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Blanks for switches on left side of dash?

6175 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  MikeF
After reading the "foglights" thread, I took another look at the left side of the dash, just above the little flip-out cubby (where I keep my cell phone charger and change for tolls).

There are three rectangular blanks in the plastic, "landscape" orientation. They look like the blank I popped out to add a foglight switch to the dash of my Wrangler several years ago. Several blanks were available; I assume you could use the others for winches, snowplows, etc.

But with no "easy to install" accessories which would require additional switches, I can't figure out what they would have been put there for.

Any ideas? :?:

MF
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'Cause when they designed the dash, they didn't know whether or not there'd be accessories?
I think on Canadian cars this spot is where the headlight dimming switch goes. And on German cars this is where the rear fog light switch would go. There's one other thing but I forget what it is.
The Canadian cars have three blanks as well. Personally I'm really glad that the blanks are there as I plan to add some mods to the car eventually.
Sparky5501 said:
There's one other thing but I forget what it is.
Heightadjustment switch for the headlights on European spec cars :wink:
Reviving an old thread here... Has anybody figured out if Honda makes an OEM switch that fits one of these blanks? I'm thinking of installing fog lights and want a clean-looking switch. Thanks!
Yep, on UK specification Insights, two of the three blanks are used for switches adjusting the headlight height (as No.166 says) and for a rear foglight. Skimmer - I assume that replacement switches should be available. HTH.
rear foglight?

I'm getting a mental picture of something like a lighthouse beacon on the back of the car...is this for visibility backing up in the fog, or to be seen in foggy conditions? Or is this the same as the midlamp on US cars?
Rear fog light(s) are a legal requirement on all UK cars. It is a bright red light (same as a braking light) which drivers can manually switch on in foggy conditions so that they can be seen better.

On UK spec Insights the foglight is installed in the rear bumper, to the right of the registration plate. I don't like the look of it - I prefer things to look symmetric!
Thanks for that Electric CO.

See what I mean about spoiling the rear lines?

P.S. That must be a German/European Insight picture - as the driver and foglight are on the left hand side.
Actually, I think it looks pretty cool. But then I just have a 'thing' for rear fog lights.

I found a Hella aftermarket rear fog light that could be easily mounted in the same place on a U.S. Insight (though you'd have to cut a hole for it in the bumper). Check out Model #81103 on this page, only $15:

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/backup.asp

But Model #81102 would be even easier to install right next to the license plate.
Skimmer:
Why not get 2(!) original fog-lights (uk AND euro spec) for symmetrical reasons.

To make things easier: On the inner side of your bumper you can probably make out the markings where the material needs to be cut out to fit the light. The factory in Japan doesn't fit them. It's Honda Europe over here who converts them to the different markets.

And to be honest, I don't think that the Hella-lights will be of a decent quality. Probably "made in Honduras" or something like that.......

Do you want me to ask my dealer for some prices, as I will be going there next week for some tidbits ? :wink:
Re: rear foglight?

jsanford said:
I'm getting a mental picture of something like a lighthouse beacon on the back of the car...is this for visibility backing up in the fog, or to be seen in foggy conditions? Or is this the same as the midlamp on US cars?
And to reply to your query:
Over here in Germany due to VERY severe fog accidents, fog-lights have been made compulsory in 1990 on every new car. Either two lights (21W-bulb) within each light-cluster or one single one on the drivers-side(like on the Insight)
By law you're ONLY ALLOWED to switch it on if you can't see further than 50 metres and due to that fact you're only allowed to do 50 kph. So if you're doing 80 kph in the fog with the fog-light on you can be fined !
You're also not allowed to switch it on within city-limits.

On newer cars (our Insight) the switch has a relay, that when you switch the lights off, the fog light stays OFF the next time you switch the lights on.
Simply because some lazy sods tend to forget to switch them damn things off and blind the traffic behind them !!
Personally I think these lights are plain nuisance.
:)
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Fog lights

Man, I wish these fog lights were avaible on US spec cars. I live in an area where fog often causes school delays in the winter months, and it is not uncommon to have to drive in conditions where visibility is less than 80 feet.
--C. Alan
the knockouts on the outside are to get to bolts holding remote doorlock module and alarm system module if equiped.
Man, I wish these fog lights were avaible on US spec cars.
They are, on certain cars. Saabs, Audis, some others I'm sure. My last car was an A4, and it had a button on the dash next to the hazard light button which would turn on the rear fog light. I rarely used it. When I see cars on the road these days with a rear fog light on, it's almost always in good weather, and it usually appears to be forgetfulness on the part of the driver -- I suspect they don't even know it's on.

MF[/quote]
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