Starting in 2017, the Jeep Wrangler came with an optional LED fog light straight from the factory. That is great news if you own a 2017, but what if you own a 2007 to 2016 JK that came with halogen reflector fog lights and you want that clean OEM LED look? In this guide we walk through exactly what we tested and installed, and we explain the wiring requirements to put these factory LED fog lights into a JK that never came with them. The short version is that the new OEM connector is different from every older style, so you need the correct adapter or anti-flicker harness to make it plug-and-play.
Why the Jeep JK LED Fog Light Install Is Not So Simple
On paper, this seems like it should be a quick swap. Pull the halogen fog lights out, drop the 2017 OEM LED fog lights in, and you are done. Unfortunately, Jeep used different fog light bulbs and connectors across the JK production run, and the new LED units came with their own unique connector that does not match any of them directly. When we tested these parts side by side, we found three distinct connector styles you need to understand before you buy anything. Get the wiring right and you get a factory clean look with zero flicker. Get it wrong and you either cannot plug things in at all, or you end up with fog lights that strobe every time you turn them on.
2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler: The 9145 Style Fog Light
From 2007 until 2008, and a little bit into early 2009, the factory reflector style halogen Jeep fog lights came with a 9145 halogen bulb. This bulb has a specific type of connector on the fog lights, and the socket for the bulb is unique to this early production window. If you own one of these earlier Wranglers, this is the connector you will be working with when you go to add the OEM LED fog lights.
2009-2016 Jeep Wrangler: The 2504 Style Fog Light
In 2009, Jeep transitioned to a new type of bulb called the 2504. It looks completely different than the early style, and the connector it uses on the Jeep fog light wiring is also different. This is important because a lot of people assume that all JK fog lights share the same connector across the entire 2007 to 2016 run. They do not. If you own a 2009 through 2016 JK, you have this 2504 style connector in your factory fog light wiring, and that changes what harness you need for the install.
The 2017 OEM LED Fog Light Connector
Here is where the confusion really starts. When you get the new Jeep Wrangler LED fog lights from a 2017 vehicle and you want to put them on your older JK, you have to know a few things about the original halogen fog light wiring. The new LED fog lights come with their own style of connection. A lot of people think that it is the older 9145 style from a 2007 or 2008, and we have seen people try to plug it in that way. That is not going to work. The 2017 OEM LED connector is different from both the 9145 and the 2504 style, so no matter which JK you own, you cannot simply reuse the factory plug without an adapter of some kind.
Installing OEM LED Fog Lights on a 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler
If you have a 2007 or 2008 Jeep Wrangler with the 9145 style fog light bulb, we developed an adapter wire harness specifically for you. On one side it has the exact same wire configuration as your original light bulb, so it plugs directly into your factory Jeep fog light wiring. On the other side it has the new connector specifically designed to fit the new LED fog light. This makes the install truly plug-and-play on your 2007 and 2008 Jeep Wrangler. You do not have to cut, splice, or modify anything on the vehicle harness. You just plug the adapter in between the factory wiring and the OEM LED fog light.
One thing to keep in mind on the early models: if you do this install with the simple adapter wiring and you get a flicker in your fog lights, contact us and we will help you out. For most 2007 and 2008 Jeeps, the basic adapter harness gets the job done without any flicker at all, which is why it is the simplest path for those early trucks.
Installing OEM LED Fog Lights on a 2009-2016 Jeep Wrangler
You might think that because your new LED fog lights have the same general type of connector as your 2009 to 2016 fog light wiring, they should just plug right in. The connector on those newer JKs does physically accept the plug, and it will connect. The problem is that it will flicker on a newer model Jeep. That flickering is caused by the way the vehicle electronics interact with the low current draw of the LED fog lights, and it will not go away on its own. To fix it, you have to use an anti-flicker harness.
If you have been shopping around, you may have already come across our JW Speaker anti-flicker harness for LED fogs. That harness was designed for the 2009 and up Jeeps that use a 2504 bulb in their fog lights, but it was built for aftermarket LED fog lights that did not use the 2017 OEM connector. On one end it has the 9145 style connector that would plug into the JW Speaker 6145, and on the other side it has the factory vehicle wiring that looks like the original 2504 bulb. The 2504 looking connector plugs into your factory fog light wiring, and the 9145 looking connector plugs into the aftermarket fog light.
Why the Old Anti-Flicker Harness Does Not Work Here
This is the mistake we see most often. People already own the original anti-flicker harness for aftermarket fogs and assume they can reuse it with the new 2017 OEM LED fog lights. When we tested that combination, it simply did not work. The 9145 style connector on the old harness does not fit the 2017 OEM LED fog light connector, so you cannot mate the two. Because of that, we developed a dedicated harness specifically for this application.
On our website at www.headlightrevolution.com you have two options. You can buy the basic adapter harness to go from your new style 2017 LED fog lights into your 2007 and 2008 Jeep Wrangler, or you can buy the anti-flicker kit to convert your factory LED fog lights into a 2009 to 2016 Jeep that requires the anti-flicker harness plus the adapter. The way the anti-flicker kit works is that the two pieces plug together: the connector that looks like your original light bulb plugs into the vehicle wiring, and the connector that looks like your vehicle wiring plugs into the new LED fog light. That gives you a true plug-and-play solution that gets rid of flicker while using OEM LED fog lights from a 2017 Jeep Wrangler.
Other LED Fog Light Options for the JK
The OEM LED conversion is a fantastic route if you specifically want that factory look, but it is not the only way to get better fog lighting on your JK. If you would rather run a purpose-built aftermarket bulb, take a look at our Ultra Series LED fog light upgrade for the JK, which drops into the existing housings. If you want a complete replacement fog light system, the Baja Designs Squadron fog light system for the JK and the Morimoto XB LED fog lights for Wrangler JK are both strong choices that we like for their output and build quality. And while you are upgrading the front end, it is worth comparing Gen 3 vs Gen 2 LED bulbs on the JK so your headlights match the crisp white color of your new fog lights.
Quick Recap Before You Buy
To keep it simple: figure out which fog light connector your JK uses first. A 2007 or 2008 with the 9145 bulb needs the basic adapter harness. A 2009 through 2016 with the 2504 bulb needs the anti-flicker kit that combines the adapter with an anti-flicker harness. And no matter which one you have, do not try to reuse the older aftermarket anti-flicker harness with the new OEM LED fog lights, because the connectors do not mate. Once you have the right part in hand, the actual install is plug-and-play with no cutting required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fog light bulb did 2007-2008 Jeep Wranglers use?
They used a 9145 style halogen bulb with a specific connector that is different from later models.
What changed with 2009 Jeep Wrangler fog lights?
Starting in 2009, Jeep transitioned to a 2504 style bulb and connector for the factory fog lights.
Can I just plug 2017 OEM LED fog lights into a 2009-2016 JK?
The connector will physically plug in, but it will cause the lights to flicker, so an anti-flicker harness is required.
What do I need to install 2017 LED fog lights on a 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler?
You need a special adapter harness that has the 9145 style connector on one end to plug into the factory wiring and the new LED fog light connector on the other end.
Will the existing aftermarket anti-flicker harness work with the new OEM LED fog lights?
No, the original anti-flicker harness was designed for aftermarket LED fog lights like the JW Speaker 6145, not the new factory LED fog lights, so a different harness is required.
Meet the Experts Behind Headlight Revolution
Chris Nelson – Founder
Before founding Headlight Revolution in 2011, Chris worked as an automotive install technician specializing in lighting, sound systems, and engine performance parts. He has personally tested thousands of lighting products and works directly with lighting engineers to evaluate the technical performance behind every recommendation.
Josh Beberg – Content Production Manager
Josh leads hands-on testing and content production at Headlight Revolution. From beam pattern comparisons to real-world installations, he works directly with lighting engineers to ensure every review is grounded in measured results, not marketing specs.
