fog lights on a new 2009 Honda Accord EX

Do fog lights really work well? I never had them and forgot to check them out when I went to the dealer. Is it worth $200+ when buying a new Accord?

Reply to
newbie
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If you routinely drive in the fog, you would already know what they are for. Since you have to ask, I assume you don't drive in fog and in that case, no, they are not worth it. In fog, the low aimed beams help you see the road with less reflection back at you off the fog cloud.

If they are aimed correctly (down at the road, not level or up like extra headlights) the most they will do for you in normal conditions is highlight the occasional pot hole at night that you might have missed with the regular headlights.

Reply to
e.meyer

Thanks. I know what they are for but having never had them, don't know how well they work. In all my years of driving in various states, I don't recall many cars having them.

Reply to
newbie

Hi, Fog lights helps when driving in foggy road. U sed to live on the shore of lake Superior where many days are deep in fog. You drive with low beam and fog lights on in the fog so to make yourself more visible. Some folks seems to think they are show off or something.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Hi, In England they have fog lights in the front and back of a car. Driving with it when it is not foggy is against law. You get ticket. I don't know if it is so yet.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Unless they are amber-yellow, they are worthless for driving in fog, because the white light gets reflected back at you. They serve mainly to irritate oncoming drivers, and to add a little extra illumination when there *isn't* any fog. If you want real help with driving in fog, look for aftermarket fog lights that are amber-yellow and can be switched on and off by you.

Reply to
Leftie

Our '85 Volvo had fog lights (never used them in Phoenix) and I was surprised to find the rear part was to light a brighter light (was it the brake lamp filament?) on one side. Not sure what that is about, but that was the way it was designed.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

Unless the fog lights are aimed correctly about the only thing they do it to light up the area directly in front of the car that the headlights don't illuminate. Factory or dealer installed fog lights act more as a cosmetic function than improve visibility. The reason it is so difficult to drive in fog, it that the light is reflected back off of the small water droplets, and even the low beams cause this reflection. If you install them yourself, it is possible to be able to turn them on and off independent of the main lighting and with proper aiming they will definitely help, but if the dealer installs them, they will be wired to come on with your headlights basically defeating their purpose.

Reply to
Marc

Unless the fog lights are aimed correctly about the only thing they do it to light up the area directly in front of the car that the headlights don't illuminate. Factory or dealer installed fog lights act more as a cosmetic function than improve visibility. The reason it is so difficult to drive in fog, it that the light is reflected back off of the small water droplets, and even the low beams cause this reflection. If you install them yourself, it is possible to be able to turn them on and off independent of the main lighting and with proper aiming they will definitely help, but if the dealer installs them, they will be wired to come on with your headlights basically defeating their purpose.

================================================= The only time I wished I had fog lights was off-road, trying to get off a mountain top one night. I couldn't see anything but fog when the headlights were on and the parking lights were too dim. I had to scout on foot for twenty feet or so at a time because I couldn't see the sides of the road. They would have been worthless if they required the headlights to be on - I would have had to unplug the headlights.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

The Germans also had the bright red fog light on the rear when we were there (courtesy of the US Army) in the 70's. In a dense fog, that bright red light was the only thing you saw when coming up on another car from the rear. It was also illegal there to drive with the fog lights on when there was no fog.

Reply to
e.meyer

I just want to thank all who replied here. Very helpful advice. Thanks to all of you!!

Reply to
newbie

Thus spake "e.meyer" :

Many years ago, a friend imported a 930 from Germany. It had a small light hung at the bottom of the rear bumper on the driver's side. I found out that it was an intensely bright tail light/brake light, that only came on when you used the fog lights. We had one very foggy night and I found that I could see this light approximately 100 feet further out than his regular lights.

Reply to
Dillon Pyron

Just picked up 2009 EX-L 4 cyl Accord, wife has 2008 same had fog lights installed on both wouldn't be without them. Really nothing to do with fog but more with additional lighting that doesn't impede other motorists. Where we are we have some very dark parkways through heavily wooded type country. They are great for giving you just that much more light close up on roadway. In rain and in fog again they do assist with seeing road lines and shoulder better. They get $440 here and I always do my best to get them thrown in at end of deal as deal breaker. Figure actual cost to dealer minimal.

George in NY

Reply to
georgeny

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