Introduction
The Ranger, like many late-model vehicles, has factory installed fog lights. While the purpose of a fog light should not be confused with a driving light, I had a hard time even telling if they were on or not. Since I’m on the road a lot in all sorts of Pennsylvania weather in my 2002 Ranger, I set about finding a suitable upgrade.
A Halogen Replacement
Without getting into the trial-and-error of finding a better light bulb that fit, I finally found a replacement at J.C. Whitney. The stock 9145 bulb is shielded like a regular low-beam bulb but uses a high-beam type plug and is rated at 45 watts. The bulb I found at J.C. Whitney for $9.99 is a 9005 all-weather high-beam replacement bulb, their part number is 07UF6049U, and is rated at 65 watts. It also casts a somewhat yellow light like the conventional aftermarket foglights that we’re used to seeing and is not shielded like the stock light.
The stock lights come out with a quarter-turn, and then you can easily remove the plug. I did learn that the new bulbs don’t seal quite as well but a thin bead of clear silicone around the base will fix it.
The ears, or bayonets for you camera buffs, are pretty much the same for both, however in this photo you can see that the one at 7 o’clock is a little bit lower on the J.C. Whitney bulb on the right. This is nothing that can’t be overcome on installation with some wiggling into the housing.
Here is a photo with one of the all-weather bulbs installed on the driver’s side of my Ranger. My only other recommendation if you do this mod is to not drive around with the foglights on all the time like a lot of people seem to do, because these are much brighter and could bother other drivers. I save them for actual fog and other bad weather. ~TRS
Update 02/2020:
You don’t have to find these bulbs at J.C. Whitney. Jon replaced his 45-watt 9145 Fog Light Bulb with a 65-watt 9005 High Beam bulb. You can find these at any parts store. As Jon mentioned, one of the locking tabs is in a slightly different position. Some people have managed to get them to go in to the fog light housing the way they are, and some people have filed some of the tab off to get it to fit.
This is not a Ford Ranger specific modification. You can upgrade the fog lights on any vehicle that uses a 9145 fog light bulb.
Update – 2025 – An LED Upgrade
SEALIGHT 9145 LED Bulbs 800% Brighter
Many companies now offer an LED version of the 9145 bulbs as shown above. Just be careful of what you buy and pay attention to the output. The 9145 LED above claims to be 8x’s brighter than stock 45-watt 9145 bub, and the bulbs below claim to be 3x’s brighter. Not a big deal if you’re using them off-road, but you don’t want to use a bulb so bright on the road that you’re blinding traffic.
Contributor
This information was originally contributed by TRS Forum Moderator Jon O’Data to be published here at The Ranger Station.
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About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of The Ranger Station, one of the longest-running Ford Ranger enthusiast communities on the web. He has spent over three decades owning, modifying, repairing, and driving Ford Rangers on the street, trail, and cross-country routes.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com in 1999, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road tests contributed by owners worldwide. His work has been referenced by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, experience-based information rather than theoretical advice.
Jim’s hands-on experience includes long-distance overland travel, trail use, drivetrain and axle upgrades, suspension tuning, and platform comparisons across multiple Ranger generations. The content published on The Ranger Station is grounded in first-hand experience and community-verified data, not marketing claims or generic specifications.