What's UK law on rear foglamps?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Aftermarket foglamp on my import MX-5 has come adrift. I could replace it with another horrible looking aftermarket one but I was looking for a more elegant solution for the MOT at least.

Ideas:

• replace with horrible square thing dangling from the bumper
• wire to one of the reversing lights with a red bulb
• wire to high level brake light
• find some kind of small LED alternative that is unobtrusive

Option 1 is nice and cheap, but ugly

Option 2 is free but can I use a 21w bulb in there without melting the fitting? Also I have a feel it is too close to the brakelight for the regs...

Option 3 is also free - but similar concerns about bulb wattage. Also, would I fail the MOT for a non working high level brakelight? And I have a feeling the foglamp has to be on the driver's side of the car...

Option 4 is expensive!

Anybody know the regs? A temporary rewire via the high level brake lamp would be ideal but I don't know if it's legal...

[Deerfoot]

NiceCupOfTea said:

And I have a feeling the foglamp has to be on the driver's side of the car...

I think it can be centrally mounted as well. The R56 MINI has a central rear fog light doesn`t it?

[carmadgaz]

Deerfoot said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

And I have a feeling the foglamp has to be on the driver's side of the car...

I think it can be centrally mounted as well. The R56 MINI has a central rear fog light doesn`t it?

As does my Swift (and the 206 IIRC)

[Waugh-terfall]

Yeah, well, my old car had two central rear fogs!

I'm not sure about this 'too close to the brake lights' thing though, or on the drivers side, pretty sure the 308s is in the place of the reverse light on the passenger side.

The Audi A6 has it's red tail lights divided into 3 sections, all 3 light up as standard tail lamps with the headlamps, the inner two on each side act as brake lights whilst the remaining section on the outside edge on each side of the car act as fogs. I'd make a demonstrative video, but the car is 100mi away, some small LED unit would be best I think, small and easily hidden.

ETA: Found a picture of the rear to help my point:

Edited by Waugh-terfall on Sunday 9th May 18:55

[knight]

Does it have 2 reversing lights? If so, just use one of them for the foglight. Thats what I had done to my imported Skyline when I got it

[GC8]

As above. It wouldnt SVA, but virtually every MOT tester will be satisfied with it.

[Puddenchucker]

UK Fog Lamp regs

[MaximumJed]

My wife has had two import MX5s, one had the high level brakelight as a fog lamp, and the current one has a converted reversing light on the right hand side. Been through many MOTs with no problems at various garages with no problems.

[jagracer]

You cant wire it to the high level brake light as this has either got to work as a brake light or be completely disconnected as far as the MOT goes.
You can't get red 21w bulbs so you would have to paint one red if you want to use a reverse light, make sure you use the O/S one and there's nothing in the MOT about how close to the brake lights it can or can't be, getting pulled by VOSA or plod may be a different matter.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks chaps.

Getting pulled by plod is a moot point as it will be going back to stock after the MOT

That's interesting about the high level brake light - many people seem to get through the MOT with it!

I wonder if I could get some sort of red 21w equivalent LED replacement lamp to use in the reversing light...

ETA: this sort of thing maybe:

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/955-Long-29-LED-E...

Available in red and claims to be a replacement for a high level stop light (ie, should be 21w equivalent?). Only questions are is the fitting the same, and will if fit??

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Sunday 9th May 19:57

ETA again: this would fit

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/382-24-LED-Bulbs-...

not sure it's bright enough though. Will a 21w filament bulb in a reversing light fitting work or get too hot?

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Sunday 9th May 20:14

[RDB]

My mate's Eunos uses the offside reverse light as the fog light. That's had the lens painted red though, so wouldn't give you the temporary solution you're after.

It's very subtle though - I didn't notice it until I realised it was missing the usual boxy fog light on the rear bumper.

[Robert060379]

I saw a chavy MX5 with a 206 fog light cut and plastic welded into the bumper. It was the only part of the car I liked.

[Ozzie Osmond]

It all depends....

You need a "proper" rear fog light in the correct position to pass IVA/SVA. Correct position is either centre or towards offside of vehicle and at a suitable height. In particular there must be no confusion with the brake lights.

You only need a "red rear fog light" to pass MOT.

[NiceCupOfTea]

OK.

Current thought is to go for a red LED lamp to replace the RH reversing light. Any ideas where I can get one that is bright enough (21w equivalent)?

[cambiker71]

NiceCupOfTea said:

OK.

Current thought is to go for a red LED lamp to replace the RH reversing light. Any ideas where I can get one that is bright enough (21w equivalent)?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RED-Stop-Fog-Light-Bulb-12-v...

edited to make link work

Edited by cambiker71 on Monday 10th May 00:03

[NiceCupOfTea]

Is that going to get too hot for the lens? Normal reversing lamps are just 12w aren't they? Hence looking at LED ones...

[cambiker71]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Is that going to get too hot for the lens? Normal reversing lamps are just 12w aren't they? Hence looking at LED ones...

All the reverse lamp bulbs I've changed have been the same 12v 21w bulbs as an indicator unit, so these should be ok

[NiceCupOfTea]

Cool - is that the same wattage as a foglamp?

[cambiker71]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Cool - is that the same wattage as a foglamp?

Yes that's the one, sorry for not answering earlier.

[NiceCupOfTea]