My MK1 doesn’t currently have a rear foglight, and the MOT is due next weekend, so I need to fit one. I can’t see any existing wiring altough it does have a switch and wires to run a pair of front foglights.
I’ve got a nice moulded one that fits in the centre of the rear bumper but I need advice as to how to wire it it so it passes the MOT -
do I need an illuminated switch?
do I need to wire it so that it can only be used with the headlights on? If so, how do I do this?
is it easier to rewire the highlevel brakelight instead?
Hi Jim, I will let someone more technicaly minded answer the “how to” question as my son wired mine up & i didn`t take much notice of how he did it lol but the answers to 1.2 & 3 are yes AFAIK.
Having said that my import passed 3 MOTs at 3 differant garages prior to me buying it without a rear foglamp so its all a bit of a lottery if you ask me. I didnt want to take the chance on it failing so fitted one straight away.
Another alternative is to get a red bulb & use one of the reversing lamps…Many have done this mod or the brake light & passed no problems.
+1 on that
Much more tidy than an extra lamp plonked on the back. Even the moulded ones look wrong IMO.
I used a red LED lamp and it flew through the MOT.
If it passes the MOT it is good enough for me. I realise that there are legal restrictions, but I can’t imagine Mr Plod getting their tape measure out unless they have pulled you for something far more serious and are looking for further things to do you for. Plus, how many will actually know of the rule and will realise that it is not a factory option on an mx-5?
Mine did too but it wasn`t a “tell tale” switch so i had to buy the MX5parts one.
Keep searching the forums as i managed to find some write ups explaining which colour wires to tap into…unfortunately i didnt bookmark them so can`t remember where i found them…possibly here or mx5nutz or miatagarage
Drat, the switch doesn’t have a telltale light on it, but it does light up when the headlights are on - according to those MOT rules it doesn’t need to be lit unless it’s turned on, so I might be able to swap some wires around to get it to light up only when turned on.
I didn’t wire it in, sorry. It was like that when I got the car.
All I did was move it to make way for the sleepy eye switch to the right of the fog switch.
EDIT:
Reading those MOT rules, it seems that wiring a Fog light could be easier than I thought.
The tell tale light will just need to be in line with the wire feeding the fog lamp, and the switch can operate independently of the lights, therefore not needing to be wired into the lighting loom.
Therefore a simple relay, switch, inline fuse, LED and plenty of wire would be all you require to set it up. (be careful to not leave it on when you park the car though, unless you take the positive feed from the ignition wiring)
Well all I need to do to it now is to get a telltale light that comes on when the switch is on - can I just wire a bulb or LED into the feed wire on the switch?
I have some 12v dashboard lamps left over from my kit car build - maybe one of those can just be spliced straight into one of the wires on the switch?
I’m currently saving a 5. It’s a bit ropey and needs plenty of TLC. Hoping to get it lloking it’s best by the summer.
One of the first jobs is sorting everything needed for the MOT. The rear fog light was an ugly bolt on under the bumper - just doesn’t do the car any justice! IMO.
There is a tacky amber illuminated rocker switch, thats going prob to be replaced by the one mentioned in the thread from mx5parts.
Does it matter where the in-line fuse goes and what amp does is need to be?
I’m sure I’ll be hounding people on here alot more about other issues/suggestions.