Fog Lights - How to improve

This may be a slightly controversial topic. IMHO fog lights ought to be useable without the main headlights if you get too much backscatter from the latter. The current model US Prius does not offer that. Also the beam should be 'cut off' very low. That yellow light was the best used to be generally accepted, but apparently that is no longer the case.

You preferred another set 4x brighter, so you may want them to perform a different task. Some would say that fog lights are for going 15 mph when you can't see anything but backscatter otherwise. I added fog lights on a separate electrical circuit to 2001 Prius and on such rare ocassions, they perform well for me. They are also handy for driving around campgrounds at night when you don't want to disturb everybody else.

 

I converted my fogs to HID. That greatly improved their usefulness. You can also do a quick mod so that you can use the fogs without the headlights. You can read about what I did in my PriusChat thread or my website. Both links are in my signature.

 

They are just secondary driving lights, something that used to be rather common back before halogens. So with their return, people naturally have the expectation for them to work like fogs. They obviously don't. And yes, you can aftermarket upgrade to genuine fog lights.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Oct 18 2006, 03:06 PM) [snapback]334640[/snapback]</div>

That is sorta true. Problem is that Toyota labels them as "Fog Lights," and that is why I expected them to operate like fogs. I know I can add aftermarket fogs (my Explorer had 10 extra lights, nearly 1000 watts of light), but when Toyota itself calls them fog lights...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocVijay @ Oct 18 2006, 03:28 PM) [snapback]334700[/snapback]</div>

That exceeds the legal on-road limit here in Minnesota by quite a bit. I think 300 is the most allowed.

 

Just to shift some blame, in most jurastictions headlamps must be on if "fog" or "driving" lights are on. If the police are on the ball you WILL get ticketed if just the "fog"/"driving" lights are on. I've read many posts on other forums of people who moded their switching for fog/driving "on" without headlamps getting ticketed and a "fix it or loose it" notice. So Toyota (and Nissan, and Subaru, and Mazda - in my experience) have wired the vehicle correctly.

True "fog" lamps are yellow (or maybe I'm just old) because it scatters least for the light provided in fog. Laws need to be re-written to allow proper 45/55W yellow fogs only. They are also aimed a little lower than the low beams of headlamps.

Now in Euope, the term "fog lamp" often refers to one very bright yellow lamp on the -centre rear- of the vehicle. These will auto dim and/or flash under certain conditions (and I can't elaborate because I can't remember them). We imported several Mazda RX-8 rear fog lamps and controls for several customers in the US from Japan. Never heard if they had to modify them though. In other words, never heard if they got caught.

 

To make my stock fog lights brighter, I took out each of the bulbs and replaced them with a candle-lantern from my backpacking days.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Oct 18 2006, 06:36 PM) [snapback]334782[/snapback]</div>

Were those a direct fit, or did you have to make an adapter? I seem to recall they run on a different voltage.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Oct 18 2006, 05:36 PM) [snapback]334782[/snapback]</div>

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PintoGirl -

Funny - - NOT!

B)

 

My 2006 is a package #5 so it didn't come with the fogs...... but up here we have very foggy/cloudy days and nights when fog lights are really needed. I would almost think to advertise them as fog lights, if indeed they are only intended as suplimental driving lights could creat an enormous amount of liability. If I got stuck on a lonly mountain road in a cloud at night, turned on the fogs and couldn't see and ran off a cliff in reliance on Toyota calling them fog lights, somebody's in trouble.....(actually, if I just went off a cliff, it would probably be me :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: )

but i agree that from what I've seen, DocVijay had a good mod to increase the viability of using the fogs as intended.