Technical Fog and reversing lights

[Motorcyclist Colin]

My 2018 TA 4x4, like many others, has ONE rear fog light on the o/s (right hand drive) and one reversing light on the n/s. This is reasonable enough when driving in the UK, as the fog light is on the "outside" so to speak. The reversing light is not a great deal of use as the light is spread around the nearside and the driver is on the offside.
Whilst reasonable driving in UK, the rear fog light is definitely on the wrong side, on the "inside" when driving on the Continent.
My question therefor is "Does anyone make a dual purpose light ie fog/reversing combined in one light, with,say, a centre reversing light with a surrounding fog, (or half reversing, half fog)
A light such as this, on both sides, would be much safer in fog both in UK, and abroad, and make reversing easier

My Citroen Relay Camper van has two reversing light, and two rear fog lights, BUT only the o/s fog was wired in, the n/s fog lens had no "innards"
Citroen garage wanted nearly a thousand pounds to fit a n/s fog!!!. My local garage did a great job of converting an old bulb holder and fixing it in the lens and wiring the lot for £30. Overall much safer when motoring over the Massif Central in a pea souper
Any ideas anyone?

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

Hi
Buy a left hand drive o/s rear light cluster giving you two clear lenses for reverse lights obviously it will need wiring up to work
Then.....Buy two small aftermarket led fog lights and mount them under the rear bumper
Luigi

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

My 2018 TA 4x4, like many others, has ONE rear fog light on the o/s (right hand drive) and one reversing light on the n/s. This is reasonable enough when driving in the UK, as the fog light is on the "outside" so to speak. The reversing light is not a great deal of use as the light is spread around the nearside and the driver is on the offside.
Whilst reasonable driving in UK, the rear fog light is definitely on the wrong side, on the "inside" when driving on the Continent.
My question therefor is "Does anyone make a dual purpose light ie fog/reversing combined in one light, with,say, a centre reversing light with a surrounding fog, (or half reversing, half fog)
A light such as this, on both sides, would be much safer in fog both in UK, and abroad, and make reversing easier

My Citroen Relay Camper van has two reversing light, and two rear fog lights, BUT only the o/s fog was wired in, the n/s fog lens had no "innards"
Citroen garage wanted nearly a thousand pounds to fit a n/s fog!!!. My local garage did a great job of converting an old bulb holder and fixing it in the lens and wiring the lot for £30. Overall much safer when motoring over the Massif Central in a pea souper
Any ideas anyone?

I'm glad my Fiorino has two rear fogs and reverse in the clusters as standard it would really annoy me if I were in your shoes with your issue
My corsa mk2 has two rear fogs at the bottom of the bumper but only one ever worked until I found the n/s one had no guts, so just got a left hooker light with the guts.....Even the wire going to the ''dummy'' light was ''live'' so really easy conversion. you may be lucky in that way with your
panda!
Luigi

 

[LegionsX]

I have been looking at the same issue myself, this light is common to a few vehicles, I have just ordered https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153534946899
I will look to add red LEDs as per the suggestion above.

I will try to post pictures of the result and process.

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

Back end will look so much better with n/s and o/s looking the same
Luigi

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I am minded to comment here. It is very nearly always illegal to use a rear fog light. You can only use it if visibility drops below 100 metres. That's about four street lights (so if you can see the light coming from the fifth streetlight ahead of you, not foggy enough to use the rear light) or the gap between one motorway marker post and the next. It's almost never that foggy. And then, if it is foggy enough to be allowed to turn it on, you must not use it if there's a car behind you (dazzles them).

Sorry –something of a pet hate of mine: the slightest hint of mist and the rear fogs come on... One argument for there only being one on the car is it is supposed to prevent a potential problem of being mistaken for the brake lights.

As to the reversing light - I live in a dark place, and personally have no problem - the light spreads quite well. Biggest issue is its only a 16W bulb (in both fog and reverse lights) -- dimmer than the more normal 21W on most cars.

If you can get these to point straight back (noting that the Fiat unit is angled slightly in the bumper but the lens and mirror do point straight), these might work (includes the reflector too) https://www.247lighting.net/products/247-led-rear-fog-reverse-lamp.html

 

[A3jeroen]

I am minded to comment here. It is very nearly always illegal to use a rear fog light. You can only use it if visibility drops below 100 metres.

In my country that would be under 50 m. even

Sorry –something of a pet hate of mine: the slightest hint of mist and the rear fogs come on... One argument for there only being one on the car is it is supposed to prevent a potential problem of being mistaken for the brake lights.

:yeahthat:

In some countries it is common practice to turn them on in a light drizzle. Talk about dazzeling... And they never seem to understood when you flash your highbeams in their mirror or shortly flash your foglight after overtaking them...

gr J

 

[Motorcyclist Colin]

I am minded to comment here. It is very nearly always illegal to use a rear fog light. You can only use it if visibility drops below 100 metres. That's about four street lights (so if you can see the light coming from the fifth streetlight ahead of you, not foggy enough to use the rear light) or the gap between one motorway marker post and the next. It's almost never that foggy. And then, if it is foggy enough to be allowed to turn it on, you must not use it if there's a car behind you (dazzles them).

Sorry –something of a pet hate of mine: the slightest hint of mist and the rear fogs come on... One argument for there only being one on the car is it is supposed to prevent a potential problem of being mistaken for the brake lights.

As to the reversing light - I live in a dark place, and personally have no problem - the light spreads quite well. Biggest issue is its only a 16W bulb (in both fog and reverse lights) -- dimmer than the more normal 21W on most cars.

If you can get these to point straight back (noting that the Fiat unit is angled slightly in the bumper but the lens and mirror do point straight), these might work (includes the reflector too) https://www.247lighting.net/products/247-led-rear-fog-reverse-lamp.html

I agree with all you say, and I would only use legally. My query really arises from an incident with my Citroen Relay Camper. We were crawling up the Massif Central in France in the thickest fog I can recall. At the time my camper had only ONE fog light and this was on the "inside" so to speak. Some moron came flying up behind, full lights blazing, and JUST swung left to avoid me at the last minute. I assume, rightly or wrongly, that he saw the bright "inside" fog before anything else and assumed that to be the offside of a French vehicle, or a motorbike, well over to the right. In any event I prefer to have two fogs on any four wheeled vehicle. Even if it is just to cater for the complete fool of a driver behind. Can't imagine anyone these days would accept one FRONT fog light.

 

[The Panda Nut]

My 2018 TA 4x4, like many others, has ONE rear fog light on the o/s (right hand drive) and one reversing light on the n/s. This is reasonable enough when driving in the UK, as the fog light is on the "outside" so to speak. The reversing light is not a great deal of use as the light is spread around the nearside and the driver is on the offside.
Whilst reasonable driving in UK, the rear fog light is definitely on the wrong side, on the "inside" when driving on the Continent.
My question therefor is "Does anyone make a dual purpose light ie fog/reversing combined in one light, with,say, a centre reversing light with a surrounding fog, (or half reversing, half fog)
A light such as this, on both sides, would be much safer in fog both in UK, and abroad, and make reversing easier

My Citroen Relay Camper van has two reversing light, and two rear fog lights, BUT only the o/s fog was wired in, the n/s fog lens had no "innards"
Citroen garage wanted nearly a thousand pounds to fit a n/s fog!!!. My local garage did a great job of converting an old bulb holder and fixing it in the lens and wiring the lot for £30. Overall much safer when motoring over the Massif Central in a pea souper
Any ideas anyone?

Had a number of BX's in the 90's. I found that all that was required there was another bulb to fitted! I totally agree with you on this. Am considering a euro o/s light for the second fog lamp and a pair of decent flush fitting reversing lights for my Panda. The lights only good for indication of intention to reverse to others. As a light its virtually useless. The a,lternative would bea euro reversing light for the o/s and maybe a single aux RFL possibly inside the car centrally mounted.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I agree with all you say, and I would only use legally. My query really arises from an incident with my Citroen Relay Camper. We were crawling up the Massif Central in France in the thickest fog I can recall. At the time my camper had only ONE fog light and this was on the "inside" so to speak. Some moron came flying up behind, full lights blazing, and JUST swung left to avoid me at the last minute. I assume, rightly or wrongly, that he saw the bright "inside" fog before anything else and assumed that to be the offside of a French vehicle, or a motorbike, well over to the right. In any event I prefer to have two fogs on any four wheeled vehicle. Even if it is just to cater for the complete fool of a driver behind. Can't imagine anyone these days would accept one FRONT fog light.

I agree, if you spend a fair amount of time on the continent, one on the (UK) nearside makes sense. Otherwise no need - and in fact woudl counter the 'avoids it looking like brake lights' issue. Interesting that some cars (Peugeot 208, Mini etc) have at times been made with one in the centre. Mini no longer has, because it was obscured by a towbar.

 

[chr1s]

...Buy two small aftermarket led fog lights and mount them under the rear bumper
Luigi

Regulations state that car rear fog lights must be in the range of 250 to 1000 mm above the ground.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/11/made

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

My corsa rear fog lights are 300mm of the ground, and I have seen loads of new ish cars with lights lower than that
Luigi

 

[KPat]

Another option would be to convert the existing reversing light to a fog light and then fit a central reversing light.

 

[Panda IIs]

I agree, if you spend a fair amount of time on the continent, one on the (UK) nearside makes sense. Otherwise no need - and in fact woudl counter the 'avoids it looking like brake lights' issue. Interesting that some cars (Peugeot 208, Mini etc) have at times been made with one in the centre. Mini no longer has, because it was obscured by a towbar.

Herts HH, agree with your earlier post re dazzle etc. And with this in mind I thought the laws changed so that twin rear fogs were made illegal to avoid the effect of "permanently on brake lights" leading to rear end smashes (not then appreciating when the "real" brake lights come on)? Thus adding a second rear fog would be illegal in a recent car.

Saying this I haven't taken the trouble to check out the situation. Certainly my '98 R reg Volvo 940 has a single rear fog and all the guts but no bulb for the (UK) n/s one.

For my UK driving I can't say I've needed rear fogs for many a year other than to "flash" the jerks that drive around with them on unnecessarily!

Keep safe everyone during these strange days.

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

Utter nonsense
My friends just bought a brand new 20 plate Toyota with TWO rear fog lights and TWO rear reversing lights
LUIGI

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

Also i'm sure that rear fogs and reversing lights are NOT part of a mot as well
But I like the idea of Two rear fogs and one central mega bright led reverse light
I do like symmetrical lighting on the rear ends of cars and vans, It would do my head in if I had a clear lens on the n/s and red on o/s
I even don't like to see orange bulbs in clear rear indicator lenses, I have the silver coated orange bulbs on the rear of my fiorino
Luigi

 

[chris3234]

Also i'm sure that rear fogs and reversing lights are NOT part of a mot as well
But I like the idea of Two rear fogs and one central mega bright led reverse light
I do like symmetrical lighting on the rear ends of cars and vans, It would do my head in if I had a clear lens on the n/s and red on o/s
I even don't like to see orange bulbs in clear rear indicator lenses, I have the silver coated orange bulbs on the rear of my fiorino
Luigi

A Rear fog light are a legal requirement post 1980
Reversing light is a tested post 2008 and are both testable
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-ins...s/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

To the comment ‘are two rear fog lights allowed’, in the U.K. the rules allow one or two. But in the continent that might be different. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/11/made

For the MOT, yes, the rear fog light is tested, must be present and must work correctly including showing a warning light and only operate if the headlights or front fog lights are on. However, only one is required and if two are present, only the offside one has to pass.

A reversing light is not a legal requirement but, if one is fitted then it will be tested and has to operate correctly to obtain a pass.

See section 4’.5 and 4.6 of the MOT Inspection Manual, here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Utter nonsense
My friends just bought a brand new 20 plate Toyota with TWO rear fog lights and TWO rear reversing lights
LUIGI

See my reply above. It is permitted to have two here in the U.K. but *may* not be in rest of Europe. I cannot find anything to confirm either way.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Also i'm sure that rear fogs and reversing lights are NOT part of a mot as well
But I like the idea of Two rear fogs and one central mega bright led reverse light
I do like symmetrical lighting on the rear ends of cars and vans, It would do my head in if I had a clear lens on the n/s and red on o/s
I even don't like to see orange bulbs in clear rear indicator lenses, I have the silver coated orange bulbs on the rear of my fiorino
Luigi

Best to check the official documents before saying ‘not tested’ - someone might ‘assume’ an answer posted here is correct, but in this case it was not, so could mislead.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-ins...s/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment