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Fog Light Kit questions for 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.2L Sedan

16K views 37 replies 11 participants last post by  joebush44 
#1 · (Edited)
I just purchased a 2000 Impreza 2.2L Sedan for my 3 teenage kids to share. I'd like to install the OEM fog light kit on this car, but I have a few questions.

* The user @krotch on this site said "the car should already be pre-wired for the fog light kit". Is this correct? I'm hoping that I only need to get a kit for part # H4510FA220:

1997 2001 Subaru Impreza Fog Light Lamps New Genuine | eBay

* If the car isn't pre-wired, then what else would I need in addition to the kit?

* I'm seeing kits for part # H4510FA220 ranging from $158 to $199. Are these the same kits? Some kits don't have photos, so I can't tell.

* The installation instruction from the thread below only refer to 1998 and 1999 models; mine is a 2000 model. Any guesses about installations differences for the 2000 model?

(http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t138379-my97-01l-oem-fog-light-kit-install-instructions.html)

* Is this something I can install myself over a weekend? I have decades of experience building model airplanes from scratch, and I have also built and soldered many guitar pedals, but I've never done *any* automotive work. I do have all the tools I'd need.

Here's a photo of the parts in the kit:



And here's the front-end of my Subaru. It looks like my covers are for round fog lights, but the ones in the kit are more rectangular shaped.

 
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#2 ·
That kit seems to give you the plastic shroud thing to replace. So you'd just pop out the round ones from the car and put in those rectangular ones.

As for pre-wired, they started prewiring cars for things they didn't have starting in 98. Made life easier if someone wanted to get power windows, mirrors, foglights, etc later on.

I can't remember where the foglights plug in. I think near the horns. You can look there for the pre-wired wires. Someone else will have to chime in on the exact locations, since I don't remember.
 
#4 ·
All the wiring is in the car. Its plug n play. The only thing that isn't in the picture that you need is a relay that plugs in under the dash.
If you need help with installation, Let me know. I'm in the area and always happy to help. I did this fairly recently too
 
#5 ·
Is this the relay (plus interior switch assembly) you're talking about? It's blocked in the other photo above.

If not, I'll need to track down a part number.

And thanks for the offer to help! Really appreciate it. If I do need help, I can pay it forward with some programming help (assuming you're not also a software developer!). :)

 
#7 ·
That's just the switch.



Here's the switch, next to the relay. The relay box should be right under your steerign column. You'll probably need to pull part of the dash off to get to it. Think it's only a few push pins/screws to get the panel piece off.
 
#9 ·
I believe the GCs use the round relay, while the GD+ use the rectangular ones. I don't know if they are interchangeable, but was just giving an example. Anyways, I found the part number for the round relay.

Part# 82501AA130
 
#11 ·
#13 ·
Guess I'll have to do that. There *seem* to be a LOT of sites selling this kit, but the only one with a photo is in the OP above (eBay auction). Unfortunately, that one is also the most expensive at $199.

Here's what I've found so far (from most to least expensive), searching for "H4510FA220".

eBay - $199.95 - 1997 2001 Subaru Impreza Fog Light Lamps New Genuine | eBay

eBay - $187.15 - 1997 2001 Subaru Impreza Fog Light Lamps New Genuine | eBay

eBay - $179.96 - Subaru H4510FA220 Genuine Factory Original Fog Lamp | eBay

Subaru Parts Vendor - $159.96 - FOG LAMP for 2000 Subaru Impreza|H4510FA220

Subaru Parts Vendor - $159.96 - http://www.subarupartswebsite.com/OEMParts/subaru-153/H/H4510FA220.html

Subaru Parts Vendor - $158.60 - SubaruGenuineParts.com

Subaru Parts Vendor - $158.56 - H4510FA220: FOG LAMP KIT
 
#17 ·
the kit will include the relay, its probably in the little box like the others said.

just some tips when installing:

the pre-drilled/threaded holes where you bolt the brackets onto might be a little rusty, mine were. that part was kind of a pain.

also the harness does plug in near the horn. there will be a plug wrapped in electric tape. mine wasn't wrapped too well, and the inside of the plug got a bit corroded. this caused the lights not to work at first. just something to keep in mind if you have issues.

i circled the contacts, i ended up scraping them a bit with a little screw driver and it worked fine.
 
#18 ·
Thanks. I had seen your earlier post (and picture) about the corroded plug ends.

So, since you've actually installed one of these things, are you happy w/ the results? Where I live (on a plateau on Seattle's Eastside) we have A LOT of fog. It was so thick last night around midnight that even in the neighborhoods I was paranoid going more than 5-10 MPH.

A lot of driver around here always use their fog lights whenever their main lights are on. What about you?

EDIT: What year is your car? Mine's a 2000, and the instructions I've seen online are for the MY98 and MY99. I can't imagine it's hugely different for 2000, but thought I'd ask.
 
#19 ·
For any car with factory foglights, it's all the same. My 96 Impreza Coupe fogs are slapped together the same way as my 98 RS fogs, 01 OBS fogs, and 00 Sedan fogs.

I also find the foglights are essentially, completely worthless on our cars. They scatter more light off to the sides, so I can see further off to the sides of the roads. Something I worry about when driving through deer country. As for using them for fog, it's completely useless. Maybe if I bought different bulbs for them, but I can't imagine it'd do much.

Why I'm just looking at replacing my foglights with Hella 500 driving lights. Can't use them on a day to day basis, but when I go play on mountain roads with no traffic, having another pair of driving lights would be nice.
 
#23 ·
I also find the foglights are essentially, completely worthless on our cars. They scatter more light off to the sides, so I can see further off to the sides of the roads. Something I worry about when driving through deer country. As for using them for fog, it's completely useless. Maybe if I bought different bulbs for them, but I can't imagine it'd do much.
this.
i really like my fog lights. do they help with fog? maybe. i actually don't run into bad fog very often. but i really like that they scatter light to the sides, that was the first thing i noticed. i feel like my visibility at night got much better with the fog lights.
 
#22 ·
The stock fogs are kind of pretty junk. More of a cosmetic item. Your driving lights will just drown them out if you use them in conjuction, so you can't tell they are on facing forward. They only shine the side of the road a little more and that's it.

As for yellow foglights, it being better than normal foglights is just myth. It scatters no differently in the fog as the stock lights. They probably just bought higher output bulbs and though "wow, so much better", where they could have just bought any higher output bulbs and had the same effect.

The only benefit of yellow foglights is for driving in the snow. It helps you see the detail in the terrain, instead of washing it out into a big block of white fuzz. Why things like ski/snowboard goggles use yellow lenses.
 
#27 ·
As for yellow foglights, it being better than normal foglights is just myth. It scatters no differently in the fog as the stock lights. They probably just bought higher output bulbs and though "wow, so much better", where they could have just bought any higher output bulbs and had the same effect.

The only benefit of yellow foglights is for driving in the snow. It helps you see the detail in the terrain, instead of washing it out into a big block of white fuzz. Why things like ski/snowboard goggles use yellow lenses.
This, though having your auxiliary lights use some sort of "selective yellow" bulb rather than a standard bulb can have benefits in more than just the snow. Yellow light is easier for our brains to process than white or blue light, iirc, so it's easier to see, per se, when using yellow bulbs. The light doesn't scatter better in fog, it's just easier to process the additional scatter caused by the concentration of water droplets in the air.

Aside from that, it's purely a cosmetic choice. Light output from most selective yellow bulbs will be very close to that of a standard bulb.
 
#26 ·
I actually have a set of both 500 classic fogs and drivings.

The driving 500's are extremely good for low light (country driving). The lights have a huge range, however the beam pattern is fairly narrow.

I prefer the fogs as they get used more (at least for me) in day to day driving.
 
#28 ·
Huh? No, our brains just process yellow to look brighter. It's not actually brighter, just appears that way. Now objects reflect yellow better.

There's also the way our brain processes the light in the dark, without it affecting our night vision. Red least affects our night vision, while blue affects it the most. Yellow is in the middle ground, but none of this really matters since your fogs are going to be combined with your driving lights anyways and the point of the lights is to blast the night, so you don't have to use your night vision to see 50+ ft in front of your car.

All in all, it's really only beneficial in the snow. If you don't get a lot of snow, then just get whatever one you want. I don't touch the yellow, cause you just look like a doucher with them.
 
#31 ·
I was always under the impression that it was the other way around with appearing brighter. Part of the reason why Sylvania branded Silverstars (not the Osram versions) appear brighter to most people. They have a bluer (or less yellow) hue to them, and your brain thinks it's more light. Lumen for lumen, yellow should always appear as a less harsh contrast.

Color debate aside, the biggest benefit the oem fogs will provide you is that they're a bit lower than your headlights. Something about being able to get under the rain and fog to be able to light up your path.

For getting the fogs to no longer require the low beams to operate, you effectively wire the relay so that it's powered with the parking lights instead of the oem setup.
 
#30 ·
Side view is pretty much the only reason I use them. I'm always worried about some random animal popping out from the sides.

The US foglights are a bit on the annoying side, since your regular driving lights have to be on to use the fogs. So, whether fogs are on or off, those driving lights will screw over fog driving.

There's suppose to be some kind of mod to make it so you can turn your fogs on with just the parking lights. I've never done it, but my current car allows it. Having just parking lights and fog lights on works well in the fog.
 
#32 ·
What I mean when I say it affects your night vision, is when there is no light present. Red least affects this, so after seeing a red light, then turning it off, you easily adjust back to seeing in the dark. Blue light on the other hand affects you the most, so when you turn off that light, it takes longer to adjust back to seeing in the dark.
 
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