How to: Replace Gen 1.5 H3 Foglight Bulb w/ LED Upgrade Goodness

[Prime]

With my impending HID install, I couldn't leave the stock halogen fog lights. They had to go LED. But since the LED bulbs are longer (no one seems to make an H3 LED that is the same size as a halogen) I had to remove the internal shield from the fog lights to get the LED bulbs in there. Also, since there is some confusion about the bulb type, I purchased both H3 and 880/899 bulbs as there seemed to be a switchover in 2003 but some 2002's also had 880/899 bulbs. I hadn't seen a writeup yet...so here IS one.

Tools:
10mm ratchet
Phillips Head Screwdriver
Flat Head Screwdriver
Heat Gun
Trusty OSI Quad (in black of course)

So, remove the little access panel on the bottom of the stock bumper to reveal the foglight assembly.

Remove the 10mm bolt that holds the assembly in place.

At this point, use your phillips head screwdriver to push the two metal pins at the top left and right of the assembly. That will dislodge them from the retaining clips allowing the foglight to flop out of the front of the bumper.

Disconnect the wiring and BAM!

Foglight.

Now if you are simply replacing a burned out halogen, then simply remove the back cover by twisting counter clockwise to expose the bulb.

Take the bulb out by releasing the tension clip and pulling the single spade connector. If you are installing a new halogen, MAKE SURE NOT TO TOUCH THE GLASS OF THE BULB WITH YOUR HANDS! Wear gloves...or just be careful. Reinstall the bulb, and pop the assembly back in. Done.

However, we're going to go a step further.

Here you can see the difference between the LED and halogen bulb.

Because of the increased length, the reflector cap in the fog light has to go.

There are two small phillips head screws on either side of the housing. Remove them. One can be seen here....under the mud....

Using the heat gun, slowly heat up the back side of the lens where it goes into the housing. Careful not to overheat the lens or it will discolor and start to melt.

Using the flathead, slowly pry the lens off.

With the lens removed, there is a single phillips head screw that holds the reflector cap in place. Remove it and throw the cap away.

I chose to install the bulb at this juncture.

Lay a small bead of OSI Quad over the existing glue

Press the lens back onto the housing. You may have to use the heat gun to soften the factory glue. Once the lens is pressed back in, reinstall the two small phillips head screws.

Reinsert the fog light into the bumper, connect the wires, and reinstall the 10mm bolt and access panel.

FOG LIGHTS!

As a result of this, I have a pair of 880/899 LED bulbs in white. Brand new. Never used. If any of you guys got the weird fog lights and want them, PM me.

 

[Cruecible]

My driver's side fog light has been really loose for a while now. I tried getting under there to see how to take it out but I had no luck, and surprisingly no one at the local dealership could help me out either. It's a pretty warm day out today so I'll give it another shot after looking at some of your pictures.

Question: Are those longer LED bulbs the only viable replacement option? Or is there another LED that fits, that's shorter, which won't require any modification to the housing.

 

[Prime]

I have yet to find an H3 LED that is as short as a halogen. If I could have found some, I'd have bought them in a heartbeat.

 

[Cruecible]

Fair enough. I just need to bite the bullet and buy a steel bumper, but for the meantime I look forward to write-ups like this.

I finally got the damn fog light out of the bumper, but it was just the actual housing the bulb itself sits in. For the life of me, I still can't figure out how to remove the housing for the whole thing. The part where you removed it was a little unclear to me as to where I put the phillips to push in the two pins. When I was looking at it from straight behind (driver's side), there was a very small hex bolt on the bottom left that I luckily had a socket for and after loosening it for a bit, the damn lens finally came out. However, I still couldn't figure out how to take out the housing as you did. I saw two pins on the top that look like they are held in by retaining clips, but it didn't seem to handle a phillips head balancing on it to push with sufficient force to dislodge it. Maybe I just fail.

 

[Prime]

That bolt needs to come all the way out. I just put the screwdriver on the metal pin and hit it with the palm of my hand. Popped right out.

 

[Kris&HerX]

Post bump. I can't get my fog lights to run for longer than a few weeks or even days before burning out again. I couldn't find the correct bulb conncetor so we spliced them together instead.

Help. (Pics don't work anymore)