# Adding OEM Rear Fog Lamps On The E46 for under $30 Pictorial DIY



## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)

*Adding OEM Rear Fog Lamps On The E46 for under $30 Pictorial DIY*






_Finally finished this easy and cheap DIY._

As many of you may know all E46 vehicles made before 9/2001 (prefacelift) have an empty bulb slot 
under the reverse lamp in the trunk lid that is reserved for the rear fog bulbs.
In Europe this slot is usually used for the rear fog lamps that powers on with the extra fog lamp switch on the LKM (European version of the Light Switch Module). On the USA facelift E46 cars made after 9/2001 this bulb slot includes a bulb that is used for the normal driving tail lamps. In Europe the bulb in these trunk lid slots on their facelift E46 cars brightens when the rear fog button is pushed. So that noted I will add that my DIY serves those E46 sedans and possibly coupes/convertibles made before 9/2001. 
I'm sure this DIY can be used as a general guide for the later E46 sedans as well once the proper LKM faceplate w/ rear fog button is added to their cars.

In the USA rear fogs have been excluded and our LCM (USA version of the Light Switch Module) lacks the rear fog lamp button.

*Now to add Rear Fogs to any USA E46 (prefacelift) you will need;*

*1. *The Euro LKM faceplate that has the rear fog button on it. The faceplates all detach from the Light Switch Module body and will attach easily onto your LCM.
I got mine from eBay.co.uk for $15. They are always lots of them there for cheap. Don't pay more than $50 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 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 at my dealership.









*4. *About 30 feet of 20-22 gauge wire. I paid about $5 for a spool at the local radio shack. Also heat shrink and a lighter to connect the wires together. I paid 99 cents for a pack of heat shrink at Home Depot.

*5. *A Woodboring 5/8" drill bit which cost me $2.49 at Home Depot. You do not need to buy the Steelboring bit which cost about $20 to $30 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 I got 1157 which is 12volts/26watts. They cost about $1.50 each.

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

*Let's begin our Pictorial DIY:*





































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


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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)




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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)




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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)




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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)




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## ECSTuning (Feb 25, 2009)

Bravo! Sir, Bravo!


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## Mark_325i (May 1, 2003)

Wow, that's impressive amount of work (and documentation) to put in just to annoy the people driving behind you.


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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)

Mark_325i said:


> Wow, that's impressive amount of work (and documentation) to put in just to annoy the people driving behind you.


Lol.
First of lets make this clear. It _my_ car and working on _my_ car is _my_ love so there is nothing like too much work/documentation that I put into my car.

I have a full time job where I work my ass off and make money and I pay all my taxes and bills so if on the weekends or my days off I see it fit to add crazy sh!t to my car then it will happen. Now that we clear that up.

The rear fogs actually works great for tailgaters. I used it a few times for tailgaters and once whiles driving in a late night foggy rainstorm right there on the NJ turnpike.

So Rear Fogs actually has a practical purpose.

More purpose and reason than adding clear corners (yawn) and spinning chrome rims (ewww) to my car.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

That is one of the best DIYs I've ever seen. :thumbup:


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## CodyItaliano (Feb 19, 2009)

great work man. i had thought about doing this to my E38 as well. thats just awesome!


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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)

WTF? Was I in a bad mood. lol. 
The hell is wrong with me?




delmarco said:


> Lol.
> First of lets make this clear. It _my_ car and working on _my_ car is _my_ love so there is nothing like too much work/documentation that I put into my car.
> 
> I have a full time job where I work my ass off and make money and I pay all my taxes and bills so if on the weekends or my days off I see it fit to add crazy sh!t to my car then it will happen. Now that we clear that up.
> ...


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## Solidjake (May 10, 2007)

Excellent work bro


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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)

So it was a little over a year ago that I did the modification to activate both rear fog lamps that are factory pre-configured on all E46 BMW cars from 1998 _thru_ 9/2001. The DIY cost me literally around $30 (required were bulbs, 20 gauge wiring, and the euro rear fog LKM) and the work took less than 2 hrs to complete.

A year later and it is one of my favorite and most effective mod for what it does: first stunning and then warding off annoying tailgaters and truckers.

It is also a great winter time modification for making your car's rear end more visible to other motorists on the road during snow and rain storms.

*Tail Lamps Off-Parked:*








*
Tails On-Normal Driving:*


















*Rear Fogs On-Back off/Do not tail gate.*


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## delmarco (Jan 2, 2009)

latest picture and video. the effect with led license plate lights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEq8aKymGDM&feature=channel_video_title


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