Question re: Fog Lights

[grggwlkr]

Will the fog lights only turn on if the headlights are in manual setting? This morning there was a "pea soup" fog on the way to work. I always keep the headlights in the auto position. When I pressed the fog light button, nothing happened. Switched headlights to manual position and pressed fog light button and dash indicator illuminated. Maybe it's just me, but this seems ridiculously arbitrary. 

[MikeB]

I'm pretty sure I've turned on my fogs with the headlight switch in the Auto position. However, it has to be dark enough for the headlights to turn on, and it may not have been that dark even in the fog.

[JAZ]

Not that it's official, but owner's manual says: 

FRONT FOG LAMPS
Press the control to switch the fog
lamps on or off.
You can switch the fog lamps on
when the lighting control is in any
position except off and the high
beams are not on.

[fotomoto]

My fogs will not come on if the headlights are in auto but are not activated.  

[ArizonaEnergi]

I've never had fog lights.  Do they do any good?

[ceemax71]

Do you have much fog in Arizona?

[ArizonaEnergi]

Not much, AZ specializes in dust storms, but we do get out of the state occassionally!

Edited May 8, 2013 by ArizonaEnergi

[ceemax71]

In heavy traffic they don't seem to help much.  With dense fog on an isolated road with no traffic, they can help you see the road a lot better.

 

This is probably a topic for debate.

 

http://www.cartalk.com/content/whos-right-about-fog-lights

Edited May 8, 2013 by ceemax71

[grggwlkr]

I played with the lights today in a less tense "white out can't see the road" environment. If it is dark enough for the headlights to activate with the auto setting the fog lights with turn on  if you push to button. When there is enough ambient light to deactivate the headlights the fog lights also turn of if headlights are in auto position. If the headlights are on manually, or the parking light are selected then the fog lights turn on or off by pressing the button. Probably what happened in the fog yesterday was the glare/glow of the dawn fog was enough to deactivate the auto headlights thus also turning off the fog lights. There seems to be no way to just have the fog lights on without either the headlights on or the parking lights on. 

 

What difference does it make?  Most of my driving is on a rural divided highway posted 55 mph. Every intersecting local road and yes driveway has access.  Fog lights mainly let them see me so they don't pull out in front of me, hopefully. Headlights and fog typically equal less driver visibility due to glare of headlights against the fog, even worse with high beams. I thought erroneously that the fog lights would be activated independently of other light settings. Now I know better. Yes a "tempest in a tea pot".