# Adding Fog lights, will it require a bcm reprogram?



## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

As the title states, I'm reading how simple the "stock" fogs are to install, but apparently you will or may need the bcm to be programmed to run them? Can anyone verify? Here's my thought. I want to run a rigid light bar in my lower grill, and attach it to the factory fog light button (that I don't have and will install) and put my rigid light wiring in the factory fuse box to run it without splicing the harness or adding an aftermarket button drilled in somewhere. 

So so back to the main question, what will you need to do to use the factory button in the factory fuse box and will the bcm be cool with it, or how do I make it all happy and working?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

The short answer - you may. Some cars haven't needed it, some do. I don't recall if there's a pattern to figure out where you fall.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

It was a short period from like late 2012 to some time in 2013 that cars needed the BCM updated.


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

Crap. Thanks for the fast reply 

What do I call the dealer and ask for to price it out? Any people have experience on prices and will they know what to do when I ask them to reflash the bcm for fog lights?


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

I have a 12 and no idea of the date code (although not hard to figure out) so I'm basically going in to it planning on worst case scenario


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## chris10 (Oct 22, 2014)

I just added fog lights to my 12 (can't remember date code and at work) and didn't need a reprogram.


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## Snappa (Mar 31, 2013)

If you know anything about electrical on a car, this is an easy one. If you don't, it's still easy. To find out if your bcm needs the flash or not, open up the fuse panel under the hood.Locate the fog lamp fuse (can't remember which one it is but it isn't hard to find). Take any 12v light or a test light and connect one side of the light to top of the fuse (one of the two exposed metal parts on top) and then the other lead of the light to any nearest body ground source. If the light lights, you're good. If not, you will need a flash.


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

That's great advice and helpful. I don't have the button so would it still work without the button? I was under the assumption the bcm controlled that before the box


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

Just called Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, they said its manufacture date is 9/11 and will likely need to be reprogrammed. They said the kit is $230 and install around $60 (including reflash?) but all I really wanted was the factory button to give me power in the correct fuse, not really needing the gm stuff past the fuse box. Kind of at a loss, $100 to turn on a bcm button


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## Snappa (Mar 31, 2013)

You can still verify wether or not you need to reprogram it without the button. That circuit is live regardless if it's turned on via the interior button or not. honestly the best route to go if you are trying to save money and have decent fogs is to get the set off eBay for $49.99. Many users have them and best of all you can get them easily replaced for free of you run into any issues because this is just how the games goes on eBay. The sellers of these accessories will get afraid of getting negative feedback and will send you free replacements while letting you keep the new ones. This is what happened to me. I wasn't pleased with one little thing and now I have 2 kits for just 49.99. Many users on here have those same kits.one of the names the kit goes under on Amazon and eBay is Spider Auto. Then you can easily find the factory plug and play switch on eBay or at a junk yard. I found mine on eBay from a junkyard that sells parts online for about. So you can give yourself a 100 percent factory installation for less than $100, not even.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Snappa said:


> If you know anything about electrical on a car, this is an easy one. If you don't, it's still easy. To find out if your bcm needs the flash or not, open up the fuse panel under the hood.Locate the fog lamp fuse (can't remember which one it is but it isn't hard to find). Take any 12v light or a test light and connect one side of the light to top of the fuse (one of the two exposed metal parts on top) and then the other lead of the light to any nearest body ground source. If the light lights, you're good. If not, you will need a flash.


Can you explain how that works? If it's like the high-beam circuit I looked up, the fuse won't have power until the fog light relay is on. And that won't happen until you push the fog light button. If the fuse is before the relay, it would have power all the time - unless you're saying there's a fusebox modification that goes along with the reflash.


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## Snappa (Mar 31, 2013)

I do believe I had the switch before I tested it. I went out just now to verify and you do have to have it on via the interior switch first. i guess in my case I was just so anxious to get the fog lights that I ordered the switch first before the serperate $49.99 kit because if none of it worked I knew I could return it all hassle free. The only switch plus eBay fogs are a killer combination. You can even find an 18-20 gauge wire terminal so you can actually install it into the backside of the fuse box instead of using an add a fuse, making it just like factory. No way am I paying close to 400 for some fog lights. These dealerships are crazy.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Snappa said:


> I do believe I had the switch before I tested it.


Ah, that makes sense. You were testing before pulling the trigger on the more expensive part.


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## AutumnCruzeRS (Sep 10, 2012)

Use this for your wiring. Made my driving lights install easy. Make sure to run the ground wire through that circle sensor that all other grounds run through too.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p...arness&ie=UTF8&qid=1450149257&rnid=2528832011


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## chris10 (Oct 22, 2014)

Check out ebay for deals on factory fogs. You may have to check often but I got mine for $120 shipped (I have seen them go for cheaper) Use these numbers 95248415, 95903470 and 96983696. Check the box for "include description" when searching. Don't be afraid to make offers if they best offer listed. The person had mine listed for $175. I got them down to $105.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

shortbuss said:


> Just called Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, they said its manufacture date is 9/11 and will likely need to be reprogrammed. They said the kit is $230 and install around $60 (including reflash?) but all I really wanted was the factory button to give me power in the correct fuse, not really needing the gm stuff past the fuse box. Kind of at a loss, $100 to turn on a bcm button


They told you that?

Cruze Accessory Fog Lamps


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

Yeah when I told them the last 8 of the vin, that's what they said. Just checked the body sticker in the door and that's accurate. So there's no way to get around the bcm calibration then, huh...


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

Just called another dealer and got "I don't think that's even possible." Uhhhh, I can give you website links and show you it is, I just need some help on the bcm program. *office space voice* "yeah, ummm, let me call you back if my tech says we can do it". Ok, thanks guy lol


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## txcruze26 (Jul 7, 2015)

I have a 2014 cruze 2lt and I had my installer put in some LED foglights direct to the daytime running lights, they worked good until 1 night they stayed on ALL NIGHT! I could not get them to turn off and didn't have the space or tools to see what could be causing it. As of now they don't turn on anymore, could it be that it blew a fuse? or what would cause them to stay on all night and then not turn on again?


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

shortbuss said:


> Yeah when I told them the last 8 of the vin, that's what they said. Just checked the body sticker in the door and that's accurate. So there's no way to get around the bcm calibration then, huh...





shortbuss said:


> Just called another dealer and got "I don't think that's even possible." Uhhhh, I can give you website links and show you it is, I just need some help on the bcm program. *office space voice* "yeah, ummm, let me call you back if my tech says we can do it". Ok, thanks guy lol



Link above if they really needed it for update. Only the 13's listed in the link needed to be turned on.


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## shortbuss (Dec 7, 2015)

I thought it was 12-13 and mid way 13 they were good to go in factory trim. Well, I've just been busy to try the light trick in the fuse box but will do that soon. Either way, I'll end up doing it I guess.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

txcruze26 said:


> I have a 2014 cruze 2lt and I had my installer put in some LED foglights direct to the daytime running lights, they worked good until 1 night they stayed on ALL NIGHT! I could not get them to turn off and didn't have the space or tools to see what could be causing it. As of now they don't turn on anymore, could it be that it blew a fuse? or what would cause them to stay on all night and then not turn on again?


IIRC, the stock 2014 doesn't have DRLs, but uses the low-beam headlights. As such, I can't even guess what may be going wrong. You'd have to know how the added fog lights work.


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

Snappa said:


> I do believe I had the switch before I tested it. I went out just now to verify and you do have to have it on via the interior switch first.


I've got a 2013 2LT with a 10/2012 production date. I have a spare headlight switch with fogs so I swapped it in. Pressed the fog switch and got no fog indicator light in the dash. I assume then the BCM must be programmed?


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## CruzeTech (Mar 23, 2012)

atikovi said:


> I've got a 2013 2LT with a 10/2012 production date. I have a spare headlight switch with fogs so I swapped it in. Pressed the fog switch and got no fog indicator light in the dash. I assume then the BCM must be programmed?


I added factory fogs to my car after purchase, and they required a BCM reprogram, if that helps. I just had the dealer do the whole thing. They wanted to charge me for 4 hours. But that included taking the front bumper off. The tech put them on in less than an hour, and didn’t pull the bumper. I requested the price be reduced. After some haggling, if I recall, they changed me $150 for the bcm reprogram and the install. I would figure out the cost with the dealer before you get the work done. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

OK that's what I thought. I have no problem doing the install, just paying an hour labor for 10 minutes work is annoying.


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## PAChevyCruze (May 29, 2016)

CruzeTech said:


> I added factory fogs to my car after purchase, and they required a BCM reprogram, if that helps. I just had the dealer do the whole thing. They wanted to charge me for 4 hours. But that included taking the front bumper off. The tech put them on in less than an hour, and didn’t pull the bumper. I requested the price be reduced. After some haggling, if I recall, they changed me $150 for the bcm reprogram and the install. I would figure out the cost with the dealer before you get the work done.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


I added the fog lights to my Cruze myself without taking the bumper off. Not that hard. Dealer charged me like $90 to program the BCM, so you got a pretty good deal on yours. :goodjob:


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## Mclovn01 (Apr 25, 2018)

wondering does anybody on here know a kit for the fog lights or piece the parts together for a 2016 LT limited


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## Bwb1179 (Sep 2, 2017)

atikovi said:


> I've got a 2013 2LT with a 10/2012 production date. I have a spare headlight switch with fogs so I swapped it in. Pressed the fog switch and got no fog indicator light in the dash. I assume then the BCM must be programmed?



That is correct, if you had the switch and pressed it with no light appearing on the dash that does in fact mean a BCM Reprogram is required.


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## ThunderHarley (Jan 1, 2020)

Hello, I have a 2014 Chevy cruze diesel just added the chevy factory fog light kit. When I push the button for the fog lights it Does show the green icon in the gauges but I have no power at the fuse. Does that mean it needs the bcm programmed ? Build date of 2/13


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## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

Yes more than likely you do if it's a factory GM kit. There should have been an authorization code on the box that the dealer needs to reprogram the BCM. Hope you saved it!


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## ThunderHarley (Jan 1, 2020)

I do have the box it came in from Gm,I called and made an appt. Thanks for the reply.


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## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

ThunderHarley said:


> I do have the box it came in from Gm,I called and made an appt. Thanks for the reply.


I got the kit for Christmas for my 2nd gen. Hopefully I can get it installed this weekend and then make my appointment for the programming. Probably do an oil change and tire rotation at the same time since I'm almost due.


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## ThunderHarley (Jan 1, 2020)

It will be interesting what they charge, the service writer said she would work with me on making it less than an hr as long as nothing else needs flashed after he does the Bcm flash


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## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

Yea that's why I'm thinking of bundling it with an oil change and tire rotation so I don't get whacked for an hour just to program. Need to call and see if they'll work with me first though of course.


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## Skynie (Jan 3, 2020)

Specific can consult the maintenance staff, the line must be changed


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