DIY Fog light install, 2012 M5 EX sedan

chucksomerock

Well-Known Member
56
30
Vehicle Model
Civic EX
Body Style
sedan
Ok so my initial thread was a technical question but since I was able to finish the project, here's the complete DIY.
Thanks to Pauly99to17 for his initial DIY on a LX sedan.

The fog light kit used in this DIY is "Spyder Auto FL-HC2012-aD-C Honda Civic Clear OEM Fog Light"
Got it for 170 CAD on amazon (shipped in Quebec).

This kit is a bit more complicated than the real OEM one which only requires to plug the fog lights to an existing plug on the passenger side. College hill honda has a nice tutorial on youtube for the original honda kit.

Also needed for that DIY is an "Add a circuit" (2$ online, 12$ in store), a car accessory terminal (12-16ga), aluminum tape as well as some various tools (drill, screwdriver, 10mm socket and ratchet, snippers, various plyers, etc.).



First up, tape up above and below your healights to prevent any damage to them or to the bumper during dissasembling (didn't took pictures of that up until I had put the bumper back on).

Unscrew two hex bolts and pop out about 12 plastic rivets (didn't count them). I strongly suggest buying some extra before doing that job. I broke at least 3 of them during the process. They are 8mm.
I could be wrong, but I think the 4 rivets along the chrome grille don't have to be taken off...
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Once your bumper is taken apart, take off the foam on the shock absorber (you have to pull it up a bit before pulling).

On the bumper, installing both fog lights is pretty self explanatory. Pop out the blank, clip one side and screw the other side of the light. If you don't have an EX trim, you will have to cut out openings using a dremmel. Use Pauly99to17 DIY for that part.
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Run the longest fog light cable along your shock absorber. Fix the cable using aluminized tape. I don't know if you can use tie wrap but it is the official Honda method...
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At that point, attach your first ground to that relay support.
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Plug both fog lights and reattach the bumper. Put back both bolts and the rivets.

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Wiring:
On driver side, dissasemble both plastic molding (the one with the hood latch and the one with the fuel/trunk latch). There is one platic nail on the hood one as well as a small screw on the trunk latch. After that there's only green rivets. (Sorry forgot to take pictures of that)

On the left side of the car, behind the fusebox, there is a rubber plug that leads to the inside of your fender. Pull on that plug, drill a hole large enough to pass the harness as well as an extra 16ga wire. Cut half of the plug to pass the harness through. You could also make a large hole to pass the connector.
The plug isn't behind carpet or isolation.
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Run the harness wire from the engine bay to the inside of the car and then a 16ga wire from the inside to the engine bay (this wire will be straight to the battery to power the fog lights)
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Lead the 16ga wire to the battery but don't connect it yet (I strongly suggest using a terminal, 1,99$ well invested).
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Connect the relay to it's plug on the harness. In my experience, I had trouble plugging it in the connector. When I dit got it in, the red connector had backed off a bit. That would have probably lead to a bad connection and a lot of problems.
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To the green wire, connect an "Add a circuit" in order to get 12v on accessory for the switch ignition. You could also slice a wire to get that 12V but I wouldn't suggest that
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Detach the lower part of the car dash (below the steering wheel). No screw of bolts there, only clips. Just pull straight out.
Pop out a blank switch and replace it with the one provided. Don't forget to plug the switch from behind.
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At that point here's what your harness should look like.
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Unscrew the upper bolt of the hood latch support. Put it back with the provided relay support with the relay bolted on (I had to provide my own bolt and nut for that one, don't know why there were non included in the kit).
Don't forget the locktite for the relay attachment!
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At that point you're almost done. Plug the "Add a circuit" in the accessory fuse (#19) (I used a 5A fuse for the switch... maybe I should have put a smaller one...).
Don't forget to read the instructions on the Add a circuit package as for which fuse slot is which.Also, if you plug it in and it doesn't work, switch the polarity of the fuse and try again (as for a usb stick, it always work the second or third try!).
Finally connect your 16ga wire to the battery terminal (cut a small nudge on the plastic terminal cover to pass the wire).
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Voilà!
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Once everything works, tie wrap the harness on the hood latch cable and put back the two plastic molding.
 
Little update here concerning the Spyder kit. 2 weeks after the installation, the backlight on the switch burnt off. I am currently in communication with the company to get a replacement part.
 
Great job on the DIY. :thumbsup:

Let me know what happens with the switch. I'd like to talk to company responsible for the switch too. Sometimes my light in the button works, sometimes it doesn't. I'd really like to get another button. I'm wondering if they'd send me one or how much I'd have to pay to get a new one since I've had the lights for 2 years they're probably not under warranty anymore. Do you have a contact number?
 
Hey Pauly, I contacted Spyder technical support, and got in touch with a guy named Julio Barrientos. Told them about the fact that sometimes the backlight works and sometimes it doesn't (seems we are having the same issue). I got this response:
Please contact the vendor that you purchased the lights from and have them
go over their warranty, exchange and return procedures

So I went on amazon.ca and the only option I had was to fill a complete refund. I knew that they would then give me a shipping label and that I had to send them the complete kit as I had accidently ordered a coupe fog light kit earlier in august...
So I started a chat session:

You are now connected to Philip from Amazon.ca
Me: Switch defective
Hi Philip
Philip: Hello, my name is Philip. I'll be happy to help you.
Me: So here's the problem
Philip: Sorry for that
May i know the order number?
Me: I bought that foglight kit for my 2012 civic 4 doors
702-1946577-4213036
Shipped on september 20th
Philip: Spyder Auto FL-HC2012-4D-C Honda Civic Clear OEM Fog Light ?
Me: yes
I installed it as required and everything works
2 weeks later, the backlight on the foglight switch stopped working
sometimes it flickers
and sometime it doesn't work at all
so i would like to know if I could just get a replacement switch
i contacted "spyder" and they told me to get in touch with you guys
Philip: In this is will issue you a return label to return the item for full refund.
Will that be ok?
Me: well I don't want to send you guys the complete kit as it is already installed on my car
i just want to replace the switch
Philip: If you prefer to keep the item I can issue you a partial refund of 20%
Will that be ok?
Me: ok, with that 20% i am pretty sure that i can find a replacement switch
Philip: Great!
Hold on a moment.
I've requested a refund of $22.59 to your card. You'll see the refund in the next 2-3 business days.
Me: Thank you Philip, I will buy another switch with that money
Amazon rocks!
And you rock!
Philip: You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
Me: no thank you!
goodbye
Philip: It was a pleasure assisting you today! We look forward to seeing you again soon. If there is anything else I can help with, please let me know.


So now I need to find a switch with that 22.59$...
As your switch is also defective, I think I will go with another brand...
I'll look around and keep you in touch...
 
Ok so I looked around and read your thread regarding the 5 pins switch...
So if I understand, I should go to a junkyard and look in Hondas laying around?
BTW the contact at Spyder Auto is Julio Barrientos <techsupport@spyderauto.com>
 
Another update here:
My left foglight stopped working yesterday.
Took the assembly out using the front screw and saw that the bulb was already burnt...
I will order a pair as I expect the second one to fail eventually...
 
Ok so I looked around and read your thread regarding the 5 pins switch...
So if I understand, I should go to a junkyard and look in Hondas laying around?
BTW the contact at Spyder Auto is Julio Barrientos <techsupport@spyderauto.com>
I have an extra connector and can send it to you. pm me.
 
Which switch are you using? My switch is now broken and my fogs don't work anymore. :(
 
Last edited:
I still have the switch that came with the kit... The backlight do works but the light that says that the fogs are on doesn't.
Still it powers up the fogs.
Have you tried to take apart the switch and make the two wires touch?
It may be your relay that's broken...
 
I still have the switch that came with the kit... The backlight do works but the light that says that the fogs are on doesn't.
Still it powers up the fogs.
Have you tried to take apart the switch and make the two wires touch?
It may be your relay that's broken...
Ya, the backlight never worked for my switch either, but I had the fogs on all the time so the engaged light was always on.

Yes, I did take the switch apart to see if there was anything I could do to to fix it. Nothing doing. It was just a circuitry board and all the connections were well soldered as far as I could tell. A year ago I had a problem the OEM "magical" switch so I took it apart and managed to fix it. There was a thin metal piece that would slide back and forth when the button was pushed. This thin piece was little bent upward so was not making a good contact with the circuit board. I bent it down and everything was okay afterwards. I was hoping this Spyder switch was going to be an easy fix, but no such luck. :(

I don't understand what you meant when you said "make the 2 wires touch"

Do you want to sell me your switch?
 
I don't have a spare switch as i just kept the money from the Amazon partial refund and lived with the "faulty" switch..
A thing you could easily do, is to reinstall a "blank" switch, use a dremell and cut out a hole for any generic 12v switch (or a hole for a round switch...)

I went through your Build thread, impressive car you got there..i will probably install a rear view cam in the spring...
 
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