Update: This modification only applies to MINIs produced from 2001-2004.

Phil over at North American Motoring has beat me to the punch and posted a great write-up on how to correctly install the new rear foglight retrofit and keep the much love MINI brakelight mod:

“A rather large number of people (this includes me) have expressed the desire to make use of the upper part of the brake/tail lights which has gone unused in US-spec cars as additional brake lights. European-spec cars have this area as a rear fog light. When the MINI was released into the US market it was decided that the rear fog lights were not going to be offered mostly because it was not a requirement here in the states. So, the toggle for the rear fog lamps and the programming for them in the Body Control Module was omitted. Was wasn't omitted was the wiring and the bulbs, which remained. Curious decision, because here were parts installed that were never going to be functional. True, it is cheaper to make certain parts cross-market compatible, but to leave the bulb in place in the holder was the source of not only amusement but a rallying point for US MINI customers to try and get the option made available here. In the meantime, those more creative among us decided to make the orphaned bulb work as a brake light. This has the benefit of making the car more visible during braking and may increase the chances of avoiding a rear-ending of your car by a somewhat inattentive motorist behind. An added asthetic bonus was now the entire area of the brake light was being used. It just plain looked better.

Most of the brake light mods (as they became universally known) were done mostly by adding a jumper wire between two contacts of each brake light assembly or a splicing of two wires in the wiring harness at each taillight. Simple, cheap, and easily reversible if desired.

Those who wanted the rear foglights asked MINIUSA and signed petitions to have them made available here. All that effort has paid off and now there is a kit available from MINI to finally get what we have been wanting.

The 'kit' is simply a replacement switch bank with the missing toggle. Everything else is already in place. You get the entire assembly because the toggles are not individual pieces.

Okay, great! Now we can have the rear fog lights like we always wanted. Some people will do without the rear fog light option because they simply don't want ot need it. Some want to have their brake light mod and leave it at that. Others, like me, want the best of both worlds. This takes a little bit more work.

The problem arises when the brake light mod is done as it has been by jumpering or splicing wires. The jumper/splice allows current to flow from the circuit containing the brake lights to the fog lights, illuminating both when the brake is applied. If the fog lamp circuit is now activated and the fog lamps are lit, the jumper between the circuits will now direct the current meant strictly for the fog lights into the brake light circuit and illuminate them as well. Not good. This will have the perceived effect of riding the brakes and not allowing them to come on only when braking, a serious safety issue.

This is where my simple mod comes in…

You can check out the how-to in it's entirety at this NAM post.