Hey everyone,

I bought the stock foglight installation kit from H and A and it went like clockwork. I encourage anyone who can read to do this if they want foglights in their bumper instead of little mirrors from Target. :-)

Two sticky parts -- first, working on the wiring harness under the dash puts you in an uncomfortable position for a fair bit of time, and unplugging connectors from the fusebox can be tricky...you have to pull fairly hard and when they do give you can skin your knuckles a bit.

Second, putting the bumper back on requires a few moments of finesse if you do it alone. It's easier if you have a friend hold it up on one side while you fasten the other side.

Other than that, it was a snap. I actually cut the holes for the foglights with a very sharp carpet knife, it was easier than sawing and left a prettier edge, and I "rounded over" the cuts with a butane torch. The lights didn't have to be aimed, they were already dead on.

I wish I would have taken pictures as I went but I was having too much fun. :-)

Feel free to ask questions. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined but by no means am I a mechanic.

Darren

I'm having a hard time believing people when they say that installing the fog lights is nothing but "plug and play"...

Is it really that easy to install. Just lookin' at the installation instructions on the HandA website got me scared.

It really is easy, but I have to agree with Khaki_Dude that doing the wiring harness under the dash is really a pain on the _ _ _ _.....(you fill in the blanks). I also had a hard time unplugging the connectors from the fuse box. But once you are all done and your fog lights come on, it really was worth the effort.

I'm having a hard time believing people when they say that installing the fog lights is nothing but "plug and play"...

Is it really that easy to install. Just lookin' at the installation instructions on the HandA website got me scared.

It's certainly not plug and play, but it can be done. It's sorta like baking a cake from scratch. Follow the directions to the letter and you get a cake. Deviate and you get brownies, which still ain't all that bad. :roll:

Get a friend to do it with you. Read each direction twice. Then do what it says to do. If it looks weird, it probably is. The coolest thing I thought was having a hot lead already in place next to the horn...so all you do is hook the new lights up to the hot lead with the harness, then "activate" the hot lead with the inside wiring harness. No messing around trying to run stuff through the firewall.

Tell you what, I'll go through the instructions and try to remember where I thought it was unclear or where I made a mistake and clarify. Sound okay?

Darren (a.k.a. Khaki_Dude)

Sounds good to me!

Just remember, I have absolutely no experience in doing this kinda stuff. If the instructions are clear I think I can do it, no problem.. but I was thinkin' you would need SOME kind of experience in engineering or something.

Do a search for NYElement's install guide. That is what I followed and it was a piece of cake. I'd rate it a 2 or 3 out of 10 for difficulty <1 being least difficult>

I just finished the installation too (thank you H & A!) and I have to agree with the above posts. The instructions are very clear with one or two exceptions: I never really figured out some of the recommended under dash attachment points for all the extra harness length so I used common sense and judgment to make everything secure; have a plan for reattaching the bumper cover if you are working alone - something to support the bumper up near the correct height while you connect the harness to the lamps and guide everything back into place is a necessity; take a moment to familiarize yourself with how Honda connectors lock and unlock. A small electrical screwdriver works well to depress the little "latches" on the connectors while you pull with the other hand. The underdash work is MUCH fussier than the front end stuff. Finally, after trying the recommended hack saw for the hole cutting, I opted for a utility knife & X-Acto knife combination to make cleaner and more accurate cuts.

Take your time and follow the steps and you'll have working lights with the first push of the switch :)

I too thought the install was easy. READ the instructions over and over until you figure out what goes where. I took the time to read them the night before and looked at every connector to make sure I understood what went where. Cutting out the opening was the easiest part. It does help to have two people to put the bumper back on.

I wasn't able to attach every single zip-tie harness anchor under the hood that the instructions called for, and the hacksaw method of cutting holes in the garnish for the lights is pretty cobby. Otherwise, it's just a matter of following many simple steps.

I also swapped the cruise control and fog light switches (matter of taste).

I wonder if H&A is gonna have a special on the fogs again anytime soon?

I'm a bit nervous about installing the fogs myself but based on what's already been said, I think I can do it.

Got my '05 Element 2 weeks ago. I've also installed the OEM foglights too. Maybe some of you know this little trick. I discovered this when I was attempting to remove the connectors from the tightly quartered fuse and connector panel. I found that a paint can opener (kinda looks like a short flat tip screw driver except that the flat tipped part is slightly curved under itself and it has a small triangular handle, all metal.) made this job easy. Each connector has a small lip on the latching part that when pressed down releases the connector from the panel. Of course you have to release and pull at the same time and this is no easy task since it is tough enough to get one hand in there let alone two. Anyway, carefully get the opener (curved side down) to the top of the connector you want to remove and put it just behind the lip on the connector. Then push up on the handle. The connector is then unlatched and drawn out of the panel at the same time. Then the rest is easy. Hope this will save some guys a little heart ache.

I did the H&A foglight installation today. I am not mechanically inclined at all. If I can do it, anybody can!!! It was a lot of fun actually.