[barebones]

Hello I just picked up a 2018 Outback premium. I was wondering if anyone has modified fog lights to work independently of the low beams. I would like to be able to run fog lights and parking lights at night in very snowy conditions. I also applied the yellow lamin X on the factory fogs. I did the mod on my 2006 Outback, but didn't know if it was the same for 18. I also didn't know these cars came with different light configurations, mind has all halogens. I was thinking of doing the H11 to H9 low beam swap, and mabe the same in the fogs. What are thoughts on this? I have been searching on here and the Legacy forums and can't find much on 18 Outback.

 

[Lightingguy]

It’s a great idea that car manufacturers just don’t get.

The purpose of fog lamps is to have a set of lamps at a lower/different angle to reduce glare in fog and snow.

Having them on at the same time as the low beams has never made sense and I’ve yet to own a car that provided for it.

 

[Danver]

The idea is great and I would imagine running just the fogs would be great in heavy snow and fog. But I imagine short-sighted laws on the books don't allow for using just fog lights on the street and that is why manufacturers don't design them to work independently. I haven't installed auxiliary lights on any newer vehicles but in the past I always wired them the way I wanted them wired. Driving lights are supposed to only come on when the high beams are on. I always wired my fog lights and driving lights independent of the headlights even though I suppose it wasn't legal.

 

[skipw]

I would love to be able to switch the fogs on without even parking lights. Once I'm ready to hack the circuits, maybe it will happen.

 

[western_rider's_dad]

It’s a great idea that car manufacturers just don’t get.

The purpose of fog lamps is to have a set of lamps at a lower/different angle to reduce glare in fog and snow.

Having them on at the same time as the low beams has never made sense and I’ve yet to own a car that provided for it.

I miss this feature in my Outback as well. I installed the "Euro Switch" in my '03 VW Passat to achieve this setup. Wish there were something similar available in the Subaru.

 

[JackBar]

I'll bump this. No one has figured out how to run just fogs yet? I picked up some dual-color LED bulbs for the fog lights (white matches my LED headlights, and turning them on-off-on turns them to a deep yellow).

my main intent with that was to use yellow when driving around campgrounds at night without blinding folks. that doesn't work if my headlights are on at the same time.

Edit: looks like this has been solved over on legacy GT forums.

 

[skipw]

my main intent with that was to use yellow when driving around campgrounds at night without blinding folks. that doesn't work if my headlights are on at the same time.

I have similar reasons, too.

Edit: looks like this has been solved over on legacy GT forums.

Link??

 

[eagleeye]

existing thread on this recently.


hotly debated for no reason.

 

[eagleeye]

here it is
https://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/138-gen-5-2015-2019/499981-fog-light-mod-stay-high-beams.html


with ideas specific to 15-19 cars

 

[ronemus]

I did it on my '17 OB. I located the wire from the BIU to the fog light relay and inserted a SPDT switch (Radio Shack); in one position the fogs operate "normally" and in the other they are on regardless of the other controls (power from constant-on 12V line). An easy mod if you have the FSM and basic electrical knowledge. Before you ask, no I don't have pictures or a detailed writeup; if you can't do it from the description you should leave well enough alone.


You can thank the New Jersey legislature for the fogs with low beam requirement. Manufacturers didn't want to do a special configuration for NJ, so we all get to suffer the consequences. Even though I don't generally think highly of politicians, I'm still amazed that none of them knew how fog lights are to be used.

 

[ELCID86]

I did it on my '17 OB. I located the wire from the BIU to the fog light relay and inserted a SPDT switch (Radio Shack); in one position the fogs operate "normally" and in the other they are on regardless of the other controls (power from constant-on 12V line). An easy mod if you have the FSM and basic electrical knowledge. Before you ask, no I don't have pictures or a detailed writeup; if you can't do it from the description you should leave well enough alone.


You can thank the New Jersey legislature for the fogs with low beam requirement. Manufacturers didn't want to do a special configuration for NJ, so we all get to suffer the consequences. Even though I don't generally think highly of politicians, I'm still amazed that none of them knew how fog lights are to be used.

Thanks for sharing. Link isn’t working (at least on my phone using TaT). VA has a similar dumb rule. Mind sharing where you mounted the switch? (And is The Shack, still in business, the one here closed )

 

[ronemus]

Thanks for sharing. Link isn’t working (at least on my phone using TaT). VA has a similar dumb rule. Mind sharing where you mounted the switch? (And is The Shack, still in business, the one here closed )

I didn't have a link in my post, so I don't know where it came from or what it points to.


I think Radio Shack is still in business, but most any electronics supply shop will have switches.


I hollowed out one of the blanks in the group of switches at the bottom of the dash to the left of the steering wheel and mounted the switch there; space was tight but there was just enough room. It could also probably be mounted int the storage cubby in the center stack or in the armrest compartment.

 

[JackBar]

Link??

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fog-light-mod-226270.html

that should get you there. i had to buy a pack of 20 diodes from amazon, so if you want to, you can PM me your address and i can put a few in an envelope for you.

 

[skipw]

Thanks, @JackBar. I appreciate the offer!

I think I have some small diodes on hand, but I want to think about switch types and locations, and investigate whether it's possible to force the fog lights off when the car is off before I start drilling holes and splicing wires. According to the wiring diagram in the FSM for the Gen-5 models, the fog light relay is activated when the trigger circuit is grounded, so I may be out of luck with that last.

If I do need them and the offer still stands, I may be back in touch.

 

[Bryank930]

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fog-light-mod-226270.html

that should get you there. i had to buy a pack of 20 diodes from amazon, so if you want to, you can PM me your address and i can put a few in an envelope for you.

This is what I did on my '14. After forgetting to turn the fogs off and killing my battery a couple times, I put a relay inline with the diode that gets "turned on" by switched 12v power.

Now I can still operate my fogs independent of the headlights, but they also turn off when I turn the car off. Win, Win.