Rear Fog Lights

[Looghis]

Have any of you guys ever wired rear fog lights into your U.S. spec cars?

I would imagine since the fog light switch already has two positions, it'd just be a matter of adding two sockets to the tail lights, a relay, some bulbs, and some wires.

[SharkInfested]

Interesting question.

[carnut1947]

Rear fog light was one bright bulb on the driver side only. Depending on the side of the road your country drives on, it can be left or right. That's why there's 2 sockets. Personally I would NEVER have 2 rear fog lights. Image coming upon a car with two bright red lights ahead of you. You believe their brakes are on, not that they're fog lights.

[FernandoBunster]

I wired the two fog light sockets as additional brake lights.

[carnut1947]

That's a much smarter use of those sockets!

[Looghis]

i was thinking of doing that too but i like the idea of rear fogs in foggy nj springs and autumns

[Layne]

Rear fog light was one bright bulb on the driver side only. Depending on the side of the road your country drives on, it can be left or right. That's why there's 2 sockets. Personally I would NEVER have 2 rear fog lights. Image coming upon a car with two bright red lights ahead of you. You believe their brakes are on, not that they're fog lights.

I haven't checked mine, but I thought 2 rear fogs was pretty standard for euro cars by the 80's. I know for sure my E34 has two. I wouldn't worry about people behind you having any thoughts whatsoever, you're just lucky if they see you at all. Plus new car taillights are about a million times brighter anyway. I only use my E34 rear fog lights in horrendous rain (don't get much fog) and I'm glad to have them at those times.

[Looghis]

not that it relates much but i had a b7 audi which had two factory fog lights. they were definitely comforting in all sorts of limited visibility conditions

[alpinacsi]

http://dastern.torque.net/Rearfogs/Rearfogs.html

- - - Updated - - -

In Europe and other countries adhering to UN Regulation 48, vehicles must be equipped with one or two bright red "rear fog (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog) lamps", which serve as high-intensity rear position lamps to be turned on by the driver in conditions of poor visibility to make the vehicle more visible from the rear. The allowable range of intensity for a rear fog lamp is 150 to 300 candela,[18] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting#cite_note-R48-18) which is within the range of a U.S. stop lamp (brake light).[7] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting#cite_note-FMVSS108-7) Rear fog lamps are not required equipment in the U.S., however, they are permitted, and are found almost exclusively on European-brand vehicles in North America—Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes, MINI, Land Rover, Porsche, Saab and Volvo provide functional rear fog lights on their North American models. Some vehicles from non-European brands which are adaptions of European-market offerings, such as the first generation Ford Transit Connect (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect), come standard with rear fog lights, or vehicles with European market counterparts, such as the second generation Chrysler 300 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_300), have an option for them.[citation needed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)] The final generation Oldsmobile Aurora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_Aurora) also had dual rear fog lights installed in the rear bumper as standard equipment.[citation needed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)]
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/RearFogLightMercedes.png/220px-RearFogLightMercedes.png (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RearFogLightMercedes.png)
Single rear fog lamp on a Mercedes M Class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M-Class#Second_generation_.28W164:_2005.E2.80.932011 .29)


Most jurisdictions permit rear fog lamps to be installed either singly or in pairs. If a single rear fog is fitted, most jurisdictions require it to be located at or to the driver's side of the vehicle's centreline—whichever side is the prevailing driver's side (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_directionality) in the country in which the vehicle is registered.[18] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting#cite_note-R48-18) This is to maximize the sight line of following drivers to the rear fog lamp. In many cases, a single reversing lamp is mounted on the passenger side of the vehicle, positionally symmetrical with the rear fog. If two rear fog lamps are fitted, they must be symmetrical with respect to the vehicle's centreline.[18] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting#cite_note-R48-18)
Proponents of twin rear fog lamps say two lamps provide vehicle distance information not available from a single lamp. Proponents of the single rear fog lamp say dual rear fog lamps closely mimic the appearance of illuminated stop lamps (which are mandatorily installed in pairs), reducing the conspicuity of the stop lamps' message when the rear fogs are activated. To provide some safeguard against rear fog lamps being confused with stop lamps, UN Regulation 48 requires a separation of at least 10 cm between the closest illuminated edges of any stop lamp and any rear fog lamp.[18] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting#cite_note-R48-18)

[Looghis]

thanks for the info

[Layne]

To provide some safeguard against rear fog lamps being confused with stop lamps, UN Regulation 48 requires a separation of at least 10 cm between the closest illuminated edges of any stop lamp and any rear fog lamp.


So that explains the huge unused space inside the E24 taillight.

Interesting stuff. I assumed they were technically illegal in the US.

[e30luv318i]

Not all e24's have two position fog switches us e24 have 1 position ... I've added them many times to e30's,e21's,e34's,e38's usually if you have a donor tail light socket you take out the 2 contacts for the bulbs and run the wire to the empty pin then run your wire up front