Possible to have fog lights with high beams?

[DieHarder]

Have a Roush setup on my son's car so it has 3 sets of lights. Issue is the way they wired it up you can only turn on one set of fogs or the other (driving lights) with an extra switch they added. I'm thinking of adding another relay/switch to turn them all on for Bambi mode since the light output doesn't provide enough light in some situations. I've heard however that having more than 4 lights on can violate the law in some states. Any truth to that?

 

[Earl D Davis]

I suppose you could wire in a relay from the headlight high beam wire and rewire the positive leads for the fogs to that instead of the OEM connection. It may also be possible to install a separate switch and relay to control them individually from the headlights.

As others have mentioned it would be illegal in most states. Having said that, I’ve added aftermarket fog and driving lights to other cars and never been pulled over. California does not do routine vehicle inspections (except for emissions) however. If your state has those it might be an issue.


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I have a base model that I put a GT grill in. This is what I did because I wanted the fog lights on with high beams. I wired in a fused relay to the high beam lead. I live in the desert, and you will see anything from a road runner to an elk in the road at night.
The state patrol told me I couldn't wire the fogs to the low beams because others will think they are the high beams.

 

[Pentalab]

Low beams and foglamps is ok, all vehicles are wired that way. High beams and foglamps is a no-no.... and I think I know why now. After checking regulations, it appears that 6 (SIX) lights on simultaneously is illegal in all 50 x states in the US....and all 10 provinces in Canada.

On my 2011 Fusion, when high beams are on, the low beams are also on. I like that setup, since it illuminates both near...and far. ( high beams are inboard of the low beams, 4 x separate bulbs). However, I normally use the low beams and foglamps simultaneously. Switch high beams on....and the foglamps go out..... leaving the high AND low beams on.

On paper, high beams AND foglamps simultaneously should be legal. On my 2010, I tossed the upper grille, and replaced it with a 7 bar grille for better airflow ( and also eliminated 2 x 90 degs bends into the..'snorkel' that feeds the oem airbox)..... this mod also amounts to an oem upper foglamp delete. Also replaced the oem lower grille with a CDC lower grille, that allowed more airflow into the lower grille. The CDC lower grille also has provisions for brake cooling ducts....and an optional pair of 2.5" silicone rubber brake ducts + 14" new front brake dust shields with a 2.5" welded on piece, to terminate the silicone hoses.

I also installed the optional pair of CDC 'Piaa' brand foglamps on the same lower grille, but on the inboard side of the cooling ducts. The kit included a push button/ illuminated red/ green switch that mounts to the left side of the steering column...that turns the foglamps on / off, independent of the high/low beams. Separate wire and fuse, right off the battery terminal. Fogs can only come on, IF the eng is on, or key in 'key on, eng off' position.

In normal operation, the PIAA brand mini foglamps were semi useless. The beam of light is extremely narrow in the vertical plane, almost like a razor blade.....and they are way too low to the ground to be of any use... regardless of the up / down pivoting orientation adjustment. Last year, I trashed the lower grille, coming down my daughters steep gravel driveway, 100 miles north of me. Recently replaced with a new lower cdc grille, including the front brake duct hoses, but minus the useless piaa foglamps.

A few years ago, I tried HID headlight bulb replacements, and the low beams worked superb. The high beams were useless, regardless of up /down alignment...light pattern is scattered. A pair of magnets pulled the hid's back a bit to obtain the high beam function. Drivers side hid burnt out, replaced, burnt out again, then the passenger side high beam magnet went dead. Replace the entire mess with LED bulbs. Low beams are superb, high beams are useless. (upper led is used for low beam, and both upper + lower led are used on high beam). Cooling fan on driver's side led fried, killing the led. Lost the led driver on pass side. Replaced the hid failed experiment with oem halogen bulbs..back to square one.... and still no foglamps. The oem foglamps in the oem upper grille worked good, but on a 2010-2012 car, the oem upper grille blocks 80% of the airflow, dumb design...esp with a small / big Roush blower installed...I need all the air I can get through both upper / lower grilles.

A 2 x piece, angled LED light bar, mounted at where the upper portion of the front license plate resides, would probably work for a driving light.... provided the front license plate was removed..which I can't legally do..so I'm stuck for now.

sri for the diatribe.

 

[David M Miranda]

Anyone know if there is a way to mod the fog lights so they are on with low and high beams?

Use forscan to just turn them on all the time

 

[VGMStudios]

Use forscan to just turn them on all the time

As I mentioned you can't use forscan to turn on Bambi mode. It's just not possible with our years car.

 

[Juice]

So why do we care of potentially illegal lights? And not care about catalytic converters required on street driven, emission controlled vehicles?
Just a question, not pointing fingers or anything.

 

[07 Boss]

So why do we care of potentially illegal lights? And not care about catalytic converters required on street driven, emission controlled vehicles?
Just a question, not pointing fingers or anything.

I don't care so much about the actual legality of it in regards to right or wrong but just concerned about getting tickets. You won't see many people getting pulled over for not having cats or an illegal intake but I can see someone getting pulled over for illegal lights. There are many things that make my car illegal but I'm not going to put pretty blue lights on the back of my car.

 

[Juice]

I don't care so much about the actual legality of it in regards to right or wrong but just concerned about getting tickets. You won't see many people getting pulled over for not having cats or an illegal intake but I can see someone getting pulled over for illegal lights. There are many things that make my car illegal but I'm not going to put pretty blue lights on the back of my car.

Well, most cops wont pull you over for illegal lights. Some will, but you have already attracted their attention with something else, so they can throw a ticket for the lights as the cherry on top.
This issue really only affects getting the car inspected around here. Both are inspection items.
Dont drive a car that attracts attention if you are concerned with getting pulled!

 

[Juice]

Speaking of getting pulled, here is my last run-in w/Johnnie Law
Noon, on the way home from work, georgoius day.
55 mph highway, Im going with traffic. See him pull on and come up behind me. Im in the right lane, statie on my ass, no lights on. (You all seen my car, nothing over the top) Come up on a car driving at "I dont have a license speed". I click my signal, go adound him, and the pretty lights in my mirror go on.
He pulled me for not using my turn signal. Im sure it flashed once, lmao. Than the standard questions: any contraband in car? Any dead bodies in trunk? Im not making this up. I just rplied: welcome to look sir. What I should have said to tje dead bodies question is "clearly you never owned a mustang". And clearly he was pulling me over just because....

So what about those F150 trucks with 4 low beams? Do they have fog lights? That would be 6 factory lights. I always picture the Griswald sports wagon as the inspiration for those trucks.

 

[MrBhp]

I figure if you dim your lights for oncoming traffic you might not get pulled over. Like Juice said, don't attract attention to yourself. Where I live in Texas I've only had one inspection shop that checked my lights, and that was like 30 years ago. They would let nearly anything else pass. But they had a device setup in front of your car that checked direction and brightness. They would nail you for that. "Well let's see. Looks like those skinny tires up front have DOT numbers, check. Those rear slicks have DOT numbers, check. Wait a minute here son, that left headlight is pointed a bit too much to the left. You're going to blind someone! We have got to fix that. It'll be an extra dollar".

I put a box on my Dodge Ram that allows me to run both high and low beams at the same time, along with the fogs. When I switch to low beam everything goes back to factory illumination. On high, It's really friggn' bright. Here's a link to the box I installed. I don't know if they make something like this for our cars.
https://www.genosgarage.com/product/bb-m4b/lighting-accessories

 

[Lime1Gt]

You defeat the purpose of fog lights if you run them with the hi beams on. In fog and blizzard you want low and wide lighting to see the road. Hi beams in that situation will not let you see as well as it highlights the fog or snow making it even harder to see. Driving lights are designed different from fog lights.

 

[Juice]

You defeat the purpose of fog lights if you run them with the hi beams on. In fog and blizzard you want low and wide lighting to see the road. Hi beams in that situation will not let you see as well as it highlights the fog or snow making it even harder to see. Driving lights are designed different from fog lights.

What about dark and no fog? Just want the extra light.

 

[pass1over]

What about dark and no fog? Just want the extra light.

This. This is what he wants to do, and I wouldn't mind it either. I bet he lives in a rural area (like me) with LOTS of wildlife. I would like all the light I can get when driving at night on those county roads. I think I've even asked the same question on this board in the past.

When I had my RX8, I just ran a jumper wire over to the fogs and they stayed on all the time. But that car didn't have a SJB to deal with.


I love all the comments about .... this is illegal!!!! ... He didn't ask the legality having both lights on, he just wanted to know how to do it.

 

[Ret]

For about 15 years I worked at night along the coast in Southern California. Heavy fog was pretty constant for about three months. Now, I live above a lake in Northern Idaho, heavy fog for several months. If, you use high beams it's like putting a wall in front of you. You can see much better with low beam.

 

[07 Boss]

I love all the comments about .... this is illegal!!!! ... He didn't ask the legality having both lights on, he just wanted to know how to do it.

Nobody is saying it's illegal, don't do it. Just some folks might not know. I didn't know this hi-beam fog light combo was illegal till about 15 years ago. And it answers the question as to why the operation of the car lights are set up the way they are.

 

[MrBhp]

The reason for fog lights on with high beams is to just see better on normal nights. The fog lights will, of course, be on with low beams as well. Or just by themselves if you so choose. The thing here is having the option to do what you want, and not blinding oncoming traffic.

Deer will only stare at you for a limited time. Their timing is impeccable They can freeze until you are about 10 feet from them. They then teleport to your front bumper. If you can see them well in advance, you can plan a bit better.

 

[Juice]

I had a cop tell me to turn off my fogs, it was daylight, 7am.
I was sitting at a light, he was going by the other way and stopped. Rolled window down: he said turn off my fogs, too bright with the LED bulbs. And we will see what happens with LED replacements. And drove off.
I since aimed my fog lights. DOH!!

 

[MrBhp]

I had a cop tell me to turn off my fogs, it was daylight, 7am.
I was sitting at a light, he was going by the other way and stopped. Rolled window down: he said turn off my fogs, too bright with the LED bulbs. And we will see what happens with LED replacements. And drove off.
I since aimed my fog lights. DOH!!

You don't have those halos do you? He may have thought they were donuts. Imagine his disappointment.

 

[Juice]

You don't have those halos do you? He may have thought they were donuts. Imagine his disappointment.

Roflmao!
No, I am running the V6 grille. I do not care for the size of the gt fogs. More like the original 67-68 mustangs.

 

[kstall]

This. This is what he wants to do, and I wouldn't mind it either. I bet he lives in a rural area (like me) with LOTS of wildlife. I would like all the light I can get when driving at night on those county roads. I think I've even asked the same question on this board in the past.

When I had my RX8, I just ran a jumper wire over to the fogs and they stayed on all the time. But that car didn't have a SJB to deal with.


I love all the comments about .... this is illegal!!!! ... He didn't ask the legality having both lights on, he just wanted to know how to do it.

Yeah you pretty much summed it up lol. Just wanted some more light on the road for my kid thats all. Or maybe I'm getting old and I need more light on the road so I assume everyone else does too lol. Either way this thread got way more traction than I had anticipated. As far as it being illegal, I haven't really looked at the laws here in TN. Honestly haven't given a crap really. In this area, every wanna be redneck has a jacked up truck with a million watts of light on the front. We aint looking to do all that just wanted to throw a little extra light with the high beams. Good conversation though