How to get Rear Fog Lights working on a MC 02 USA Specs for driving in Europe

Howdy:
I have a 2002 Mini Cooper bought in California that I took with me when I moved to Europe/Belgium.
To get the car registered and street legal, the locals demand rear fog lights ....

So I collected this information on the web and these forums for the posterity.

My status right now:
I just found the switch panel with #61 31 6 917 993 that has DSC and front and rear fog switches. Paid 60 Euros for it.
Next step installing this and taking some pictures.
Finally pay a visit to the local dealer to get the computer programmed.

Based on all my research what is needed is to get rear fog lights working is:
- check that you have rear fog lamps installed in the rear lights blocks and wired (checked for me, YMMV)
- get a new switch panel with the rear fog light switch (and DSC in my case)
- install this is plug-in using the existing pre-installed wires
- get some computer thingies done so that the new switch is recognized


Why did I go DYI? I have a local dealer quote for E300/USD400 to do some kind of hack:
They told me they would have to:
- change the tail lights,
- install a custom wiring,
- install an ugly custom non-mini switch somewhere on the front panel,
- and that using the empty slot in the switch panel was not possible or too expensive....

I was wondering how to get something better looking than what the dealer offered without costing an arm and a leg.

So I started searching and searching the web and these forums....

And went a bit checking the car. Here is what I found:
- My switch panel as an empty slot in the middle (see picture). My MC 02 has DSC and factory front fog lights.
- My rear fog lights are pre-wired: the right and left rear tail light assemblies have the fog light wired (and even a fog lamp).
The wire is yellow with a brown stripe. I assume that this wiring must be going somewhere, most likely in the area of the central switch panel.
Based on research and links below, USA specs models manufactured before 2004 are pre-wired.
There are some gaps with non pre-wired models in 2004, and they may be pre-wired again after 2004.




What would be the exact switch panel part number for this MC02 with DSC?
Based on this: http://www.gbmini.net/wp/2003/10/rear_fog_upgrade_details/
and this: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/data/500/Fog_Light_Retrofit.pdf
and this: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=RC31&mospid=48010&btnr=61_1490& hg=61&fg=35
.... My best guess is that the part number would be with “DSC”, front and rear fogs, aka: Switch pack(DSC) : 61 31 6 917 993
You should be able to find yours in these links

These are two I saw on ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINI-COOPER-S-R53-Centre-Console-Dash-Switches-DSC-Fog-6917993-2002-2006-/321150056125
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Mini-One-1-Cooper-S-Switch-Switches-Panel-6917993-TRW-R50-R52-R53-01-06-/321156538890

What is the best "how to guide" to DYI the switches panel installation?
These look good:
http://web.archive.org/web/20060221074957/http://mini.uglydoris.com/archives/000066.html
http://www.thelivingoods.com/mini/ToggleSwitchPanel/
http://www.ehow.com/how_7597446_remove-switch-panel-mini-cooper.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20060508013508/http://www.gbmini.net/mtblog/archive/2006/01/06_mini_downtub.shtml


I hope that the dealer will be able to program this once I installed the switch panel:
This is what is explained here and a few other places below : http://www.gbmini.net/wp/2003/10/gbmini_rear_fogs_activated/

For reference these posts and links come in handy:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/interior-exterior/94285-rear-fog-light-question-2.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/data/500/Fog_Light_Retrofit.pdf
http://www.motoringfile.com/pictures/minileaflet.jpg
http://www.motoringfile.com/pictures/minileafletback.jpg
http://www.gbmini.net/wp/2003/10/rear_fog_upgrade_details/
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/r50-r53-hatch-talk-2002-2006/229422-rear-fog-lite.html


That's it for now!
I will keep you posted as I progress.
It may come handy for someone else....
/HTH

 

So here is where I am now: I got the switch panel and I installed it.

NB: I am an absolute noob in mechanics/car electrics and it took me about one hour, going gently and checking everything twice before doing it.

NB: I had unplugged the battery before doing all this but I am not sure this was needed... better be safe though

See my gallery for picture of the console before and after:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/74374/cat/500

Before:


After:


The new switch before installation:


The details of the new switch with the part number:



You will need a Torx screw driver or Torx tipx T40 and T20... Luckily I had some... never had any use for it until today!


For this installation I followed mostly the instructions from:
- http://www.thelivingoods.com/mini/ToggleSwitchPanel/ : pictures mostly ...
and here:
- http://web.archive.org/web/20060221074957/http://mini.uglydoris.com/archives/000066.html

But neither did explain how to pull up a bit the silver instrument panel to get the downtubes out which seems to be the simplest way and is what I did:

The page http://web.archive.org/web/20060221074957/http://mini.uglydoris.com/archives/000066.html has a comment at the bottom which was very useful:
This felt a bit scary, but doing things gently worked out fine.

And this link helped: "Partial removal of the dash center fascia (steps 8 - 9)"
http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?faq=faq_interior#faq_faq_removal

This link helped me best with the unlocking the connector behind the panel:
http://web.archive.org/liveweb/http://gbmini.net/G2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2663

NB: the downtubes CANNOT be pushed down on my MC02 as explained http://www.gbmini.net/wp/2006/01/06_mini_downtubes/
though it work on later models...

Getting everything back in place was a piece of cake.

NEXT STEP: getting the computer programmed at the dealer or elsewhere.
I am going to email them these as otherwise these poor sods may not know what to do:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/gallery/data/500/Fog_Light_Retrofit.pdf

http://www.motoringfile.com/pictures/minileaflet.jpg

http://www.motoringfile.com/pictures/minileafletback.jpg