installing fog lights

mbalogh · December 9, 2003

Hi all -

I recently purchased the factory fog lamp kit and installed it on my 00 Silverado 1500. I got to the end of the directions and found out that the BCM had to be reprogrammed. So I call the local dealer and they want $140 for the 15 minutes of work it would take a slow person to do this!? Hrm... $140 to activate an $80 fog light kit. Suddenly I feel swindled...but I digress.

I won't give the dealer the pleasure of charging me a ridiculous sum of money to do so little work. So I'm going to rewire the lamps with a relay and standard switch. I'm planning on activating the relay using the front marker lamps so I can use the fog lights all the time, like when I'm out surf fishing or hunting and want less light. Anyone see any technical problems with doing this? Am I gonna fry anything?

Thanks in advance,

~Mike

Morgan · December 9, 2003

Shop around. I only paid $62.00

AZ-Z71 · December 9, 2003

Sorry to say I ended up paying them $90 for that stupid service. GM out to get every dime they can. I think 2002 and up they are automatically programmed for plug and play.

mbalogh · December 10, 2003

Thanks for the info fellas. I'll definitely be shopping around for other dealers to do the work. Problem is the closest one besides the one I already tried is 45 minutes away. But I guess we'll see.

~Mike

silverado man · December 10, 2003

I'd be making a few call to other dealers, that dealer is scamming you.

GnatGoSplat · December 10, 2003

If you're good with soldering, I rigged up a circuit that works with the factory switch. I soldered it to various points inside the BCM. I think I have a schematic of it somewhere.

Less than $10 of parts, and it remembers whether you left the foglights on or off when you shut off the truck. It doesn't "forget" like the factory setup does.

mbalogh · December 11, 2003

GnatGoSplat, I'd love to see how you did that! I'm pretty good with a solder gun, but I don't know if I'm comfortable working with the BCM. Too much $$ if I screw up and kill it. I guess I'll wait and see what it involves.

The primary reason I'd be doing this would be to use the factory switch rather than a stardard on/off switch. If you have any ideas on how to do that without getting into the BCM, I'd appreciate hearing them. I'm not a pro with electronic circuits, but I understand the basics. I don't really care if it remembers the last setting for the lights or not. I'd only be turning them on when I need them anyway. Thanks!!

~Mike