Back FOG Lights

There is no rear fog light on the US Prius. You will probably have to have it modified in Europe.

Isn't this a duplicate post? http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ow-activate-rear-fog-lights-usa-controls.html

 

You should PM robby3. He modifies rear fog lights and should be able to help you.

 

Well I do modify the Valenti lights to have the fog lights. But if an US PRIUS doens't have the same switch position as well as a different wiring harness, then it doesn't help at all. On our cars the rear fog light switch is the same as for the normal fog lights but it will be actived by turning it back once. Turning it back once again switches the fog light off. If you have this switch position as well as the wire already in the harness (the MOLEX plug to the taillight must have a wire at the lower part that is not connected), then it's very easy. If not then read on.

A possible solution in steps:
1) don't buy an European taillight, just get a red LED bulb with the same socket as your reverse light. It will be bright enough.
2) get a switch from your Toyota dealer, like the IPS one. It can snap in on the lower left side switch panel.
3) As the switch is impulse only get a 12V impulse relais and run a single wire from the dashboard to the left side taillight. On the harness cut the reverse light wire and connect the taillight part to the wire from the switch mentioned above.

That's it more or less.

Please note that you may think about a control LED on the switch or everywhere else. This due to the fact that driving with the rear fog light on when there is no fog will cause the officer to give you a nice penalty

If you like the Valentis you can buy a set and I can modify them for you or you can get an already modified one from me. But even then if the wire is not there in the harness, then you must do the other steps to get it work.

Hope this helps.

 

If you please, I do not quite undd\erstand the concept of "rear fog lights."
Do these come on together with the front fogs, or only when one goes into reverse???

 

Teakwood, the rearfog light is for visibility in inclimate ("fog") weather. Traditionally, the light should illuminate the driver's side so that you can locate and position the car for passing.



You may have noticed that annoying brake light looking thing on a European car, Saab, Audi, Volvo that people in the US unknowingly use in broad daylight or crystal clear nights. Some cars, i believe Audi is one of them, lights both the front fog and rear fog together. I retrofitted it on one of my VW's and the euroswitch had a position for front fog and rear fog independently. Ideally the front fogs shouldn't be on in normal weather either, but people still use them.

 

Still confused. Can you tell me which light on those cars is the 'fog light'?

 

The bright one. Only the car closest in the picture has it on. If you look closely, you can see the standard tail light right above it.

For many cars, the rear fog will replace one of the reverse lights. Audi's usually have the lights located elsewhere. Only one side should light, but they can change it depending on LHD and RHD.

 

It is not on, but if you look at the bottom of this tail lamp, you can see the red inner housing.

This car is RHD, so the light would be in the right tail lamp to indicate the driver.

 

Thanks. That helps.

 

If there's no law saying you can't have the rear fog on when it's not foggy (like we do in the states for front fogs, at least in California), a possible workaround would be to wire it to the headlights to have it come on simultaneously.

 

A taillight would be more appropriate.. That said, most likely they are required to be off in normal weather (would have to look at the code from whatever country: TUV, etc.)

OP, it would not be hard to change the power source for the left reverse light to a switched version. You could even run a switch like the PC front fog lights to the lower part of the dash. The only question that I cannot answer is whether you will get a bulb out warning for the removed reverse light.

Also, assuming you've had the car inspected there, did they give you an issue with your headlights? E-code headlights beam pattern are traditionally different than the US-spec.

 

Well, when the headlights are on, the taillights are also on so same thing.

 

On the european Prius (at least I know of) we do have only one reverse light. The other side is red instead of white and carries the fog light. LHD have it on the left, RHS on the right side. The light is at least that bright like the brake light. On many cars the rear fog light comes on with the front ones. But usually there is a separate switch and an inidcator light. On my Mitsubishi 3000GT there are two fog lights on each side. Also the Cadillac CTS-4 I had was equipped with two LED abrs udnerneath the bumper.

I'm living close to a river and especially in autumn one can see less than 25m ahead due to the heavy fog in the morning. This is where a car with rear fog light will be recognized infront of you much sooner than another one without them.

PS: AFAIK, the rear fog light is only necessary in the UK to be road legal. My 94'Z28 Convertible has no rear fog light and I have no problem being legal in Switzerland.

 

The rear fog light only should come one with the front fog lights or with an independant switch (headlights must be on too). Driving with front or rear fog lights when they are not need (i.e. during daylight or clear nights) and in villages is forbidden by law.