Honda CRX Forum banner

How To: Turn your bumper lights into running lights

30K views 75 replies 28 participants last post by  Baker 
#1 ·
I've posted this a few times when it comes up, I guess it's time to make it more permanent.



If you wanted to turn the bumper light into only a running light, you would tap into the hot wire of the front bulb on the corner lights and run them down to the bumper lights, replacing the factory wiring there. However, I don't recommend this, since people facing you head on won't see your signals, and it's probably not legal.

The way that I did it, the bumper lights will be on when the parking lights are on, and will still function as turn signals.

Basically, you're gonna swap out the factory 1156 bumper light bulbs for 1157 dual-filament bulbs. Get the corner light bulb sockets from a 92-95 Civic, either from the junkyard or from a Honda dealer. These are designed for 1157 bulbs and will hook right up to the CRX bumper light housings, at least for 90/91 cars.

So once you've got the new sockets and a fresh pair of 1157 bulbs from the parts store, you can put them in. There are 3 wires on the 1157 sockets, and you only have two wires on the stock bumper lights. Ground goes to ground, and you're going to tap into the front bulb of the corner socket for the third wire.

An 1157 bulb, for those uninformed, has a "bright" and a "dim" side. The factory bumper light hot wire goes to the bright side of the 1157. You just have to twist the wires together temporary like to see which is which, before finalizing the connections. The wire you pulled down from the corner lights will go to the dim side of the 1157.

In this way the turn signal circuit is unchanged, and will still be visible over the less bright running light circuit you've added.
 
See less See more
1
#30 ·
Thanks for fixing it :)

I read through this a while back and didnt think much of it, but last night i came home and looked at the front of the car with the running lights on and remembered this thread and thought how much better it would look if the bumper lights were also on. Great write up. :)
 
#37 ·
Master_Spazez said:
Here's a picture of them done up on my car:
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/5669/dscn1746f.jpg
I wanna do some DIY city lights, now.
ok call me a noob what are "city" lights daytime running lights?

also what style bumper lights are those? I have seen them on some other crx's clear on the sides with amber middle. Sounds like an automotive oreo. lol. ok that was corny.
 
#38 ·
jtkc said:
Master_Spazez said:
Here's a picture of them done up on my car:
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/5669/dscn1746f.jpg
I wanna do some DIY city lights, now.
ok call me a noob what are "city" lights daytime running lights?

also what style bumper lights are those? I have seen them on some other crx's clear on the sides with amber middle. Sounds like an automotive oreo. lol. ok that was corny.
They are the 90-91 bumper lights. City lights are small bulbs that light up the headlight housing when you don't need low-beams but want people to see you.
 
#41 ·
jtkc said:
So for a reference the LED strips in the new AUDI's headlights, would be an example of CITY LIGHTS correct. sounds like a neat idea.
Just think DRL(Daytime running lights) = City lights, same concept, nothing new, just different lighting technology.

Here's a 92-95 Civic headlight.
http://www.jdm****.com/parts/headlights ... ht_BLK.jpg
It's an aftermarket light, but on the back, the smaller bulb just below the headlight is the city light.
The stock lights on 92-95 Civics came with a city light in Japan, as well as later year Civics.
 
#42 ·
hmmm.. sounds like you could possibly, wire in another side marker light to parking lights, drill a small hole in factory headlamp housing and wa-la city lights. in a very generic diy how-to more to it than that i bet.
 
#47 ·
Baker said:
TheSylntChamber said:
Well I found some sockets to do this mod, Only thing is they appear to have only 2 wires (buying them online), I thought the EG has three wires?
You can also use the ones from the 96-00 Civic.
The ones you pictured look similar to the stock Crx ones?
That's what I was thinking. He says they are from a 92-95 Civic, but they look like CRX ones (except the crx has a green plug [from the ones I've seen]). Who knows, waiting for him to confirm what car they are from.
 
#48 ·
TheSylntChamber said:
That's what I was thinking. He says they are from a 92-95 Civic, but they look like CRX ones (except the crx has a green plug [from the ones I've seen]). Who knows, waiting for him to confirm what car they are from.
I'll have to look for my old pair and compare them. They def look like stock Crx harnesses.
 
#51 ·
Baker said:
TheSylntChamber said:
That's what I was thinking. He says they are from a 92-95 Civic, but they look like CRX ones (except the crx has a green plug [from the ones I've seen]). Who knows, waiting for him to confirm what car they are from.
I'll have to look for my old pair and compare them. They def look like stock Crx harnesses.
Found out they were socket from his 92-95 EDM corner lights he bought. Said it came with the harness. So I guess either the EDM corners are different or whoever he bought the lights for stuck some 88-91 lights in there.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top