Driving lights (re-visited)

[Coyoteboy]

I've yet to find a definitive answer on this. I do drive with my driving lights on (marked as driving lights in the manual, not fog lights as these are a different extra available on other versions of the car). I only use them when on country roads or when theres no traffic about, like you would with full beam. They do, however, come on with any light from sidelights up. My headlights are pop-up style, sidelights are not and driving lights are scraping the floor in the bumper. They make a massive difference to visibility of the edge of the road and give a better perspective of camber changes somehow.

Anyway, I was wondering if I was to come across Mr Plod that hasn't filled his quota for the day - how do you approach this subject without saying "its not a fog light, its a driving light so ner!"?

[pdV6]

Are they wired in correctly?

I thought driving lights had to be wired only to come on with main beam whereas front fogs should only come on with dip beam.

[TrevorH]

There is a different code on the light glass that defines it as a driving or fog light. I think there are some details in the archive somewhere. If not, google is your friend.

Check that wiring, though, they should only come on with main beam.

[Coyoteboy]

AFAIK they are wired correctly, there were no modifications to the vehicle electrics before I got it. I'll check the glass on one, i have it out at the moment as the mounting bracket sheared a screw....

[Hooli]

i believe that how they are wired depends on their height from the road. IIRC if the center of the light is under 18" from the ground they are wired as foglights regardless of the type of light they are.

[Mr2Mike]

If they are realy driving lamps, then they should only be used in conjunction with main beam, and any reasonably new car that came with driving lights as standard will be wired to ensure this.

Fog lamps are to be used only in conjunction with dipped headlamps, and again any newish car (i.e. last 20 years or so) will have them wired accordingly.

[TripleS]

Mr2Mike said:

If they are realy driving lamps, then they should only be used in conjunction with main beam, and any reasonably new car that came with driving lights as standard will be wired to ensure this.

Fog lamps are to be used only in conjunction with dipped headlamps, and again any newish car (i.e. last 20 years or so) will have them wired accordingly.

Are you sure about that?

I've just checked our Pug. 406 - which is a June 2000 model - and the front foglights can be used along with main beam headlights.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Coyoteboy]

The fogs with dipped beams comment cant be right, ive driven a couple of cars where the frontal fogs could be used any time and they were standard. This is a '91 Celica (UK), FWIW. The light lenses have, in a column down one side:

B
E13 (in a circle)
02 9367

B
e13 (in a rectangle)
2718
Toyota part number then SAE F 88

The rotating switch on the stalk to turn it on is marked unlike the rear fog light switch (which is a dash button with wavy lines and a diagonal through them) - it has what appear to be downward pointing straight diagonal lines, not with a line IIRC but cant be sure on that last nugget without nipping out in the rain.

[Hooli]

depends on the make of the car. most makes foglights work with sidelights, a few makes (cant recall which) only work on dipped beam.

[terminalreality]

TripleS said:

Mr2Mike said:

If they are realy driving lamps, then they should only be used in conjunction with main beam, and any reasonably new car that came with driving lights as standard will be wired to ensure this.

Fog lamps are to be used only in conjunction with dipped headlamps, and again any newish car (i.e. last 20 years or so) will have them wired accordingly.

Are you sure about that?

I've just checked our Pug. 406 - which is a June 2000 model - and the front foglights can be used along with main beam headlights.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

My Jag is the same, the fog lights stay on with dipped and main beam (1998 XJR)
driving lights only come on with the main beam, fog lights come on with the switch on the dashboard. Although there is a seperate switch for the driving lights they should not come on with dipped beam only when main beam is selected.

[TripleS]

terminalreality said:

TripleS said:

Mr2Mike said:

If they are realy driving lamps, then they should only be used in conjunction with main beam, and any reasonably new car that came with driving lights as standard will be wired to ensure this.

Fog lamps are to be used only in conjunction with dipped headlamps, and again any newish car (i.e. last 20 years or so) will have them wired accordingly.

Are you sure about that?

I've just checked our Pug. 406 - which is a June 2000 model - and the front foglights can be used along with main beam headlights.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

My Jag is the same, the fog lights stay on with dipped and main beam (1998 XJR)
driving lights only come on with the main beam, fog lights come on with the switch on the dashboard. Although there is a seperate switch for the driving lights they should not come on with dipped beam only when main beam is selected.

That reminds me to confirm that the 406 front foglights will work with sidelights only, with dipped headlights, and with main beam headlights - and that the foglight switch can be left in the ON position, so you get them next time you drive the car and switch on the sidelights!

Another stupid feature is that the rear foglights will only work if you're already using front foglights.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Coyoteboy]

Hmmm the stalk switch is of a foggy nature (straight lines pointing downward with a single straight line through it vertically) but the same stalk is used on the cars with "driving lights" and "proper fog lights" (which have a different bumper moulding and round/yellow lights instead of rectangular white lights.

[anonymous-user]

OK I haven’t lived in the UK for years, and when I read these post on speed cameras etc, I'm always reminded why.

It used to be that (and it was not a question of driving or fog lights, these are simply terms as to how the beam is spread), it was illegal to have a on light below the head light unless it reduced visibility or falling snow, lights set low do not reflect (as much) off the water vapor back at the driver so they penetrate further under these conditions. I see no reason why the law should have changed in my absence.

If these conditions of water vapor do not apply then there is no benefit in low lights. Also if you use these low lights with main beam in the conditions I describe then you defeat the purpose as the main beam is reflected back of the water vapor.

So low set lights should be wired with the dip lights, high set up can be wired with the main beam.

If yopu got them any other way then you are getting no benefit, and as I say it certainly was the case that it was illegal to use low set lights unless there was fog or falling snow,

Even when I lived in the UK (10 years ago) lots of cars were wired up incorrectly (typically 3 series BMW’s)

[Coyoteboy]

I'm fairly sure the "low lights" theory is a common mistake- reading a few forums on the matter people have interpreted the regulations in two ways. The height of the light is irrelevant. As I say, these lights do no use at all in the fog- they make matters worse in fact. But in clear visibility at night they make the road a lot clearer.

[Heebeegeetee]

I think that by law, the only auxiliary lights that can be used in conjunction with dipped beam are fog lights. I'm not sure there is any such thing under construction and use regs as 'driving' lights. I think the bib could do you and would not be persuaded at all by your 'driving light' explanation.

Any other auxiliary lights can only be used on main beam and MUST extinguish when main beam is turned off.

[Coyoteboy]

I think I might just wire them up to the main beam instead - its safer that way. The other option, of course, is for me to give them a "dipped" mode to give my sidelights a little help (my sidelights are tiny and hard to see).

[Hooli]

Coyoteboy said:

I think I might just wire them up to the main beam instead - its safer that way. The other option, of course, is for me to give them a "dipped" mode to give my sidelights a little help (my sidelights are tiny and hard to see).

used dipped headlights then, sidelights are worthless except when parked.

[Coyoteboy]

Dont want to pop my headlights up - spoils the lines of the car