When buying my Ridgeline, I figured I'd save $300 or so by doing a self install on the fog lamps, so here's the story.

I got the kit from our friends at HandA Accessories. It comes complete with the relay and wiring harness, but the switch is extra and should be chosen according to your trucks interior color. Unlike some accessory sites, the HandA site specifically asks which color you want.

Removing the bumper is a breeze but make sure you have a blanket to put it on. Don't worry about supporting it while you undo the fasteners, bolts and screws as it remains clipped to the vehicle and needs a little persuasion to come off. It's not heavy either, weighing about 8lbs. I used a screwdriver wrapped in a rag to pry out the seven clips that run along in front of the radiator.

Once the bumper is removed, the location for the each light is clearly marked. The instructions say you need a 40mm hole saw, but this being the US and therefore metrically-challenged, I went with a 1 1/2" (38mm) saw. Before drilling I used a drawing-pin to mark the centre of each hole and to give the drill bit a guide. I could actually push the pin all the way through the bumper by hand - we're not talking thick plastic here. The finished elliptical holes don't have to be as precise as you may think reading the instructions as they will be covered by the trim. I used a hacksaw to cut between the 38mm holes and a rounded file to finish off the edges, a little inside the elliptical outline. Fitting the lights is easy, but mixing your left and rights is easy too when you're working on the back of the bumper. Just remember that left = driver side.

The most difficult piece turned out to be the fuse / relay box assembly. Between fiddly little clips and grease covered connectors, I found my patiences wearing thin as connectors refused to disconnect due to slippery fingers. It was not helped by my pushing one of the wires into the wrong hole on one of the connectors. They're not really designed to come out again so that cost me 15 minutes of cursing and annoyance. Be very careful when you get to this point. Removing the bottom cover of the relay box requires a little brute force but you have to be careful about putting too much strain on the wiring. My fingers were crossed when I fired up the truck after I was all done.

Once the relay box mods were done, the rest was fairly straight forward. Routing the harness is easy although the instructions refer to an existing connector being taped down with blue tape. It was actually black. When refitting the bumper make sure that the rubber wheel well lining is tucked inside the wheel arch. I was able to hold the bumper, connect the fog lights and refit without assistance although a helping hand would have made it easier. Fitting the fog light switch harness is a little awkward as you have get right down next to the pedals to see a connector on the left side of the foot well above the foot rest. The connector needs to be removed to have a couple of wires inserted into it. There's also a little rewiring of the cruise control switch into the new fog light harness, so don't think you can get away without disconnecting and removing the lower dashboard panel.

A minor point - the fog light switch latches, so the lamps will come on again if that's how you left them when you last used your truck with the headlamps on. The switch has a light but, like the cruise control switch, it's tucked down nearly out of sight by your left knee, and as there is no dashboard indicator it will be easy to forget that the lights are on.

I believe that rear-fog lamps are as important, if not more important as front-ones, so if anyone has an after market solution for those, I'd be interested to hear it.

Pictures follow:

Pictures continued

Nice job! I want fog lights.. maybe soon :)

Nice pictures and install summary. I am going to move this to the "Mods, Installs, and How tos" topic.

Yes, very nice pictures and write up. It is one of the last options I want to put on my RL. I just can't bare the thought of cutting up that beautiful bumper cover :(

Decisions, decisions.

NIIIICE play by play. Thanks for sharing

Very nice job!! Well documented. I plan to install the accessory grill and this will aid me on removal of the bumper. Extremely helpful pix too!

Message for Lingered 1, Yes I have info on Red Rear Fogs Lamps as I have been using them for years now. A great SAFETY feature when you are caught out in adverse weather conditions, very popular in Europe and standard equipment on some vehicles. Just type Red Rear Fog Lamps into Google. I did purchase the PIAA Deno Red Rear Fog lamp (LED) I was not impressed. My first pick is the one offered by KC Lites. I mounted mine so it's removable (in the Hitch Receiver) here is the link to KC lites (when site loads type Red Rear Fog Lamp into their search engine.
http://www.kchilites.com NIIIICE play by play. Thanks for sharing

How long did this entire process take to complete? I was looking through the fog lamp install pdf and there are 16 pages and 56 steps!! It looks like some involved wiring and disassembly of not only the bumper but fuse terminal mods and runs.

...very popular in Europe and standard equipment on some vehicles....

Thanks for the info. Actually, having at least one rear fog lamp is compulsory in Europe. Vehicles at the cheaper end of the scale usually have a single fog and a single back-up light, whereas many will have dual filament 5w/21w rear lights and a separate brake light, afterall, you don't need back lights and rear log lights. Maybe if the European market gets the Ridgeline, Honda will offer a different rear light cluster. I've never understood why such a simple safety addition is not mandatory in the US.

How long did this entire process take to complete?

I'd say about 3 1/2 hours all in. A hour and a half for the bumper - I was really taking my time so as not to screw it up. There was a picture of a Ridgeline somewhere on this site where the light cutouts were visible below the trim. The relay box took the longest time of any individual step. Removing the bottom cover, the two connectors and cable locks is very fiddly due to the grease and having to pinch release tabs and pull the connector (not the cables!!) at the same time. And pushing the fog light harness into the wrong connector hole didn't help. I think that on a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty, I'd rate the whole job at a 7. No special tools are required and everything is relatively easy to get too.

A very good addition Lingered_I. Since you are now the fog install guru maybe you know- Is it possible to change the lens (I assume OEM is fog) to an aftermarket driving such as pia etc? Will hardware accept similar size lens maybe?

Is it possible to change the lens (I assume OEM is fog)

The oem lens is clear with fluting around the edges of the reflector to get the desired wide angle light spread. I've attached a slightly blurred picture. Are you looking to have driving lamps instead of fog?
If you look at the earlier picture that shows the back of the unit you'll see that is attached to the mounting frame with two screws that allow it to pivot, and a thumbscrew to set the vertical angle. The frame screws to two pillars that are already part of the bumper, and is also fixed with two self tapping screws that go through holes that you have to drill. The trim then is then fastened to the frame and not the bumper. I don't know if you could find an after market replacement that would be adaptable to the frame.

I suggested to my wife that I'd like the fog lights for my birthday which is two days away, and she gave me the go ahead! So here we go...I found the cheapest price at www.1sthondaparts.com for the fog lights and switch ($237.95 + $10.43 S/H = $248.38). The second thing I did was call my local Honda dealership and asked if they had the parts in stock. Pat (the dude who answered the phone) said that they had a set and it would cost me $332.00 for the fog lights and $25.00 for the switch--a grand total of $357.00 (not including tax)! I asked if he would match internet pricing in which he said to bring in proof. I printed out the necessary online documentation to include the shipping costs and presented it to him. The first thing he said was, "I should've mentioned that I need the shipping price...". I didn't let him finish because I'd already knew he'd ask for shipping so I pointed it out on the printout. Then he asked if this was a dealership and I replied "...does it matter? It's OEM parts.", hoping that it really didn't matter. He then tried to backpeddle and say "If this price is lower than the dealship price, I can't give it to you...I won't make any money." I watched his computer monitor as he switched to the dealership price and then I noticed $214.00, which was $118.00 less than MSRP!! He said that I'd have to pay the tax...blah, blah, blah. I said no problem, I'll pay with cash. To make this short, I paid $265.77 to have my fog lights and saved almost $100.00! I'm was quite happy to walk out of the service department with my box-o-parts, and back to the house I go to install them on my RL.

It took me 4 hours to install the fog lights since I made a bonehead mistake with the relay box by putting the fog light harness wires into the wrong connector hole as Lingered_I did. It took a freakin' 30 minutes to figure out how to get them out of the wrong hole without causing any damage, and all that darn grease didn't make it any easier!! Anyhow, it's all good and my new ride is sporting the new fog lights! Thanks again Lingered_I for posting your install story. I wish I'd only paid attention to detail with the relay box :) Here's a pic after all said and done...

-SixOpRidge

...I made a bonehead mistake...

Glad I'm not the only one :D I think my girlfriend heard words she didn't know were in my vocabulary!!

I fitted black nerf bars tonight and am hoping to get the Retrax cover done by the weekend too. I'd say she's coming together nicely.

BTW - your garage floor looks like you could eat off it. Did you do the painting? If so, any recommendations?

It's okay to use that word...once, and only once :) Look forward to seeing some pics of your new accessories, especially the tonneau cover. I'd like to add one myself someday. In regards to the garage floors, don't let the lighting fool you...it's dirty as can be. I cringe every time just thinking about how dirty the tires get in the garage :D ...jk

-SixOpRidge

SixOpRidge/Lingered_I,
I believe I'm going to dive into fogs and grill this week. You have inspired me to do it myself to make it affordable. In reading through the install pdf it speaks of the anti-theft code for the radio. I have that in my paper work so no problem. The question that comes to mind is...does the radio just not work after reconnecting the battery until you somehow press this code into it? Also, I saw that the auto window function doesn't work after disconnecting the battery until you run it through a ritual. Is there anything else affected by the disconnected battery that needs to be addressed to function properly?
Please advise.
Thanks again for all your install info!!

If I remember correctly, the radio is inoperative until you enter your anti-theft code using the numbered preset buttons. I haven't checked out the radio entirely, but I believe you need to reset your preset stations too. I only checked to see if my SIRIUS connection was good...and it was. The other thing is the automatic window function as you mentioned. If there's anything else, I'm sure Lingered_I will let you know :D Good luck with the install and have fun!

-SixOpRidge

The radio and navigation system are both disabled until you provide the two appropriate codes. The nav then asks that the vehicle not be moved for 10 minutes while it acquires a signal, but I found it does so in about 2 minutes.
The auto window is disabled but is easy to reset - full down, full up, continue holding button for two seconds.

Thanks for the info. One more question for you...
How did the paint on the bumper hold up? Hole saws have very aggressive teeth and also a hack saw. Did the paint flake around the hole saw holes or from any other cutting?
I made the grill and fogs purchase yesterday.
I have to pick up a 1.5 or 40mm saw, the closest I have is a 1.75.
Thanks again.

Thanks for the info. One more question for you...
How did the paint on the bumper hold up? Hole saws have very aggressive teeth and also a hack saw. Did the paint flake around the hole saw holes or from any other cutting?
I made the grill and fogs purchase yesterday.
I have to pick up a 1.5 or 40mm saw, the closest I have is a 1.75.
Thanks again.

One trick is to use masking tape over the are the saw will engage and where the pilot bit engages. This gives the paint a little more encouragement to stay where it really wants to be...on the bumper cover.;)

Thanks for the tip Spritegeezer!

How did the paint on the bumper hold up?
I kept an eye on the paint to see if there was any separation and found none. After filing, the edges were fairly smooth with no paint lifting. Make sure you use a fast drill so to avoid any burn or melting due to prolonged friction. Go with a 1.5" (38mm) bit. I found that the bit I bought wasn't entirely true (it could have been the chuck too) and oscillated a little so I was probably at 39mm when all was done, but I wanted to come in slightly under size anyway as you can do something about that.

Thanks Lingered_I! New bit it is. Glad to hear that the paint isn't flying off in sheets. I believe the end result of a peeling issue would be far more noticeable on silver than black.

Thanks for the great overview of the Fog Light install. If you guys can do this in 4 hours, you are far better men than me, but it can be done, and the instructions are quite good. Here are a few tips I would add.

1. There is a tool on the market called "roto-zip", it's the absolute perfect tool for cutting the bumper holes for the fogs lights. No need to drill those 40mm holes all over the place, file, or worry about paint problems. The tool will make perfect cutouts quick and easy, and leave a clean cut. (warning use the guard so you have good bit control)

2. Again, on this installation, I truely don't understand why Honda makes accessory installations so difficult. A simple connector addition would have saved so much time with the fuse box removal, wire additions, etc. Someday life will be easy, in the meantime just read the instructions carefully, observe terminal orientation, and put the wires in the right connector hole.

3. I would start the harness installation from the top down. Early on the instructions make you pull the harness out the headlight opening, later you need to reroute the harness, and pull it in again. This is done a number of times. My suggestion, coil the harness,unroll as you tryrap and connect, and finally exit out the headlight opening.

4. When I finished, I turned on the headlights, turned on the fogs, and got absolutely nothing but a green indicator on the switch. Remember the fogs only work with the low beams. Sweet!

The bottom line is, you can do this, and save around $300 by doing it yourself. Not only that, you know it was done right. :D

I performed the fog lights operation, along with the accessory grill Labor Day morning. It took about 3.5 hours. the grill was cake, the pdf for the fogs could have been clearer in spots (more technical explanation, not this wire here...dat wire dare...). Ex. During the last part of the install where you wire the harness under the dash, why didn't they say to plug the blue 5-pin connector which was assigned to the cruise control button to the blue connector on the harness...?! The install went great, looks great and works like factory.

I documented the procedure, though I'll only be using the accessory grill portion for a grill install how-to (next couple days) since the fogs how-to has been done.
RidgeMe,
two things:
If the roto-zip is what I think, much care should be taken to use this tool as it could QUICKLY get away from you and veer outside the line, which could prove costly, and you also need to be careful of speed so the bumper doesn't heat up and start to melt.

Second, I'm not sure why your fogs only work with the ignition on? mine work in series with the low beams of the truck, ignition or not. That is odd? At any rate, this was a fun, learning, money saving experience. :D

Ex. During the last part of the install where you wire the harness under the dash, why didn't they say to plug the blue 5-pin connector which was assigned to the cruise control button to the blue connector on the harness...?! The install went great, looks great and works like factory.

RidgeMe,
two things:
If the roto-zip is what I think, much care should be taken to use this tool as it could QUICKLY get away from you and veer outside the line, which could prove costly, and you also need to be careful of speed so the bumper doesn't heat up and start to melt.

Second, I'm not sure why your fogs only work with the ignition on? mine work in series with the low beams of the truck, ignition or not. That is odd? At any rate, this was a fun, learning, money saving experience. :D
I Totally agree with your blue connector statement. The document totally lacked in that area. Reading further into the document I realized it HAD TO be that connector they wanted.

3.5 hours to install! I need you guys to help me with the backup camera, which is rated at 10 hours! Maybe you can do it in 5 hours!! You are fast!! I am planning 20 hours...hahahaha

Rotozip, can get away from you! This is why I say use the guard as a drag point. If you were to try to freehand this without a drag point, it WOULD get away from you. Leave only a small portion of the bit beyond the guard. When used correctly, it's the perfect tool, with no ripping, tearing, or anything. Smooth cut. Like cutting butta. The plastic bits brush off cleanly. Also have a sharp plastic cutting bit installed.

Lastly, maybe I need to check the fogs again. As far as the ignition switch position. Indicator was lit, but I got nothing at the lights. I will need to recheck the condition..Might be the brights were on..I'll get back to you.

I had thought of using a Dremel to cut or scribe between the 40mm holes but in the end decided to err on the side of caution and use a hacksaw. I was concerned about heat and it going off track. I know what you mean about the connector for the fog switch. I think they tap it into the cruise control harness to get the night illumination.

Nice job Lingered I!!! I had mine installed by the dealer after read what had to be done. No guts No glory!!! Are you going to up grade the bulbs for the lights? If so I will be posting for that. I just picked up Piaa H4 GTX's and Piaa H11 super white. Will post pics of before and after tomorrow night.

Second, I'm not sure why your fogs only work with the ignition on? mine work in series with the low beams of the truck, ignition or not. That is odd? :D
jch, You are absolutely correct. They work with the ignition off. Maybe I had the high beams on. I edited my original post to avoid confusion. Thanks for the correction. :o

Nice job Lingered I!!! I had mine installed by the dealer after read what had to be done. No guts No glory!!! Are you going to up grade the bulbs for the lights? If so I will be posting for that. I just picked up Piaa H4 GTX's and Piaa H11 super white. Will post pics of before and after tomorrow night.

I look forward to seeing those.

Absolutely excellent work on the install and photos!
Brings back memories of the "good old days" at the custom van shop! :o

Thanks Lingered, for the renewed drive! I'm off to get the fogs lights! :D

One question, you mentioned the adjustment knob at the rear of the light housing. Is this just for "aiming", or does it actually alter the "beam"?

Again, great work!

Hondacop

It's for aiming in the vertical plane. The lamp will pivot on a center axis. I didn't touch mine, but don't know if Honda preset them. I've used the lights a couple of times and they seem to be about right. Good luck with your install. If you were thinking of doing anything with the grill too, now would be the time. :)

Well I finally have the pics to post. The headlights are PIAA Super plasma GT-X H-4 135/120w. Foglights are PIAA Xtreme White Plus H-11 55W. Hope this helps. :)

Nice! They seem much brighter. Is your driveway on a slope up to the garage door?

Yes, it is and the door color is off white. :)

Well, I see these posts are a little old, but......... Anyway, my wife bought me the fog lights for my birthday. So, I have spent alot of time reading this post over and over again, as well as the instructions. I want to do this without any hitches. I've read all of the do's and don'ts, but, is there anything someone might have left out that would help during my install? I see in some of the posts, that the lower dash needs to be removed. Where might I find the instructions on removing it? Well, wish me luck, as I will do the install in the next day or so.

The lower dash is quite easy. You need to remove the side panel first - just use a cloth covered flat screwdriver. From memory, there's then one screw to remove and then the lower dash panel will unclip. Don't force it or twist it as you could break the clips. Also, don't think you can get away without unclipping the connectors from the existing switchgear as the fog light harness plugs into the cruise control harness, but you also do really need to completely remove the panel to get at the connector panel that's just above the foot rest. Also, the plug that fastens the washer bottle neck seems to be particularly stubborn. I broke mine and used a dry wall plug as a substitute.

The #1 Top Tip - be very very very careful which connector hole you push the fog light harness wires into, both under the fuse/relay box and under the dash. As you can see in the above posts, two of us got it wrong and spent a bit of time cursing and trying to fix it.

The job sounds daunting, but it isn't really as long as you take your time. Good luck, and send some pictures.

Thanks for your response. For me, it is always one of these questions "should I do it, or should I pay to have it done". Of course, I always do it myself, that way I know it was done right. Last question. I look at page 7 of the instructions, (the one that shows 18 pin connector) and I am trying to get my bearings on the picture. I am sure that is the connector you guys are warning me about, but not sure which side it plugs into. It looks like it plugs in the front. That does't seem right, but maybe when I get it disassembled, it will be more clearer. Anyway, thanks again. I will let you know how it turns out.

The 18 pin connector is on the underside of the fuse/relay box. That's the one that I screwed up. It's covered in grease and fiddly to grip while you try to release it's tabs and pull it at the same time. Have patience :) Make sure you have it orientated correctly using the tab as your guide before you insert the fog light wire. I had the wrong "third hole from the end" :mad:

Let me see if I got it straight. I insert the harness plug the same direction as the existing wires, correct?

Yes - you're inserting an extra wire along side the existing wires, but you have to remove the connector first and remove the cable lock from it which will then allow you to insert the new wire. Trying to push the wire in without removing the connector won't work because of the cable lock and because you would also be pushing the wire onto it's mating pin, and I don't think you could push it in far enough to lock it.

Your help is wonderful. I have been sitting here trying to put into perspective, the sketch that came along with the instructions. I thought I had it correct, but thanks to you, I'm sure of it now. Anyway, I love my truck. I have the steel blue RTL w/nav. Just got a new set of wheels for it. Did alot of research on custom wheels for this rig. I finally ended up with wheel dealer that agreed with me about mixing 120mm with 4 3/4" bolt pattern. Wheels look great. I wanted to stay with the stock size. I felt that if I varied from stock size, eventually I might have problems. I did that with my Toyota Pre Runner, and things were never right after I changed sizes. So, I learned my lesson. Hey, thanks again for your help. I will keep you posted.

Glad to help. Send in a picture of your wheels - there's an 'official' thread here somewhere for that. I've got a black RTL and have have been toying with the idea of black spokes with chrome rims. Not seen anything that I'm confident in buying yet. What did you do about the pressure monitors?

Pressure sensors transferred to the new wheels with no problems. They rest against the inside of the wheel with no issues. I have the same setup on my Infinity. I think that most of the wheel manufacturers are aware of new cars coming up with tire pressure monitoring systems, and are adapting their new products to handle them. Should not be an issue for you..........

Well, I installed the fog lamps yesterday. All went well, except, I have joined the ranks of those who inserted the pin in the incorrect hole. Bummer, I read and read all the posts and precautions put on this post by all the others who attempted this install. I studied and looked at the part very closely. Well, needless to say, I must have looked to long. Anyway, I removed the pin from the connector and inserted in the proper hole, and bingo, she worked first time I turned them on. Thanks again for all the great information you guys put on the post. It all came in handy

Man!! I wished I had half of the electronic knowledge you guys obviously possess. Very impressive! Keep um coming! I’m really amazed of the depth of experience some of you have shown for the rest of us. :D

I'll say that in my case it's 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration :p

Man, I LOVE the ideas of foglights to improve the already spectacular lighting on the Ridgeline, but personally, I think that the round foglights ruin the look of the ridgeline which has NO roundness to it. Oh well, personal preference.

And SixOpRidge, i'm sorry you had to deal with Pat at Honda Cars of Bellevue. I worked there as a salesperson for 2 years, and I know how Pat can be. You are MUCH better off taking your business to Superior Honda in Omaha. They will match any internet price with no complaining, and no backpeddaling.

...I had no problems with the wiring whatsoever, but had to think of what the harness under the dash was all about. If Honda had just explained it better, I would have figured it out sooner -- the blue plug thing. Just say plug the blue connector that used to go into the cruise control switch into the supplied fog light harness. Use the blue end of the supplied fog light harness as the new plug for the cruise control switch. I guess I could have figured it out from the electrical flow chart on the last page of the instructions.

I think a better picture of what needs to go into what would have been easier, too...
mugen1,
I agree with your comments regarding the wiring documentation covering the wiring harness under the dash. In fact, My comments a couple pages back on this thread were very similar. Congrats for getting them installed and working. I feel that in addition to adding a tremendous amount of light to both the front and periphery of the vehicle, they help give the front profile of the truck more attitude. These in conjunction with the accessory grill are just the ticket for me personally.

It's been nearly 3 months since I started this thread and installed my fog lamps, so imagine my surprise / shock when I lift the hood today for about the second time since then and find my expansion bottle wedged between the engine and radiator :eek: I had forgotten to put it back on it's bracket next to the washer fluid bottle.:rolleyes:
The level is ok, so luckily no harm done.

Now....did you put yours back?

Well, I could have picked a nicer, and warmer, day but the fog lams are installed and like a few others the 3 slot pin bit me even after reading the instructions until I was as blue as the tape on the lamp assembly socket (which we all know isn't blue tape!). Other than finding the dang 3 connector brown socket and the pin going in the wrong socket first time around it went well. Purchased a battery powered high speed Dremel and picked up a package of the Roto Zip cutters for wood, plastic and vinyl siding, awesome cutting job but you have to keep it at an angle and shallow in the cutting area or it will try and walk on you. Up next will be the tonneau cover when it arrives, I think I'll keep the lock assemblies for spring! :rolleyes: Didn't forget the overflow bottle though!

So, are rear fog legal here in North America. If so, how must they be set up?

I have a set of PIAA fogs that were on my old Civic I could install.


thanks for any info.

Many European cars have OEM rear fog lights. A rear fog light is an extra bright red lamp, It's normally only 1 of the two taillights so as not to confuse people with the brake lights.

As for putting white fog lights in the rear I assume it's only an issue if you used them on a public road but just having them installed shouldn't be an issue. Of course a grumpy cop may have other thoughts.

Friend of mine installed a 2"x1" led in red on the back of his truck, bright as hell and works great for a rear fog light.

Look here:

http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/mygallery.ten-id-1532-album-12311



http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/F150for6/153680.jpg

Lingered I & Others, thanks for all the great pictures and posts! Lingered, I put all your photos on Power Point (4 per page) and they will be by my side during the install. I have a degree in Avionics Systems, but I will tell you that after reading all the SNAFUS on wiring.... I'm a tad nervous! I'm not doing the install till mid January but will report back with my results.

TL

My thanks also to Lingered_I for his hint on the 18-pin connector. I too had put the wire in the wrong hole and was going "buggy" trying to figure out where my error was. I looked again at the connector and found out I had the wire in the opposite hole (relay view not harness view). After some frustrating moments removing the pin from the wrong hole I put it in the correct location, sealed things up and the FOG LIGHTS WORK!!!.

Isn't the ROC the greatest resource known to man!!!

:) :) :) :)

I hope to have my OEM Fogs tomorrow. I have the factory directions, I've read every post here but still have the uneasy feeling in my stomach. I believe that you all are speaking about steps 20 thru 23 on page 7 of 16, from the factory directions. Does anyone have a SURE FIRE way (all pun intended) to not make the same mistake? If not, I'll proceed after my Royal Caribbean Cruise on 23 Jan.

Thanks,
TL

Yes, pay attention to the diagram and where the connector locking tab is (you'll see it in the center and down). If you do this while reading the instructions you'll end up with that pin up and the 3rd pin from left in the wrong socket.

Thanks for the comments. My warning wasn't to put people off doing the install but was just a warning as it is easy to get the wrong connector hole if like me you aren't paying 100% attention. I cannot tell you how frustrated I was with myself, but on the bright side I was lucky in that I noticed immediately, before I reassembled anything.
There is no "sure fire" method. Just use the measure twice, cut once approach, i.e. just before you push the wire into the hole, stop and make sure that you have the locking tab on the correct side of the connector as you're holding it, as per the instructions.

Good luck!

Lingered I, Thanks! I'm sure I'm like everyone else that gets so much satisfaction out doing this stuff ourselves.

TL

Lingered I, Thanks! I'm sure I'm like everyone else that gets so much satisfaction out doing this stuff ourselves.

TL

I could not agree more !

I do 90% of my own work

I'm planning on installing the fog lights and back-up sensors. One question I have is the drilling of the holes. Which side (Finished - painted side or the back side) should we start drilling the large holes from? Does it really matter? Someone said to place tape of the painted side so the painted side will not chip, therefore I'm guessing that most people drill from the backside (where the marks are loacted) to the painted side. Is this correct?

What type of drill bit did you use... a regular drill bit or a std hole saw for wood?

Thanks

JoeyO

I used a Dremel with a standard drill bit in 6 places then mounted a RotoZip bit made for vinyl siding in the Dremel and cut the fog light ovals using the molded impression as a guide, you can't really see what you're doing from the paint side. You should probably download the instructions for both, College Hondas website has them in Acrobat as a .pdf they are very helpful to have along with some of the photos and posts from this thread..........

I'm planning on installing the fog lights and back-up sensors. One question I have is the drilling of the holes. Which side (Finished - painted side or the back side) should we start drilling the large holes from? Does it really matter? Someone said to place tape of the painted side so the painted side will not chip, therefore I'm guessing that most people drill from the backside (where the marks are loacted) to the painted side. Is this correct?

What type of drill bit did you use... a regular drill bit or a std hole saw for wood?

Thanks

JoeyO
Drill from the back - afterall, that's where it's marked. Use a pin to mark the hole center (I pushed it through completely) and give something for the drill bit to bite. Taping the front is a cautionary step aimed at preventing paint lifting off the plastic. I didn't do that and didn't see any problems with the paint. I used a highspeed drill for the holes as I wanted to get through the plastic as fast as possible without generating too much heat or long 'tails' of plastic swarf. I used a regular hacksaw for cutting between the holes, although some folk have used Dremels. I just figured I'd have more control with a hand saw.

What about connecting the fogs to work with your parking lights...

Anyone...

Fog Lamp installation complete! Thanks to Lingered I and others for all the great info and pictures. My only snag was in the beginning. The directions call to (1) Remove the seven clips along the top of the bumper and radiator cover. (2) Remove the two clips, six bolts and two self tapping screws and remove the front bumper. That's a total of 17 pieces of hardware that should be removed, though I only had 15 pieces. I think what I figured out is that the "two clips" are underneath the headlight and are not removable. With a little bit of force I pushed the bumper to the front and it gave loose. Cutting the hole was rather simple, the etched template on the bumper gives room for error, as the trim cover extends well over the edge of the hole. Positioning the relay box to access the 18-Pin connector to some time, not much room to maneuver it around. I worked alone and it took me about six hours. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd rate the difficulty level at a three for anyone with electric/electronic experience and about a six for someone without.

One last thing, I didn't realize that both the Navi and the audio systems have their own unique code. I was trying to put the audio code where the Navi code was supposed to go. When the Navi code is required it displays five X's (XXXXX) but my Navi code is only four digits, though the audio code is five digits. For the record the the Navi code is inputted into the Navi screen and the audio code is inputted using the preset buttons from the audio controls.

I’d add pictures, though it just a WHITE Ridge with fog lights…. And who hasn’t seen that before?:cool:

TL

Just finished installing the fog lights on my Ridgeline. Thought I would give a couple tips on making installation a little easier.

1. Read the instructions 3 or 4 times before starting and read through this forum. Helps when you know what steps hapen next...

2. To keep your hands clean of all that connector grease, get a pair of medium duty disposable gloves. When you're done with the step on the fuse block, throw the gloves out.

3. When cutting the holes out of the bumper, instead of using a hacksaw to finish trimming the holes, try warming a utility knife blade with a lighter or propane torch...knife runs through easy and there are very little jaged edges.

4. On the infamous page 7 of the instructions, the connector pictured is the harness side of the connector...that means the picture is shown as if you were holding the wires in your hand and looking at the connector. That was the key piece I used to get the right connector slot.

The project took between 3-4 hours. Take your time and check off the steps. There are more than one instruction in each numbered steps...this will help a lot with the "OOPS!" factor.

Love the lights, love the looks. :rolleyes: These lights really finish the front of the truck. Hope this helps out....

Loved my fog lights until one of the lenses cracked! 120.00 plus tax to replace. Hoping to find a good set of aftermarker ones that will fit. OEM lenses are untempered glass, very fragile, a strong gnat hitting you with a head wind will break one. :cool:

I used a Dremel with a standard drill bit in 6 places then mounted a RotoZip bit made for vinyl siding in the Dremel and cut the fog light ovals using the molded impression as a guide, you can't really see what you're doing from the paint side. You should probably download the instructions for both, College Hondas website has them in Acrobat as a .pdf they are very helpful to have along with some of the photos and posts from this thread..........


Second the rotozip. Did mine today and it was so quick I had the lights cut and mounted in 30 min.

The fog lights is one of my future mods, and this thread is really good with all the tips, etc.. I can't wait until I get the fog lights and get them installed..

Thanks for all the information.....

FS...

Hi Guys,

Ditto's on the informational posting you are doing. I installed an Aires Brush Guard on my white RTL, I think it looks great! Three things I didn't like about OEM foglights.

1. Too expensive
2. Non tempured glass lenses
3. I prefer rectangular over rounds

So I bought the $25 Honda switch so it will look great on the inside and I found some awesome fog lights after market that I will mount on the brush guard. (holes for same provided by Aires)

Now the hitch. I would like to hijack the wires that pass thru the firewall for my install. I also want to get the right wires for the illumination of the switch which should be tied into the dimmer control. I also will need the pin assignments on the switch itself. Any Honda service techs on this forum? or ideas of where to obtain such info? I have the OEM install instructions but they assume I have an OEM harness, which I do not.:eek:

how do you no where to cut the holes for the lights?

Front valance is marked on the inside.

Does anyone know if it is possible to change out a cracked fog light without removing the bumper??

Did anyone take a picture of the fog light switch installed. If I understand the thread correctly, it sounds like the switch goes in the panel to the left and down of the steeringwheel. I'm hoping it's something different, I just used that spare space for for the gain control for my sub amp.

Thanks for the informative post. My fog lights should be delivered Friday.

Bring back an old thread.

I completed the fog light install yesterday. Everything was wired fine and no problems. However, the little green LED in the Cruise switch no longer illuminates. Does anyone else have this problem? It worked fine prior the fog light install. The LED on the Foglight switch illuminates.

The cruise still works however the button doesnt illuminate? Any ideas?

Where did you get the fog light kit?

I saw it for 300 on ebay and it had detailed instructions just like yours.

But I would have paid the 300 at the dealer if I had bought my ridge new!

I bought them off ebay for around 240 including the switch and shipping.

As for the light I mentioned not working it was just a coincedence and the green bulb was burnt out. I replaced the bulb and the green light in the cruise button is functioning fine.

My Cruise Control light no longer worked after I installed the OEM Fog Lights. :( I thought it was since the fog light harness was plugged in to the same wires that were on the Cruise Control. My Cruise Control works fine. I will have to check the bulb. Maybe the same as yours. Thanks for the post. :)

I thought the same thing that piggy backing into the cruise harness casued the green light to no longer illuminate. After rechecking all of my wiring and even going back into the bottom of the relay box I realized it had to be the bulb.

I ordered 4 of them to have some extras, I think they were around $4 each. Sure enough put the new bulb in and it works perfectly.

If yours stopped working immediately after your fog install I wonder if the intial install and powerup blows the lamp? Seems strange if it is happening to several fog light installers.

It's funny those bulbs would go out the same time you are installing you fog lights. The bulbs in my cruise and the VTM went out at exactly the same time...and I was not doing any kind of mods. They just went out at the same time.

You guys have the part numbers for those bulbs. I need to order some and install them myself...my garage gave me a quote of $55 to replace those bulbs... (in my best Mr. Rogers voice) kids....can you say overcharging...?????

Keep in mind there are different bulbs in the switches. The bottom of the swtich is a green bulb, I believe some of the others are clear and amber.

The bottom light in the cruise switch has a brown base and has a green light housing. The Honda Part number I have for the green light in the cruise control is 35851-SJC-A01.

Great Article and very informative. I would never have the patience and the skill to do that.

Looks Great !:):)

yes my green bulb was out. I moved the amber one over and the button light worked. so I need to get the green bulb....thanks for posting the part #35851-SJC-A01. :)

Just finished installing the fog lamps, I purchased from "Coolcat" here on the ROC site.

The installation took us a little longer than most--about 4 hours. We took a break but made a couple of little mistakes that slowed us down. I would say the easiest part was cutting the holes in the bumper. The most difficult part was getting the wiring under the hood completed.

Taking the lower portion off the fuse panel off was a little confusing at first. We neglected to release the connector when we tried to place the single wire into the fuse. That caused us unnecessary grief.

We did not make any incorrect connections, thankfully.

The lights look great and they even work.

Thanks for all the detailed instructions and the pics.

Brad

I missed this post, but I installed my OEM fog lights today too.
I followed the instructions closely and didn't have any mishaps.
probably took me about 3 hours total, including me swapping out
the grille for an RTX one, but that took like 2 minutes. very similar
to other Honda foglights and halo light kits that I've done before.
everything well well labeled, well engineered, well placed, etc. love
the Honda guys, really do. If you pay close attention to the
instructions, you can do this yourself. it's really not that bad at all.

only thing I found bad was the suggestion to use a hacksaw to finish
cutting the holes in the bumper. I found this poor and crude. I instead
used a dremel tool with an appropriate attachment to achieve a much
cleaner and more exact cut than I could have done with the fine mini
hacksaw. other than that everything was spot on.

Very nice job. They really look good. I dont think I would have the patience or knowhow to complete the job.

I need to replace a broken fog light. Is there any way to do this without removing the bumper?

Also where can I get a passenger replacement without spending an arm and a leg?

just thought I would remind anyone out there shopping around for the best online deal for oem fogs, that depending where you buy it the switch is not always included with the fog light kit...:o

I just wanted to pay my respects to the originator of this post (and others with helpful information on it) since it was used in reference a few times while installing my fogs last night.

I could easily see how you could accidentally, while dealing with the grease in the fuse area, put the cable in the wrong hole. Luckily, I knew to check quite a few times after reading this post.

The hardest part of the actual install for me was getting to the "Brown connector" by the foot pedals when hooking up the switch. That was a PITA. I'm a big guy with sausage fingers and wide shoulders, so trying to get into that area, see the connector, and some how pull it out took me what felt the longest or least productive moment.

I made the mistake of not tightenening the square and round cable back to the fuse box enough and that created a headache for me trying to diagnose.

The install is very intimidating, but taking it step by step, it's completely do able.

Thanks again!

I know this is an older thread (still a good one), but I just bought a OEM foglight kit off ebay, for $190 (including shipping and interior switch), and plan on doing the install myself. Lots of great tips and hints in this thread.

Looking forward to doing this. IMHO a $35k vehicle should have foglights standard (yes, I know the newer ones have foglights standard now) and hacks me off when I see a $13k sh!t-box go by and it has fog lights.

Anyway, as soon as I get the foglight kit in, I am going to bring the benzels in to a local body shop and have them painted to match my truck. Once I get them back, I will do the install. Thinking about getting an RTX grill and getting rid of that "refrigerator cooling unit" looking OEM grill. Hmmm....wonder how I can sneak that past the wife without her noticing....:act024:

I to wanted to thank the originator of this thread and all those who replied with comments, tips and tricks. I have studied this off and on since receiving my fog lights for Christmas. Finally got the chance to put them on this past weekend. Everything went well. Very happy with them. You guys rock with information and helpful tips.

I to wanted to thank the originator of this thread and all those who replied with comments, tips and tricks. I have studied this off and on since receiving my fog lights for Christmas. Finally got the chance to put them on this past weekend. Everything went well. Very happy with them. You guys rock with information and helpful tips.

Very nice. I plan on having mine painted to match my truck too. How much did that end up running you...to have them painted...or did you do it yourself?

Any advice you can give for somebody else who is planning on installing their fogs. I am fairly mechanically inclined...so I don't foresee any issues...but can always use any tips or tricks you learned when doing yours. I wanted to ask while it is still fresh in the ol' cranium. Thanks!

I know this is an older thread (still a good one), but I just bought a OEM foglight kit off ebay, for $190 (including shipping and interior switch), and plan on doing the install myself. Lots of great tips and hints in this thread.

Looking forward to doing this. IMHO a $35k vehicle should have foglights standard (yes, I know the newer ones have foglights standard now) and hacks me off when I see a $13k sh!t-box go by and it has fog lights.

Anyway, as soon as I get the foglight kit in, I am going to bring the benzels in to a local body shop and have them painted to match my truck. Once I get them back, I will do the install. Thinking about getting an RTX grill and getting rid of that "refrigerator cooling unit" looking OEM grill. Hmmm....wonder how I can sneak that past the wife without her noticing....:act024:

Nice find and great price congrats, I also have this mod on my short list, I think I am gonna go for it this summer and install the fogs on my 140,000 mile RL I need something new to do to it

Very nice. I plan on having mine painted to match my truck too. How much did that end up running you...to have them painted...or did you do it yourself?

Any advice you can give for somebody else who is planning on installing their fogs. I am fairly mechanically inclined...so I don't foresee any issues...but can always use any tips or tricks you learned when doing yours. I wanted to ask while it is still fresh in the ol' cranium. Thanks!

The guy only charged me $10 which was cost of material. It was very nice of him to only charge that. Another guy on here used a paint for plastics that you can get off the shelf at a Walmart or some place. I would have tried that had I not had this guy do it.

The instructions are pretty much straight forward. I used a 1-1/2 inch hole saw to cut the bumper holes out. Followed by a hack saw to trim the rest out. I did use a knock off dremmel tool to do some cleaning up of the edges. It doesn't have to be perfect but don't go outside that main line/circle.

I think you'll be just fine you're the slightest bit mechanically inclined. If you have anymore specific questions just let me know.

Oh yeah, wear some sort of disposable gloves when fooling with the relay box and that grease. Its a mess and there is no way around it.

Nice find and great price congrats, I also have this mod on my short list, I think I am gonna go for it this summer and install the fogs on my 140,000 mile RL I need something new to do to it

Thanks. Yeah, everything for $175 + $15 shipping...that was a no brainer!

I am excited to get this done. Got an e-mail alerting me that I have a FedEx box sitting on my front step...got them off eBay on the 9th and got them today. That was pretty dang fast!

Now, just have to get them painted this week and will install next weekend. Hooo....whooooo....! I'm geeked! :act024:

The guy only charged me $10 which was cost of material. It was very nice of him to only charge that. Another guy on here used a paint for plastics that you can get off the shelf at a Walmart or some place. I would have tried that had I not had this guy do it.

The instructions are pretty much straight forward. I used a 1-1/2 inch hole saw to cut the bumper holes out. Followed by a hack saw to trim the rest out. I did use a knock off dremmel tool to do some cleaning up of the edges. It doesn't have to be perfect but don't go outside that main line/circle.

I think you'll be just fine you're the slightest bit mechanically inclined. If you have anymore specific questions just let me know.

Oh yeah, wear some sort of disposable gloves when fooling with the relay box and that grease. Its a mess and there is no way around it.

That is a great deal...$10 to have them painted. Hey, can I send you my foglights, you have them painted, and send them back? Just kidding...I have somebody who will do them for $20.

OK, thanks for the tips. As I said above, I am excited about doing this mod. I have been wanting to do this for 5-6 years now.

Thinking about getting an RTX grill and getting rid of that "refrigerator cooling unit" looking OEM grill.

Selling mine (actually the oe accessory grille) to do the Sport nosejob. Couple years old but good condition. m/o

Selling mine (actually the oe accessory grille) to do the Sport nosejob. Couple years old but good condition. m/o

Check your PM's.

Yo Art...check your PM's! :act024:

Well, the guy who was gonna paint my bezels for me backed out...he works for a local body shop and ends up he has gotten really busy as of late, so he just won't have to the time to do them, at least for a couple of weeks.

So, I decided to take this on myself. I ordered the paint from O'Reilly's ($6.99 + tax), it should be in tomorrow, I plan on painting them this week, and do the install over the weekend. Looking forward to doing this install. I will post pictures afterward.

I to wanted to thank the originator of this thread and all those who replied with comments, tips and tricks.
Glad to help. Jeez that was a long time ago! :)

Glad to help. Jeez that was a long time ago! :)

True, but good advice never gets old...! :act024:

OK, got my fog lights installed this weekend. Time: About 5 hours from the time I started to the time I had everything cleaned up, put away, and the garage floor swept. Time included 1 run to the hardware store and run to BK to get some lunch. I didn't post any pictures, as they look the same as the pictures above.

Overall, not that bad of an install. If I did this again, it would probably take me about 2/3 of the it took me this weekend. I just took my time to make sure I didn't hose anything up. My overall observations/hints/tips:

Painting the bezels was easy. I bought cans of primer, color matched paint, and clear coat from a local auto store, and painted them myself. Took my time and painted them over 2 days to let the paint set. Put 2 coats of primer on (sanded between coats) one day, put 2 coats of paint and 2 coats of clear coat the next, and installed the following day.

Cutting the holes was fairly easy. I bought a 1 & 1/2" hole saw, 7/64, and 1/4 inch drill bits. Those convert to 38.7 mm, and just under 3 and 5 mm respectively. I think I spent right around $12. I used the hole saw to cut the holes as per the legend on the back of the bumper. Then I used a utility knife with a brand spankin new/sharp blade to do the rest. The plastic is thin/soft enough to cut with a utility knife. No Dremmel or files needed. Just take your time and cut a little off at a time...especially when you get close to the lines...and the edges come out smooth and no issues with paint coming off funny or anything like that.

Installing the harnesses was pretty easy. Nothing too difficult as long as you read the instructions before-hand and realize what you were up against.

The most difficult parts were:

- It took me a minute or two to get over the fact that I was cutting holes into the exterior of my vehicle. Once I got over that, cutting the holes in the bumper cover was fairly easy....just time consuming.

- As mentioned above, getting that wire into the 18 pin connector was a PITA. First of all, it was packed with grease, so it made it difficult to undo the lock on the connector and it was hard to find the right hole. In my case, I had to use a rag to wipe off the excess grease, to find the hole where the wire went, and used the rag to grab ahold of the lock and unlock it, as my hand kept slipping off when I was trying to unlock the connector. I was really glad when I got to the step where it said to reinstall that thing and put the covers back on.

- Also, finding the brown connector under the dash...the instruction were not intuitive. It says something to the effect, "Find the 3 pin connector (brown) on the front of the fuse box...". Well, in my mind the front was towards the seat...but front actually meant towards the front of the vehicle...stuck in a spot that made it hard to see even when you stuck your head waaaay in there. I was at my wits end trying to find that until...it dawned on me that front usually meant the front of the vehicle...and I stuck my head way in by the pedals an used a flashlight to see better...and sure sh!t...there it was. Once I found the brown connector and was able to get it out, the rest went pretty smooth.

Anyway, as I said above, not a bad install at all and I think it looks nice. I think anybody who can read/follow instructions can do this install. I would just stress one word: Patience! It is easy to get frustrated doing installs like this. Expecially when you do something stupid...like put the wire in the wrong place...or like I did...forget about the lock on the 18 pin connector and wonder why the dang wires won't stay in the dang thing...! Then you realize you're a bonehead...shake if off...then move on... :act024:

Overall, not that bad of an install. If I did this again, it would probably take me about 2/3 of the it took me this weekend. I just took my time to make sure I didn't hose anything up. My overall observations/hints/tips:


Installing the harnesses was pretty easy. Nothing too difficult as long as you read the instructions before-hand and realize what you were up against.

The most difficult parts were:

- It took me a minute or two to get over the fact that I was cutting holes into the exterior of my vehicle. Once I got over that, cutting the holes in the bumper cover was fairly easy....just time consuming.

- As mentioned above, getting that wire into the 18 pin connector was a PITA. First of all, it was packed with grease, so it made it difficult to undo the lock on the connector and it was hard to find the right hole. In my case, I had to use a rag to wipe off the excess grease, to find the hole where the wire went, and used the rag to grab ahold of the lock and unlock it, as my hand kept slipping off when I was trying to unlock the connector. I was really glad when I got to the step where it said to reinstall that thing and put the covers back on.

- Also, finding the brown connector under the dash...the instruction were not intuitive. It says something to the effect, "Find the 3 pin connector (brown) on the front of the fuse box...". Well, in my mind the front was towards the seat...but front actually meant towards the front of the vehicle...stuck in a spot that made it hard to see even when you stuck your head waaaay in there. I was at my wits end trying to find that until...it dawned on me that front usually meant the front of the vehicle...and I stuck my head way in by the pedals an used a flashlight to see better...and sure sh!t...there it was. Once I found the brown connector and was able to get it out, the rest went pretty smooth.

Anyway, as I said above, not a bad install at all and I think it looks nice. I think anybody who can read/follow instructions can do this install. I would just stress one word: Patience! It is easy to get frustrated doing installs like this. Expecially when you do something stupid...like put the wire in the wrong place...or like I did...forget about the lock on the 18 pin connector and wonder why the dang wires won't stay in the dang thing...! Then you realize you're a bonehead...shake if off...then move on... :act024:[/QUOTE]

I installed my fogs last Thursday they look great and work well, there is a big difference on dark roads and bad weather as we have had in the last few days. I am loving the fogs thanks to all who have posted on this now classic thread :act035:

I agree with the above info it was like "deja vue" I had pretty much the same issues, my only problem was getting the drivers side lower fender screw off with out breaking the lower bumper #$*!., note: my install was done after my RL had over 140,000 mi on the clock. there was a lot of crud and rust on the small 10mm screw...which took me a long time to remove with out damage or breaking the lower fender.

I'll be glancing through this thread within the next week or so. After much searching and watching, I finally found a brand new OEM set on eBay for $190 shipped. Couple that with a switch I picked up from cdepuydt and I am now set to go. Overall $100 savings on parts...