deschlong

iTrader: (8)

Foglights are wired to function differently on the 92-95 5th Generation Civic in Japan vs. here in North America. This guide will explain how JDM Foglights are wired and how to convert a JDM OEM Foglight Harness to comply with OEM CDM/USDM specifications and legal requirements for vehicle conspicuity.

Also, often the aftermarket wiring of foglights is not acceptable for compliance with North American vehicle conspicuity laws, either. I purchased an OEM JDM Foglight wiring harness and modified it as described in this write-up to comply with North American regulations and to have OEM functionality.

The first image - OEM JDM Foglight wiring in 5th Gen Civic:



The second image: How to convert your OEM JDM Foglight Harness to function in North America and comply with vehicle conspicuity laws.




Fuse Box Connections

I make reference to the connector numbers (eg., C917) in the write up above. This is referencing the connector numbers as described in the CDM/USDM Helms manual, typically at the under-dash fuse box. I guess this can seem pretty obscure to those of you unfamiliar with this nomenclature. I've reproduced the page below as a quick reference to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

** NOTE that C917 requires either a 7.5A fuse in slot 16 or a 10A fuse in slot 17 to work.**

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Awesome help mang. Thanks again!

_MARS_

This also is very good info and nicely laid out. Wish there was more info on how to install the fogs with your attention to detail instruction.

Arthas

What difference does this make?

eklum

yea i wasnt aware jdm fogs were illegal due to wiring or illegal for that matter.

fungus mungus

Thanks for adding another useful DIY! I ran into the discovery that the JDM harness is different than the USDM harness about 6 months ago. If this had been posted back then, I probably would have made the mods to comply with US regulations.

But I didn't and I'm not going to yank out the harness now to fix it. As long as I don't run my fogs w/o my headlights (I never do), I should be fine.

fm

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Foglights in Japan can be turned on regardless of the orientation of the headlight (High Beams on, or low beams on).

In the US, it is road laws that make this illegal. Fogs can only be on when Low beams are on and must be off when High beams are on.

This very informative post was created to convert the JDM foglight harness to meet US regulations.

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

Consult the diagrams where I have described this in the text.

In many jurisdictions this is true. Consult your own state/provincial laws to check. One jurisdiction that I know of where you can run your fog lights independently of your headlamps is in British Columbia, but only in inclement weather when it is necessary.

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

Bump for update with a photo of the connector.

FM: I'd argue that you don't have to yank out the harness to fix it. You can do these mods while it's still in the car. The items you'll need are a couple blue 14-16ga wire T-taps, a thin piece of sheet metal OR a yellow wire T-taps, and the RED/BLK & RED leads from a rear defogger switch.

Reroute the WHT wire to the steering column from the fuse box, it'll reach. The fuse box RED/BLK is no longer used. Use my sheet metal trick or a yellow wire T-taps to connect it to RED/WHT. De-pin the 1-pin connector, if you need to, using a very small flat-end screwdriver. Pull out on the white plastic retainer part first though.

Crawl under the dash and insert a blue wire T-taps between the harness' WHT AFTER it passes the in-line fuse (now a 16ga wire) and RED/BLK. On the wire T-taps you'll have to poke out one hole so the wires can pass parallel through (b/c usually you just insert an end of a wire in here and it is blocked at one end ... you'll see what I mean when you look at the T-taps.).

At the dash switch, remove the PIN 4 & 5 RED/BLK and BLK. To do this, lift up the clip, then insert the smallest hex key you've got into the square hole at the front -- then just pull on the wire, and out it comes. Real easy once you get good at it. Tape these down and make sure they don't touch. Replace with the rear defog switch leads and use wire T-Taps to attach to existing RED/BLK and RED wiring.

I'd estimate that this would take you about 2 hours from start to finish.

riverismine

first thanks for sharing this, i have made my own wiring harness as i could not find any OEM for sale here in Canada. i have gathered the RC-2201 relay from the car you have specified and made the wiring to the JDM spec fog light harness as i like the fog lights to be independent of the headlights.

however the fog light switch i have is from a USDM car and after putting everything together it does not work i don't know if its because of the switch. do you know i can resolve this issue??

also the relay i have comes with a metal bracket on which i have bolted on under the steering column but i don't think that makes any different.

riverismine

I figured what my issue was, OP had mentioned C917 and C918 on the fuse panel, when i looked at the diagram for under dash fuse box from the usdm service manual C917 is the middle one slot1 (Option (IG2) and C918 slot2 is the second one from the right side.

i hooked up the 12" wht wire based on your diagram to the far left one which is C915 Option Bat.

if you look close enough on the fuse panel the they are marked as this
[5] [4] [1] [2] [3]
as your diagram mentioned its option 2 and 5. i don't know if the OP would like to change the reference to C917 to correct one which is C915.

here is a the correct C# from the service manual
slot 5= C915 Option BAT
slot 4= C916 Option BAT
slot 1= C917 Option IG2
slot 2= C918 Option No. 19 fuse
slot 3= C919 Option ACC

for my install instead of using Slot2 C918 i used slot3 C919 this way since my car does not have DRL when i turn the ignition ON with the fog light switch in ON mode they come on automatically.

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

Thanks for catching that. Will fix. Though, I guess the way I had it means your fogs would work only when in IG2 (ie., only turn on if key is in IG2, and are off when ignition is off).

So, you've wired them to run as DRLs ... seems like a good idea. No DRLs, but you're in Canada? Interesting. New JDM import? USDM car? Post pix!

riverismine

^^C917 or IG2 didnt work for me...

its a RHD JDM import a real eg6 SiR... thanks for your post, cause this gave me the parts to get from scrap yard to make my own OEM fog light harness.

i will post pics later, i only have them at my work computer....

tsylican

iTrader: (1)

so is the JDM switch and harness plug and play with a USDM car from the get go?

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

^^ Yep, it will work, but it won't be legal in most US and Canadian jurisdictions.

tsylican

iTrader: (1)

So if its plug and play where do the C918 and C917 connectors plug into?

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

^^ Post 11 explains where they are.

bobbyeg6

my fog lights run anytime when the cars off or not lights or not just push the button. now i cant figure out why they wont turn on now, can the fog switch be bad it self i checked all wires and fuse and relays. help pls

latino911

on a 92-95 japense fog light wiring its....?

1. Switch Harness - (blue/red) cable female connector(brown) to -------
2. Male connector(brown) and Male connector(brown) on both ends to ------
3. Fog light harness female connector(brown)/ (blue/red) wire with a grown wire


Now #2. wire basically connects both switch harness and fog light harness together. Runs through engine bay into cabin????
correct?????????????

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

That's a little hard to follow, but here's a quick summary of what I think you're getting at:

1. The JDM Fog Harness ENDS with a Female connector on BLU/RED
2. I discovered that a USDM/CDM Fog Light wire BLU/RED that runs from the cabin on the d/s, through to the headlight area near the washer bottle, STARTS with a Female connector. ( Note only 94-95 Civics were pre-wired for fogs.)
3. Therefore, I needed to clip and swap the JDM Fog Harness' Female connector to a Male end (which I had - you can see it in the pic). The wire also needs to be extended a bit.
4. BLU/RED ends near the washer bottle with a small bullet connector.

EDIT: Found a pic of the USDM/CDM fog light switch harness setup (credit: user 'riverismine'):

latino911

Exactly,

mine is a 93 honda civic hatchback dx
i probably dont have pre wired
ill have to make one.
To connect Switch harness to Fog light Harness.
Because it will not reach without a Male to Male connector.
Im going to keep it OEM JDM.
ill post pix. later. of OEM JDM SWITCH AND FOG LIGHT HARNESS.

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

I wrote up this DIY to show people how easy it is to convert the JDM harness to a USDM-spec one. I really suggest you give it a try! I prefer the way it operates like that (off automatically with high beams on), not to mention it also complies with local laws.

riverismine

i have a complete wiring set and switch for sale if interested... this is for the USDM models the picture posted 3 threads up is the one for sale by me on the for sale section....

XYRS2LT

Now all I have to do is find the JDM harnesses.

JDMRPM

my point of confusion is what on EARTH is the point of buying jdm fogs/harness if your gonna convert it to usdm spec???

waste of time, shouldve just gotten an oem harness

but props to the OP for doing a thorough diy