Feature Friday: 8 Fog Light Kit Setups For 5th Gen 4Runner

We Asked 8 Toyota 4Runner Owners Why They Upgraded Their OEM Fog Lights & What They Like Most About Their Current Setup

This Week’s Topic: Aftermarket Fog Lights

Welcome back to another Feature Friday! If you missed last week’s FF, we looked at soft shell RTTs for the 4Runner. This week we will be looking at 7 aftermarket fog light options that owners upgraded to from their OEM fog lights and what they like most about them.

As always, feel free to DM the owners on IG to ask any additional questions about their setup if needed.

Enjoy!

Top Products Featured

• Heretic Studio 4Runner Fog Light Pocket Kit (Amber): Check Price
• Diode SS3 SAE/DOT Yellow or White: Check Price
• Diode SS3 Pro Yellow or White: Check Price
• Baja Squadron SAE: Check Price
• KC Lights KC Flex Era 3: Check Price
• KC Lights KC Flex Era 3 Amber Caps: Check Price

Why Upgrade Your Fog Lights?

OEM fog lights on the 5th Gen 4Runner leave a lot to be desired. Whether you purchased an early model 5th Gen, with halogen fog lamps, or if you have one of the newer models with LED fog lamps, the light output from the factory often pales in comparison to aftermarket options. SAE/DOT-compliant restrictions are part of the reason, but you’ll find that there are some aftermarket options that carry that certification while still being brighter.

A simple solution to get better light performance out of your stock fog light housing is to add cost-effective drop-in LED lights. These replace the original halogen bulbs and are extremely easy to install. They usually range anywhere from $30-$100 depending on the quality of LEDs used.

There are also some really cool LED bulbs called switchbacks that can switch between white light or amber with just a single bulb. This option is very nice and still less expensive than a full fog light housing replacement.

The main problem with an LED replacement is you are limited to the OEM reflector housings. This is where a full fog light replacement (pocket kit) comes into play. Most lighting companies now sell plug-and-play fog light kits for the 4Runner. These kits require no splicing of OEM wiring harness and typically come with their own mounting brackets to easily install directly to the OEM fog light mounts.

The major benefit of going with a full fog light replacement is the increased light output over OEM. The difference is truly remarkable. Most companies offer both white or amber color options and several light output patterns depending on your driving needs. In addition to increased light output, many companies like Diode Dynamics and Baja Designs have several options for both SAE/DOT-compliant and off-road only use.

Now, let’s take a look at what these owners below decided to swap their OEM fog lights out for and why!

1. Kyle Hassell (@k4runr) – Diode Dynamics

Fog Light Details

• Model: SS3 Pro | 6000K White | SAE Fog
• Lumens: 3000
• Price: $380/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I swapped to an aftermarket fog light to increase visibility during night wheeling and rural driving. These lights are amazing, and fully illuminate the entire road and beyond. With an extremely wide beam pattern and high magnitude output, they are a massive upgrade over the stock fog lights and provide clear visibility on night adventures. Let there be light!

2. Ryan Lau (@4runnersaurus) – Heretic Studio

Fog Light Details

• Model: LED Fog Light Kit | Amber | Combo Beam Pattern
• Lumens: 2904
• Price: $340/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I chose to go with Heretic Studio because they use true amber lights. The more yellow tint of the big brand names was a bit too close to the white of my low beans and I wanted more color separation for driving in bad weather. These are not DOT compliant, but I mainly use them to drive off-road anyways. Heretic Studio lights are top-notch in quality and I think they look great.

3. Cody Carbone (@trailrunn4r) – Baja Designs

Fog Light Details

• Model: Squadron R SAE
• Lumens: 3150
• Price: $430/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I personally found the OEM fog lights to be a bit of an eye sore with the reflector housings. At first, I was thinking about getting the Baja Designs Sports (non-street legal), but I found that the SAEs have plenty of output and are 150% brighter than OEM.

I also had issues with moisture getting into the OEM fogs causing the lights to fog up, go figure! With the Baja Designs fogs, you’ll never have to worry about any weather conditions thrown at you and your rig.

4. Blake Farnham (@wulf_runner) – Diode Dynamics

Fog Light Details

• Model: SS3 Pro | Yellow
• Lumens: 2700
• Price: $380/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

The factory fog lights on the 4Runner are pretty underwhelming. Even with aftermarket LED bulbs, I wasn’t getting the output I had hoped to achieve. Having purchased Diode Dynamics products in the past and been extremely happy with their quality, I decided to purchase their SS3 Pros for the 4Runner.

The output on these is insane, brighter than my factory headlights. Now, they have an even brighter version with their “max” option. My favorite part is that they’re SAE/DOT-compliant, which allows you to legally use them on the road. I’ve had them installed for two years now with zero issues.

5. Daniel Khimthang (@daily.4r) – Rigid Industries

Fog Light Details

• Model: 360 | Yellow | SAE Fog Light Kit
• Lumens: 3100
• Price: $650/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I wanted more output from my fog lights while still being able to run them in the city. This kit keeps things simple with a plug-and-play feature and no splicing involved. The amber fog looks so much better than the white in my opinion. With the monsoon season here in Arizona, it helps cut through the heavy rain. It also helps during my night runs or dusty trails.

6. Rovie Flores (@adobo4runner) – Diode Dynamics

Fog Light Details

• Model: Elite Series | Cool White 6000K | Amber Backlight
• Lumens: 1850
• Price: $220/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I chose these fog lamps because of the OE-style design. They are easy to use, plug and play, and it even includes the fuse tap for the amber DRL. I love the amber backlight functionality (wired to 12v with constant power). The backlight matches the rest of my amber accents. The pattern is extremely crisp and it’s evenly spread.

7. Jon Ayran (@org4runna) – Baja Designs

Fog Light Details

• Model: Squadron SAE | Amber
• Lumens: 2480
• Price: $430/pair

Why Did You Upgrade Your OEM Fog Lights? What Do You Like About Your Setup?

Let’s face it, the stock fog lights that come on the 4Runner really don’t do much. I needed something that would give me a lot better performance when driving in low visibility conditions. These fog lights make it easier to see in the snow or while driving on super dusty terrain, especially with the amber light.

The fog lights are super high quality compared to others on the market and don’t have that cheap plastic feel. This brand has been proven in the racing industry, so I have confidence that these will survive anything I put them through!

8. Brenan Greene (@Trail4R) – KC Lights

KC Flex Lights (Amber Caps Combo Lens Pattern) on C4 Bumper

Fog Light Details

• Model: KC Flex Era 4
  • 7,912 Lumens
• Model: KC Flex Era 3
  • 3,672 Lumens
• Model: KC Flex Singles
  • 975 Lumens

I added my build in here bon this one because KC does offer a Flex Era 3 fog pocket kit for the 5th Gen 4Runner, however, I run them on my C4 Hybrid. The output on the Flex Era 3 and Flex Era 4 are both insanely bright (lumens mentioned above). I’ve been running KC Lights since before the Flex line and they have revolutionized their housings, optics, and the design ethos overall. The housings are stealthy and fierce. When you hold these lights in person, you would be blown away by the design and features they provide; bezel options, lens options, cap options, and more. The Flex Era 3 and Flex Era 4 both feature backlights which at night, are very helpful for others tracking your truck on the trail when dusty conditions are present. You can run the backlights on the road and it’s not going to blind anyone, although KC does not have the DOT/SAE stamp of approval just yet. That goes for both the backlights and the full power however there are rumors of them launching an SAE Flex. The amber caps are clearly what made the look of my build “Jade” and throw a very dependable amber cut light when dust, snow, and rain are present.

Are the number of amber fog lights I have a bit overkill, yes. Do I have fun lighting up the trail? Absolutely.

Final Thoughts

Of all the lights you can swap out on your 4Runner, I truly feel that you stand to gain the most performance and value by swapping out your OEM fog lights for an aftermarket alternative. Many of the options above still retain that stock 4Runner look, while increasing light performance by well over 100% in many cases.

We want readers to get inspired by a variety of rigs/products. Submit your build for Feature Friday here to get featured. Next week we will be showcasing Winch Options. If you would like to submit your build for next week, include your setup details and an awesome photo that shows it off.

Have a great weekend everyone!