicely on the contacts, with just a little crimping with pliers:


Remove the shift trim. Remove the hazard blank (note: you guys with Syncrorevmatch will have to find another location for a switch) by removing the screws holding the shift boot in place. Insert the new switch.

Tap into the yellow accessory wire under the radio for your power (you can see the red wire I ran from the trunk of the car in this picture, too) I ran an inline fuse to the switch just to be on the safe side (not visible in this picture):


Here is the wiring sequence when looking at the hazard switch, pins on top: 1st pin -ground, 2nd pin - power out to light, 3rd pin - power in from accessory line, and 4 illumination. In the picture below, you can see that I ran a jumper from the illumination of the REAL hazard switch over to my fog switch (it connects with the orange wire on the hazard light switch):


Check to make sure everything works, reinstall the shifter trim, and enjoy your new light and switch!

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

Zeto

Is there a way to not have the light flashing?

ProfessorDave

Yes, the EVO-R foglight has two leads. One for flash, one for solid on. I will be wiring the solid on function to a switch between the heated seat switches soon, but you can also tie it into the parking lights or brake lights (no need to run a wire into the cockpit that way).

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

EVOR

Great write up Dave. Can I link this to our site for installation? This is so much clear.

__________________
WWW.EVO-R.NET

ProfessorDave

Sure!

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

chuckd05

Thanks for taking the time, If mine ever gets here I will be using this for help... Rep Given... Looks great....

And.... Did you opt against painting the valence ? Go to a shop, $100 should cover it and you dont have to worry about it.

__________________
09 370Z 6M PW - FBO Best 1/4 mile = 12.926 @ 109 SOLD -- 08 BMW 135i - FBO 12.1@120mph SOLD -- white 09 e92 335 Coupe Mtech - 11.9 @ 119 :-)

ProfessorDave

Thanks for the rep! My light was in customs for 4 days Hope you get yours soon.

I just couldn't get the garage warm enough to paint the valance when I did the light install. I think it will look great with that smoked fog lens. I still plan on tackling it myself, although a hundred bucks sounds quite reasonable, so maybe I'll hit the local body shop!

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

ClemsonWill

Great write-up. Thanks Dave! I will be installing mine in the next few weeks.

__________________

ProfessorDave

Thanks! I should be updating the DIY soon with the last phase - hooking up the solid on function to a factory switch (still working on either a heated seat switch or second hazard switch solution) in the next week or two. (edit - I did this second phase already, and update the DIY above to include pics and instructions).

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

ncheung85

Man, I should have waited for this DIY before I did my install. I connect all my wires to the wires right before the tail light harness. It was kinda hard because there was hardly any slack in the wires. Nice DIY.

__________________
Injen | Berk | HKS | Hotchkis | Gtspec | EVO-R | Forgestar | KW | SPC | Uprev
Youtube

ProfessorDave

Thanks ncheung85 ! Figuring out the wiring for the hazard switch was the toughest part.

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

Gearbox

nice write up. thanks dave

runchuckrun

OK. I did not do a fancy switch like the original post, but wanted to share my experience.

First off EVO-R shipped super fast upon payment! Thanks!

So in my 2011, I had the same issue with the one nut on the housing. What the heck! So I tried a dremel to make a notch with no luck. Checked back here and before trying to cut it off, I put a 10mm socket attachement on the drill and just smoked that sucker out. So that took longer than I expected, but houseing and fake light off.

After getting all of the wiring run into the back of the car, it was time to make my connections. Huge lesson learned here and HUGE thanks to Professor Dave for the tip. When making my connections, I was not getting contact on the small wires in the taillight harness. No matter how hard I squeezed that sucker it would not work. So I wrapped the wire a couple of times around with electric tape to make it sit in the connector a bit better, and bingo connections made and light working.

I did run into a wiring issue along the way. I wanted to have the new fog light blink in reverse and be steady on when the parking tail lights were on. I surfed all of the posts and came up with Green wire = tail light and Orange = reverse. The orange was correct, and the light blinked when I put the car in reverse. The green wire was the brake (it DID say that green was the brake in the instructions that came with the light). The instructions showed the parking lights to be the red wire and that was correct as well, so I must have read a post incorrectly.

Everything else was easy. For someone who has never done stuff like this, I have to say I was surprised at how easily I took everything apart and put it back together. My neighbors think I am insane, as I do not even have the plates for my car yet, but had it in pieces all over the garage.

Thanks everyone who I asked questions along the way. Will post pics tonight.

C-
Anyway, all done!

ProfessorDave

Chuck, glad everything worked out As far as I know, you are the first 2011 owner to install this, and the wiring sequence you describe will undoubtable help those with newer Zs find the correct wires in the harness.

Glad the tape trick work - happy to be of service

__________________

Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT

Footloose301

Great DIY. Thanks

__________________

2010 40th Anniversary 370Z