Everthing works but fog lights

zafo · Apr 13, 2024

2015 Ram 2500, 6.4 Hemi Tradesman. Fog lights never on. I just moved to NH, the mechanic said they failed. I never used them since I bought the truck a year ago. I never needed I guess.
The light control does not have a button for fog light. There is a button for rear middle bed light, and that's it. The turning knob controls auto, on, off etc..
The bulbs are good, I tested. I make sure the low beams on, not high beams. The truck is from south, no rust or corrosion on any electrical contacts all clean.
I checked the fuse box in the engine compartment drivers side, nothing about fog lights. I checked the fuse number #10, it says Exterior Lighting No.2 whatever that means, it is good. I checked the fuse #23 Body Control Module (BCM), it is good too. I checked the ODB2 codes, all empty.
All the electrical systems in the vehicle works fine but this.

Tulecreeper · Apr 13, 2024

On my wife's Jeep Patriot the control was on the end of the turn signal. You had to pull out on the knob to enable the fog lights.

zafo · Apr 13, 2024

That's the round knob I mean. It has no control for fog or anything.

crash68 · Apr 13, 2024

@zafo that might be the wrong headlight switch for the OEM fog lights control as you push the knob to turn the fog lights On/Off.
Does this truck have the up fitter switches under the radio? it's possible they wired the fog lights to one of those.

zafo · Apr 13, 2024

This is how it looks under the radio. Just two switches about towing.

White six four · Apr 13, 2024

Previous owner probably installed fog lights along with bumper with the cutouts and never "finished" the job to actually get them to work. My tradesman didn't come with fogs. I purchased the bumper with cutouts, fog lights, headlight switch with fogs, and @Mpgrimm2 harness. Also activated them with alfaobd.

Lookup your build sheet for your truck and see if it actually came with fogs. Since it's a tradesman I doubt it did.

zafo · Apr 13, 2024

Thanks. I just downloaded the build sheet from NHTSA by entering VIN. There are 137 rows in it. No record has the word "fog". Does that mean it was manufactured without fog lights?

zafo · Apr 13, 2024

On the other side, the lights on the bumper looks like they are original, but how am I to tell.

White six four · Apr 13, 2024

zafo said:
Thanks. I just downloaded the build sheet from NHTSA by entering VIN. There are 137 rows in it. No record has the word "fog". Does that mean it was manufactured without fog lights?

Sounds like it was. I don't think they ever put fog lights on the tradesman models. Now that I added them to my tradesman everything looks and functions as if it came from the factory. Sounds like you'll need @Mpgrimm2 harness and pin it into the fuse box (if I remember correctly, it's been a few years). Very simple to do and he gives excellent instructions on how to do it. Buy a headlight switch that also controls the fog lights. Then lastly have a dealer flash your bcm so they actually work. Or like I did turn them on with alfaobd.

Or I suppose a guy could skip all that and wire them up to a separate switch and install the switch somewhere.

zafo · Apr 13, 2024

Actually the reason I am going thru this is because the new state I moved to NH requires inspection, and the mechanic failed my inspection due to fog lights. I wonder if he has legal right to do that if the vehicle has no fog lights originally?

Badger 13 · Apr 14, 2024

On my 2013 the round headlight knob controls the fog lights by pushing the whole knob in. The headlight switch as to be in parking or headlights mode in order for the fog lights to come on when the dial is pushed in.

gtomike60 · Apr 14, 2024

It might be a state requirement for them to work if they're on the vehicle,whether or not they are OE installed

New Hampshire

Division of Motor Vehicles

A Division of the New Hampshire Department of Safety
Below is a list of items which are included in the general inspection process:

Registration, plates, registration certificate and vehicle identification number.
Steering, front end and suspension.
Brakes, including parking brake.
Odometer and speedometer.
Electrical system, horn and defroster.
Lights and reflectors, including headlight aim.
Glass, glazing and mirrors.
Wipers.
Exhaust system.
On-board diagnostics system.
Body, chassis and bumper height.
Fuel system.
Tires and wheels.

White six four · Apr 14, 2024

Depending on how picky they are you might be able to just remove the fog lights and bring your build sheet with stating fog lights were not an option on your truck. Or they should be able to look it up and see it didn't come with them. This would be the cheapest and easiest option.

Option 2 wire them up to a switch either oem or any switch.

Option 3 replace bumper and fog lights with an actual tradesman bumper that didn't come with fog lights.

KnurledNut · Apr 14, 2024

Follow the wiring from the fog lights.

Mpgrimm2 · Apr 16, 2024

@zafo
You're headlight switch doesn't have the center button for fogs.

Not sure if the bumper has the OEM bumper harness between them or not that ends in a 4 pin connector behind the left side ...

See:
- DIY: Add 2013-2018 OEM Foglight Wiring
.

Everthing works but fog lights

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